West Midland Regional League
Premier Division Cup
Round Two
Wednesday 21st November 2018
Tividale 3-0 Dudley Town

Tividale edge out Dudley

 
Tividale again overcame their near neighbours but once again the winning margin flattered the home side and as was the case last week in Tividale’s defeat to Sutton Coldfield Town. This was all down to small margins.

For this cup games the regular changes were once again made. With neither Ryan Cheshire or Luke Kriskinans available Tividale started with 17 year old Peter Hawk in goal. The other changes were a welcome return to the starting line up for Tom Hurdman who had been out injured for 8 weeks, Elliott Hartley, Freddie Watts, Reece Shilvock and Harvey Walker.

Tividale started really well and pressed the visitors in the early stages while Dudley tried to defend the edge of their penalty area. The first chance that came to the home side was a Liam Wilkinson header in the 2nd minute that flashed wide from a cross by Demetri Brown. Then on 4 minutes Brown himself shot wide after Hartley teed him up with some great wing play.

With Tividale dominating the early possession and laying siege to the Dudley defence a goal had to come, and it did in the 12th minute. Brown got off a shot that Town keeper Shane Maydew could only parry away. Luckily for Brown (or unluckily for Maydew)the ball went straight to Brown and he walked the ball into an empty net. Three minutes later it was 2-0. This time Town failed to clear their lines from a Tividale corner and Shilvock volleyed home.

The home side looked as though they would now run riot as the visitors were struggling to even get out of their half. But the second goal brought a complete shift change in the game. Dudley became the dominant side and took the game to Tividale. On 21 minutes they had their first chance when Cameron Walker stung Hawks hands with a shot. Dudley will feel that they deserved something with the amount of pressure they put on the home side but they just could not get that break they were desperate for in front of goal. Ex Tividale player Chris Raybone seemed to be at the centre of Dudley’s attacks and it was his great cross on 38 minutes that striker Emile Fedatovs headed just wide.

Then on 40 minutes the passage of play that just about summed up Dudley’s night. From their own corner, the ball was swept clear by Hurdman to Walker and his pass to Hartley split the Town defence wide open. Hartley himself unselfishly played the ball into Dan Smith and he fired past Maydew.

The visitors had the last and possibly their best chance of the game in the last minute of the half Raybone again teed up Fedatovs but his shot was brilliantly turned away one handed by Hawk.

Half Time:- Tividale 3-0 Dudley Town

 
Tividale had the first effort on goal in the second half when Walker found Hartley but he shot wide on 52 minutes. Brown was then put through down the left flank on the hour mark but his dangerous cross was cut out by Dudley defender Chris Horton. Hartley was also sent through but he was denied by a last ditch tackle. While at the other end a Cameron Walker shot was touched over by Hawk and then Horton curled an effort from distance that drifted just wide and right at the death Walker was through but could not get his chance on target under pressure from a Dudley defender.

All in all the second half never really lived up to the first half as Tividale failed to find any rhythm and Dudley just could not get the goal that they at least deserved. Fair play to them they stuck to their passing game and caused the home side all sorts of problems. But the second half was void of real clear cut chances and neither keeper or defence for that matter was duly worried.

Full Time:-Tividale 3-0 Dudley Town

Tividale Supporters Man of the Match – Harvey Walker

Tividale:-1. Peter Hawk, 2. Tom Hurdman, 3. Elliott Hartley, 4. Ben Birch (12. Bradley Welding 52), 5. Dan Bryson, 6. Freddie Watts, 7. Reece Shilvock, 8. Liam Wilkinson, 9. Dan Smith (15, Rion Fancis-Mills 60), 10. Demetri Brown (17. Jake Brigdale 80), 11. Harvey Walker.

Unused Subs:- 14. Karl Gardner, 16. Darragh Bustin