Midland Football League

Premier Division

Saturday 12th November 2016

St Andrew FC 1-4  Tividale FC

Tividale go four over par at St Andrews

St Andrews and Tividale remembers

After Wednesday defeat at Westfields, possibly the worst scenario would be an away fixture against a team that is coming off four wins on the bounce and if that was not bad enough, with a depleted squad.

Tividale had Jacob Wedderburn, Matt Hunt, Dan Smith, Lewis McPike, Liam Smith, Nathan Jones  and Joe Bates all unavailable for one reason or another so Manager Dave King gave starts to Shane Grainger, Joe Kenton and Jordan Potter and had Jamie Hunt back after missing the Westfield game. He also gave a starting debut to Joe Woodall and had fellow debutants Jake Fairhurst and Seegu Seebah on the bench.

It was the home side that started the brighter and the excellent Shay Brennan had a shot deflected for a corner in the first minute as St Andrews dominated the early play. Tividale’s first threat came after 10 minutes when a Potter cross was bravely taken by St Andrews keeper Shane Antcliffe at the feet of Tividale’s Charles Wilson.

Tividale took the lead on 15 minutes when a Potter shot was blocked on the St Andrews line but the ball came out to Wilson who placed the ball wide of Antcliffe and into the back of the net. The goal definitely gave the visitors a lift and on 17 minutes Craig Stevens fired over after some neat passing football. Even now St Andrews were still having the majority of the possession but they were not troubling the Tividale defence who were superbly shielded by the Tividale midfield. On 27 minutes Jamie Hunt just failed to get on the end of a low cross fired in from Joe Kenton, after the wide man had beat his man and crossed from the bye line. From the resulting goal kick a neat flick on set Brennan on his way on goal, but his shot was comfortably held by Kriskinans.

Tividale doubled their lead on 35 minutes when Wilson was felled in the box in an unusual penalty decision. Unusual because there was not one complaint from the home side. Wilson stepped up and as the keeper dived to his right the forward rolled into the middle of the net. Three minutes later Brennan had another chance when from another counter he was again one on one with Kriskinans but this time could only find the side netting.

On 43 minutes it was 3-0. A Tom Hurdman free kick into the St Andrews box was cleared and as the defence came out Shane Grainger crossed back into the box and Stevens unmarked headed the ball past Antcliffe with the home defence appealing in vain for offside. St Andrews had one last chance in the half when Brennan continued his duel with Kriskinans with a header that the keeper saved.

Half Time :-St Andrews FC 0-3  Tividale FC

St Andrews again started the second half the stronger and on 56 minutes they pulled a goal back. A ball into the box was headed down by Leon Doughty and Brennan finally got his goal, shooting first time and past Kriskinans before the keeper could set himself. Tividale came storming back and half time substitute Seebah just failed to steer home a Kenton cross. On 60 minutes Tividale were back to three goals in front. A free kick into the home box was cleared to the edge of the box and Jamie Hunt hammered the ball home.

St Andrews now threw caution to the wind and threw everything at their visitors. Sam Hollis shot over from a back post cross in the 71st minute and with 15 minutes to go Tividale cleared after a spell of pin ball in their 6 yard box. Then in the 83rd minute Brennan put the ball over the bar from 4 yards. Tividale could have made it 5 in the last minute when Kenton shot wide after some neat build up play between Freddie Watts and Seebah.

Full Time :-St Andrews FC 1-4 Tividale FC

Tividale FC:-1. Luke Kriskinans, 2. Tom Hurdman, 3.Darragh Bustin, 4. Karl Gardner, 5. Joe Woodall, 6. Craig Stevens, 7. Joe Kenton, 8. Shane Grainger 9. Charles Wilson (14. Freddie Watts 70), 10. Jamie Hunt (16. Jake Fairhurst 65), 11.Jordan Potter (12. Seegu Seebah 46)

Unused Subs:-15. Matt Preston.