Midland Football League

Premier Division

Saturday 17th December 2016

Highgate United FC 2-1 Tividale FC

Tividale give up High ground and the points

 
Tividale will feel disappointed that their old inconsistencies came back to haunt them in a game that had little Christmas cheer.

In a fairly equal and eventful first half it was Highgate’s McCauley Manning  who was causing the majority of Tividale’s problems and he created the first chance when his right wing cross was met by the head of striker Marco Adaggio. But his shot went straight into the arms of Tividale keeper Luke Kriskinans.  Tividale’s first chance came a minute later when Luke Probert broke from left back and played in Dan Smith but he could not beat Highgate keeper Brendan Bunn.  Then on 12 minutes it was fellow full back Jacob Wedderburn’s turn to play in Smith but this time he failed to hit the target.

Highgate took the lead on 15 minutes when Manning received a neat pass from Adaggio’s rounded Kriskinans with the keeper’s back four appealing in vain for offside and fired into an empty net. 2 minutes later and Tividale skipper Karl Gardner could not keep his header down from a Probert free kick. In common with the first half of end to end action it was Highgate who went even closer to making it two on 27 minutes when from a right wing cross Kriskinans somehow kept out a point blank effort from Adaggio. Then back came Tividale with Bunn turning a Nathan Jones shot around the post for a corner.

On 33 minutes came a double sending off. First Highgate’s Nathan Walker was adjudged to have committed a two footed tackle that was always looking to end in a card of some sort but before the card is shown Tividale’s Liam Smith decided to hand out his own retribution. Resulting with the man in the middle having no option but to let Smith follow Walker back to the dressing room. Seven minutes later and Tividale were level. Again Jones tried his luck after a good attacking run and this time from the left edge of the box, beat Bunn with a rasping drive.

 Half Time :- Highgate United FC 1-1 Tividale FC

The second half can only be described as disappointing from a Tividale view point as Highgate took control of the game. But though they let themselves down in front of goal and were unable to create that decisive chance, Tividale barely threatened at all. The game itself was fragmented with petty free kicks and a number of bookings. Adaggio had a number of chances but either firied wide or finding Kriskinans and Edwards also having a couple of effort deflected for corner’s. The best chance fell to substitute Isaac Jagroop but Kriskinans did well to get down to save his shot.

With Tividale possibly feeling they had done enough to get a point, Highgate struck. The ball played into the box from a corner and with Tividale failing to clear their lines Brown forced the ball over the line at the back post.

Highgate had chances to extend their lead but some backs to the wall defending ensured their were no more breaches but unfortunately the visitors themselves never really looked like getting back into the game.

Full Time :- Highgate United FC 2-1 Tividale FC

Tividale FC:-I. Luke Kriskinans, 2. Jacob Wedderburn, 3. Lewis Probert, 4. Karl Gardner, 5. Joe Woodall, 6. Craig Stevens, 7. Tom Hurdman (14. Shane Grainger 65), 8. Liam Smith, 9. Dan Smith , 10. Jamie Hunt (12. Chris Bladen 65), 11 Nathan Jones

Unused Subs:- 15. Chris Hill, 16. Jordan Potter, 17.  Matt Preston.