Midland Football League

Premier Division

Tuesday 11th October 2016

Loughborough University FC 4-2 Tividale FC

Students take top marks with official aid

Pre match handshakes

There is an old football saying that “things even themselves out over a season”. Well on tonight’s performance there will soon be a massive slice of luck coming Tividale’s way.

The opening exchanges were fast and furious as both teams made full use of the brilliant Holywell Sports Complex pitch and apart from the odd over exuberant challenge and the familiar fouls/bookings by numbers by the officials, there was no indication of what was to come as both defences held a high line and both attacks struggled to get on top.

While the home side looked dangerous on the attack it was the visitors who caused the major threat and the first on 3 minutes when Nathan Jones jinxed his way to the byline pulled the ball back to Lewis McPike but his shot was well saved by Loughborough keeper James Stallan. Tividale went deservedly ahead on 17 minutes. When Loughborough failed to clear their lines and Dan Smith made himself some room in a crowded box and fired past Stallan from 8 yards. Tividale were now looking full of confidence and the home side were struggling to stay in the game.

On the half hour the game turned on it’s head when it looked like Joe Bates was taken out from behind by a Loughborough defender. Now their is a possibility that the officials could see something that everyone else in the ground could not see when the referee gave his own theatrical version of the “double karate chop”. Yes the one that he bends his knees at the same time and then holds the pose.

If that was not bad enough, while Tividale are appealing, Loughborough break and while the referees assistant is admiring the pose he misses a foul off the ball and a clear offside as Jerimiah Dasaolu literally walks the ball into the Tividale net. So from having a great chance of going two nil up. The game was now all square.

After the massive feeling of injustice Tividale took a while to get their minds back on the game and this was when Loughborough was at their most threatening but the half ended all square.

Half Time : Loughborough University FC 1-1 Tividale FC

The visitors came out for the second half determined to put right the wrong and Bates forced Stallan into a flying save after 57 minutes. From the young keepers clearance Loughborough’s Christian Enerenadu raced down the right and his shot was turned home by Dasaolu on the line but it was ruled out for offside. Tividale were now pouring forward and McPike was then foiled by another brilliant save from young Stallan in the 67th minute. This time palming his shot over his crossbar.

On 77 minutes all Tividale’s good work meant nothing when after giving away a free kick on the edge of their penalty area. Alex Johnson stepped up and his free kick beat Luke Kriskinans into the bottom corner, despite the keeper getting a hand to it. Disastrously for the visitors Loughborough extended their lead two minutes later, when indecision in the Tividale back line allowed substitute Tom Rankin to side foot home at the back post. A minute later on 80 minutes Tividale were back in it. This time Bates finding the bottom corner and making it 3-2.

Tividale were now throwing everything at the visitors in an attempt to get back on level terms and they were always going to be vulnerable on the counter and on 84 minutes Loughborough cashed in. Dasaolu broke from his half beat Tividale’s lone defender and finishes well.

You just knew it was not going to be Tividale’s night when on 88 minutes Luke Morris hit a superb curling strike through a crowded area that looked to be arrowing into the bottom left hand corner of the Loughborough net, when from nowhere and at full stretch the right hand of the brilliant Stallan appeared and he managed to palm it away

Full Time : Loughborough University FC 4-2 Tividale FC

Tividale FC:-1. Luke Kriskinans, 2. Tom Hurdman, 3. Darragh Bustin, 4. Joe Hull, 5. Matt Hunt, 6. Craig Stevens, 7. Lewis McPike, 8. Liam Smith, 9. Daniel Smith (15. Luke Morris 67), 10. Joe Bates, 11.Nathan Jones (14. Jamie Hunt 70).

Subs not used: 12. Shane Grainger, 16. Jordan Potter, 17. Freddie Watts.