Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South
Frome Town 1 (Day 90)
Tiverton Town 2 (D Jones 60, Britton 76)
Tuesday, September 10 . Badgers Hill Stadium. 7.45pm
THE Yellows went into their midweek league game at fellow Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South strugglers Frome with as much to prove to themselves as they did to their loyal band of supporters. Successive dispiriting 3-0 losses at the hands of Wimborne and Gosport meant a swift response was required.
Manager Leigh Robinson reverted to a back four in front of goalkeeper Fiachra Pagel, Niall Thompson and Dylan Jones in full-back berths and Josh Jones and Mike Baker in the centre of defence. Captain Matt Britton, Asa Hall, Jay Murray and full competitive debutant Theo Jeremy were in midfield with Javan Wright playing what appeared to be a little further forward in support of Joe Parker.
As both sides looked to get a foothold in the game, what was quickly apparent was our pace in the wide areas. Wright was looking very lively down the Robins’ left and Jeremy was soon into his stride on their right flank.
After a fairly hectic beginning to the game, it was not until the 14th minute that Tiverton carved out their first opportunity. Wright, who was full of running all evening, tore down his wing, with his good feet and balance taking the beyond a few Frome Defenders. Crossing in on the run, he found Parker, whose effort used the pace on the ball, but ended up going narrowly wide as it smashed into the advertising hoardings.
Then it was the busy Murray’s turn to become provider, slipping Parker in with a precise threaded ball. An excellent block stifled his goal bound attempt, though. Tivvy looked businesslike, but also were reminiscent of the good footballing side that impressed the fans against Exeter City and Weston-super- Mare in pre season.
Jeremy and Wright continued to peg Frome back, with Dylan Jones again overlapping to very good effect. One sudden direct burst from Jeremy saw him make rapid progress, evading a couple of tackles with some rapid trickery. His ball into the box was decent, too, and in the second phase of this attack, Britton's testing shot was palmed away for a corner by Phillips in the Robins’ goal.
The resulting corner saw a well connected Parker effort whistle marginally past the upright. Our corner count was rising, as we pressed for an opener. Then a long throw from Dylan Jones found Parker again. He swivelled and his well-struck shot was well stopped by Phillips.
Then, against the run of play, a swift counter attack saw former Yellow Joe O’Loughlin carry the ball with intent before playing in Zac Drew. However, with the goal at his mercy, Drew saw his attempt rebound away off the post.
This did not deter Tivvy, who continued to be in the ascendancy. Onlookers were beginning to wonder if the numerous corners that had failed to result in us putting the ball in the net would come back to bite us later in the game - we forced no fewer than eight of them in a first half that ended goalless.
When the sides returned, normal service was resumed. Following bright interplay from Thompson and Jeremy, a Parker effort was expertly blocked and Wright’s follow-up from a tight angle smashed into the side netting. The Yellows’ pressure on Frome was mounting.
Yet another corner was forced by the determined Jeremy. Nothing came from it, but shortly after that, a super solo goal from Dylan Jones lit up the evening.
Starting from just inside his own half, he blazed down Frome’s right and then carried the ball around 30 yards with two Robins’ players in close pursuit. Turning on a postage stamp out wide, he outfoxed both and then took the ball inside another Robin before beating the talented Phillips with an angled shot across the Frome ’keeper and into the bottom corner. A fine individual effort and finally something to show for a fairly dominant display.
There was no sitting back from the Yellows on this evening.
The hungry and skilful Jeremy was more than justifying his selection. Four minutes after Jones’s wonder goal, playing on the opposite wing from the first half, the two-footed Jeremy shifted the ball at pace past three Robins’ players and Phillips had to be nimble himself to get across his goal and push the ball away for yet another corner.
Then, in the 71st minute, he was at it again. More trickery followed by a stinging shot that provoked a wonderful reaction stop low down from Phillips, whose moments of brilliance were preventing the Yellows being out of sight.
Britton then saw his effort skim off a defender and out for a corner. That corner found the same player and the captain climbed high to despatch a powerful header past the for once helpless Frome ’keeper.
That goal arrived in the 76th minute, and, a minute later, Pagel, who had been largely redundant for long spells in the second half, produced a vital save to deny the Robins.
Tivvy were soon back up the other end and playing with a spring in their step. A sweeping move involving Thompson, Jeremy, Parker and Wright, culminating in Wright’s shot being a strong one, but straight at Phillips.
Tiverton made four substitutions in the final 15 minutes and all players were deservedly clapped off for their night’s work. Murray was replaced by Jeff Forkuo; Leighton Thomas then came on for Parker; Farren Simons entered proceedings for the tireless Wright; and, finally, Ryan Crawford entered the pitch with the excellent Jeremy departing.
Marcus Day pulled one back as we went into time added on, but, despite obvious nerves, we held on for a thoroughly deserved first three points of the campaign.
It was a long time in the making, but wonderful to see; a mixture of quality and hard work. There was little or no evidence of the horror show against Wimborne and lots of slick football on the deck to admire.
We are notout of the woods by a long stretch, but there is a little clearing through the trees that can only give us all a little more hope for better things from now on.
There is a gap now before the first team resumes on September 21 against Winchester at the Ian Moorcroft Stadium.
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