West Midland Regional League

Premier Division

Saturday 29th September 2018

Malvern Town 1-1 Tividale

Malvern Mugged

When you go to the home of one your title rivals and get a point, it is normally after a great battle and a hard fought point. Well this was not like that. This was a case of smash and grab.

Maybe it was a game too far after three tough games in 7 days had yielded Tividale 9 points. Or that we were just not at it in this game but this was a disappointing Tividale performance.

Tividale made 2 changes to the side that won the epic against Wolves Casuals on Tuesday. Demetri Brown had recovered from his illness and replaced Tyree Clarke and Matt Hunt came in for the unavailable Dan Bryson. It was also Tom Hurdman’s 100th Tividale appearance

The opening minutes were nervy ones with neither side able to find a man in the same coloured shirt but it was the home side who settled the quickest and on 5 minutes a Luis Loader free kick was met by James Febery but his header cleared the bar. Malvern went even closer on 9 minutes when Loader played in Harry Clarke and while his shot beat Tividale keeper it struck the post and bounced clear.

Tividale were now all over the place, chasing shadows and not picking up their runners and on 12 minutes Malvern full back Curtis Smith was allowed to get into the box and on to the end of a neat through ball but although his neat chip beat Cheshire it came back off the cross bar.  The impressive Loader then had a shot from a great position but he dragged it wide as the home side were completely dominant.

It was the 30th minute before Tividale threatened the Malvern goal a Darragh Bustin free kick was met by Matt Hunt but it was a comfortable save for keeper Charlie Weaver.  Bustin then went on a run and Weaver did well to smother his shot but it triggered a goal mouth scramble but the home side eventually cleared their lines. Even though they were making a little headway in attack. Tividale were still looking very shaky in defence and their luck continued to be pushed when a mix up between Cheshire and centre back Ben Birch resulted in Birch heading back to a keeper who was not at home but fortunately the ball went wide of the post and out for a corner.

Just as the half seemed to be heading for stalemate Malvern took their deserved lead. In first half stoppage time another Loader free kick was put into the Tividale area. Unusually but summing up their first half display, no visiting defender took responsibility for the clearance and Adam Stauntson was free to head the ball home

Half Time:- Malvern Town 1-0 Tividale

The home side were reduced to 10 men in the 50th minute when Febery launched himself into a challenge on Tividale striker Dan Smith and referee Mr Tenaud decided it warranted a straight red card.  The dismissal obviously gave the visitors a lift and they were able to find a little more space in defence and midfield. But they just could not get into any sort of momentum and never exerted any sustained pressure on the home side. They did create the occasional chance with Tom Hurdman finding Bustin with a cross that he headed wide on 54 minutes. Brown had his first clear chance of the game on the hour mark when his first time shot flashed across Weaver but also wide of the keepers far post and a Bustin free kick on 66 minutes was saved by Weaver.

Even though Tividale had the extra man and were looking a little more threatening. Malvern ‘s defence were fairly comfortable and they still looked the most likely to extend their lead as their front runners were willing to chase anything cleared as Tividale pushed forward. John Hunt nearly capitalised on one of those occasions but Tividale’s defenders got back to thwart the attack and then Hunt was able to hold up the ball and feed Loader but his shot was blocked by Birch.

Substitute Tyree Clarke and then Bustin both had chances for the visitors but neither could hit the target.  Clarke then had a shot deflected for a corner and from the corner Brown had his shot cleared off the line. Malvern were then down to 9 men with 8 minutes to go when Curtis Smith was shown his second yellow card.

Malvern were now in Alamo mode and their tremendous defensive work was summed up in the 87th minute when Weaver bravely dived at the feet of a marauding Tyree Clarke at full speed. a save that if he had got it wrong it could have resulted in a penalty for the visitors or even worse a trip to the dentist for the keeper on Monday. As the game moved into stoppage time, Malvern looked as though they were going to get the three points their first half possession and chances and second half determination and work rate had deserved.

But Tividale won a corner in the 96th minute. Bustin swung it in and Birch rose the highest to steer his header into the corner of the net. This started Tividale celebrations which were a mixture of relief and disbelief from the away side. While the home side must have felt that the two points had been stolen from them.

Full Time:- Malvern Town 1-1 Tividale

Tividale:-1. Ryan Cheshire, 2. Tom Hurdman, 3. Darragh Bustin, 4. Ben Birch, 5. Matt Hunt (16. Brad Welding 75), 6. Freddie Watts , 7. Lee Smith (12. Tyree Clarke 65), 8. Liam Wilkinson, 9. Tyree Clarke, 10. Dan Smith, 11. Curtis Cocking

Unused Subs:-14. Karl Gardner 15. Harvey Walker