Emirates FA Cup

Extra Preliminary Round Replay

Tuesday 8th August 2016

Highgate United 2 -3 Tividale

Tividale on a High as they overcome the Gate in replay

What a gutsy performance from Tividale. After the back’s to the wall performance in the first game. To go two down in the first 10 minutes was the last thing that they needed and a repeat of Westfields in last season’s he FA Cup looked likely.

But the lad’s dug in, dragged themselves back into the game and then dominated and ran out deserved winners.
Coincidently both teams made just the one change to the Saturday line up and it was both the captains. The influential Aaron Brown was missing for Highgate, while Tividale’s skipper Karl Gardner was side-lined with illness. The game started at a whirlwind pace and the first free kick was awarded to Highgate after about 30 seconds on the edge of the Tividale box and Isaac Jagroop stepped up and curled the free kick over Tividale keeper Ryan Cheshire and into the back of the net.

On 10 minutes it was two nil, when Jagroop turned home Marco Adaggio’s low cross from 5 yards. Tividale were back in it on 20 minutes when from a Tom Hurdman throw in to Tyree Clarke, he turned his marker and his angled drive from 15 yards flashed across Highgate keeper James Behan and into the bottom corner.

Tividale still had a mountain to climb as Highgate continued to press and Cheshire could only watch as a Scott Turner header hit the cross bar. But Tividale were level just minutes before the break when Darragh Bustin cut in from his left wing back position and unleashed a superb shot from the edge of the area that Behan could not get to.

Half Time:-Highgate United 2 -3 Tividale

It was understandable that after the action packed first half, the second period would be a slower and cagey affair with fewer chances. But if anything the visitors were gaining momentum and as the game went into the latter stages their looked to be only one winner as the home side seemed to tire. Elliott Hartley had a great chance with 10 minutes to go when he just could not get the ball under control and getting off his shot after beating Behan to the ball. Then with 5 minutes left on the clock the same player was through on goal and looked to have won a penalty when he seemed to have been brought down from behind. In fairness to the referee he did look across to his assistant who waived play on. But surely the referee was in a better position as he was right behind the incident.

With that chance gone extra time looked likely until Tividale substitute 18 year old Harvey Walker showed a piece of class with a finish of composure beyond his years. He beat the Highgate offside trap with a well timed run from midfield and as he bared down on Behan’s goal, Behan and everybody else in the ground thought he was going to take a touch but instead and before the keeper could set himself, Walker looked up and curled the ball first time around the keeper and into the top corner of the net.

Tividale then had to withstand another 4 minutes of injury time as Highgate threw everything at them, but the lads stood their ground and move into the next round.

Full Time:-Tividale 1 v 1 Highgate United.

Tividale FC:- 1. Ryan Cheshire, 2. Tom Hurdman, 3. Darragh Bustin, 4. Freddie Watts, 5. Daniel Wells (15. Chris Hill 67), 6.Daniel Bryson, 7.Liam Wilkinson (17. Harvey Walker 83), 8.Curtis Cocking, 9.Tyree Clarke, 10.Dan Smith (16. Elliott Hartley 71), 11.Joseph Lawley

Unused Subs:- 12. Tom Busby 14. Bradley Welding