Midland Football League

Premier Division

Wednesday 9th November 2016

Westfields FC 3-1  Tividale FC

Tividale punished as chances go West

Tividale made the long midweek journey to Hereford for the daunting task of taking on FA Cup heroes Westfields who had beaten Tividale 5-1 at the beginning of their cup run. Had they taken their early chances the final score could have been oh so different

Tividale started the game with a no fear approach and came straight at Westfields and after 8 minutes they had their first big chance when skipper Craig Stevens beat Westfield keeper Kieron Blackburn but saw his shot come back of the crossbar. Westfields first chance came on 14 minutes when Aiden Thomas pounced on a Tividale mistake but his shot was turned around the post by Luke Kriskinans. From the corner Nick Harrhy had an effort again saved by Kriskinans.

With Tividale pressing all over the park Westfields decision to play from the back was always going to be a high risk strategy especially if you get it wrong and when Dan Smith hurried Blackburn’s clearance the ball came off him and rolled agonisingly the wrong side of the post. Smith then had another fine chance but got it all wrong and never troubled Blackburn. On the half hour Nathan Jones dispossessed Westfields right back Kane Kahaki attacked the home area but his final shot was wide of Blackburn’s post. Westfields then had an effort cleared off the line before a Nathan Jones shot was comfortably saved by Blackburn.

Tividale were approaching the half time whistle and would have felt a little disappointed that they had not scored but had to be pleased with there defensive work, when on 43 minutes Westfields broke the deadlock. Thomas did well when his shot beat Kriskinans and found the bottom corner after some good work by Craig Jones

Half Time :-  Westfields FC 1-0  Tividale FC

The second half was now going to be an uphill battle. With Westfields a goal up they could just keep possession and let Tividale come at them and that’s what they did. When the visitors did break through they just could not get it right in the final third as Nathan Jones again had a chance on 48 minutes but again he shot straight at Blackburn.

At the other end Westfields were always dangerous and on the hour they doubled their lead with a goal that summed up the difference between the sides on the night. From a steady build up Craig Jones was bang on target with a tremendous drive that Kriskinans did well to parry, but the first to react was Westfields striker Richard Greaves and he made no mistake side footing home. The goal was a sickener for the away side and 5 minutes later it was three. Centre back Phil Glover had stayed up for a corner and when Aiden Jones swung in a cross to the far post Glover was there to head home.

3-0 down to possibly the best team in the league with 25 minutes to go and Tividale could have fell apart as they did in those first 20 minutes of that FA Cup tie back in August. But instead they kept working and pressing and on 80 minutes sub Charles Wilson making his first appearance since breaking his wrist in September latched onto a ball into the box and steered the ball past Blackburn and inside his far post for the goal Tividale’s performance deserved. The visitors thought they had added a second on 85 minutes when a Joe Kenton cross was turned home by Dan Smith but we was flagged offside.

Full Time :-  Westfields FC 3-1  Tividale FC

Tividale FC:-1. Luke Kriskinans, 2. tom Hurdman, 3.Darragh Bustin, 4. Karl Gardner, 5. Matt Hunt, 6. Craig Stevens, 7. Lewis McPike (12. Joe Kenton 70), 8. Liam Smith (14. Charles Wilson 70) 9. Dan Smith, 10. Shane Grainger, 11.Nathan Jones

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