Birmingham FA

Floodlit Cup semi Final

Wednesday 27th February 2019

Tividale 1-0 Chelmsley Town

Tividale make Floodlit Final

Tividale reached their first final in 4 years with an efficient if not spectacular performance against their Midland Football League counterparts.

This was always going to be a cagey affair where the first one to blink was liable to be the team going out but neither side was prepared to forfeit that advantage and in the end Lee Smith’s goal half way through the first half was the difference in the two sides.
Boss Dave King decided to go what on paper looked like a steady 4-4-2 formation, recalling Tom Hurdman and Jamal Fuller at full backs .Altering the roles of Darragh Bustin and Brad Welding by moving them to wide midfield men. Matt Hunt missed out as King went for Dan Bryson and Ben Birch as is centre backs and with Liam Wilkinson resting his groin strain Lee Smith and Curtis Cocking were chosen to form a midfield diamond and Demetri Brown and Dan smith were the front men.

Tividale started the better of the two sides and Chelmsley’s defence was kept on their toes for those opening 20 minutes but on 23 minutes the home side took the lead. Brown’s stinging shot was only parried away by Chelmsley keeper James Kelly but straight to Lee Smith and he stroked the ball past the keeper.

Chelmsley really put in a shift to try and get back into the game but although their centre forward Nathanial Lewars toiled away up front. They could not commit to many to support him because of the fear of Tividale’s pace in their attacking options.
Tividale on the other hand were always looking the more likely to add to the score line but as much as they huffed and puffed Kelly was hardly troubled for the rest of the half

Half Time:- Tividale 1-0 Chelmsley Town

The second half was much the same as the first. Nothing inspiring just two sides working their socks off to keep their shape. Both defences were in the main in control. But the better chances fell to the home side. Possibly the best being an absolutely stunning drive from Cocking that Kelly could not hold but somehow the Chelmsley defence scrambled clear

In the end it was Tividale that prevailed and they will play Atherstone in the final after they beat Dudley Sports 2-0 in the other semi final. The final will be played at a ground and on a date to be arranged by the Birmingham County FA

Full Time:- Tividale 1-0 Chelmsley Town

Tividale Supporters Man of the Match – Ben Birch

Tividale:-1. Ryan Cheshire, 2. Tom Hurdman, 3. Jamal Fuller, 4. Ben Birch, 5. Dan Bryson. 6. Lee Smith, 7. Darragh Bustin, 8. Bradley Welding (17. Matt Hunt 68), 9. Dan Smith (15. Alex Cameron 76), 10. Demetri Brown, 11. Curtis Cocking (12. Harvey Walker 88)

Unused Substitutes:-14. Reece Shilvock, 16. Elliott Hartley.