Opening Day defeat for Yellows

Tiverton Town 0 

Chertsey Town 2 

Mazzone 58 

McCoy 80 

Saturday 9^th August

The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium 

Attendance: 457 

A decent crowd and a sun-baked day provided the backdrop for the seasons` opener against Chertsey Town, who brought a healthy travelling support with them. The players, coaches and families from Twyford Spartans were also amongst those in attendance. 

Asa Hall and Steve Orchard’s team selection for the first competitive fixture of the campaign, pointed towards the Yellows being at full strength.  

George Burton was between the sticks, Dean Moxey returned to take his place as a left-sided centre back, paired with new skipper Toby Down. The full back slots were filled by debutants Brooklyn Wilkins and Corey Koerner. An attacking formation saw Asa Hall and Toby Stephens in centre midfield, with Tor Swann on the right flank and Jacob Wellington over on the other side and Dan Koita leading the line alongside Aiden Horne. 

In an often-edgy beginning with both teams trying to assume control, half chances for both teams to get an early goal came and went.  

The Curfews forced Burton to gather well down low on a couple of occasions, Horne drifted across his marker, but saw his shot go wide and Koita embarked on a purposeful run through the Chertsey defence, but was hindered by a bit of a bobble and found himself dispossessed, in a pulsating start to proceedings. 

The visitors then had a speculative effort that cleared the crossbar. A lively first Ten minutes was completed by Tiverton enjoying a good spell of pressure in and around our opponent’s box and an early booking for Hall, with Tiverton stretched following a quick break from The Curfews. 

In the 14^th minute Koita did find the back of the net from an inviting cross in from Jacob Wellington, but it was correctly ruled out after a foul on Chertsey Keeper, Luke Wynne- Roberts. 

Despite a few bright moments from Tor Swann, who glided past his man with neat footwork and put some dangerous crosses in, it was the threat of powerful wide-man Gary Abisogun over on our left that was causing greater concern and Burton was certainly the busier of the two keepers. 

A guilt edge chance for Koita, when Swann carried the ball with intent, before pulling back from the by-line went extremely close to Tivvy opening the scoring, but desperate defending on the Chertsey goal line stopped his goal bound effort. 

When Burton went down injured, the sides took a water-break and both players and supporters were able to draw breath at the midway point of the opening half, in a game hotly contested, played in the sweltering heat. 

For the Yellows Dean Moxey’s positional play and long raking accurate passes out of defence were standout features, Wilkins looked assured, with Stephens and Hall working tirelessly in the engine room. 

On the resumption of the match, Koerner in the 27th minute covered back well to halt an incisive move from the visitors, involving a number of their players.  

Abisogun, midfielder’s Josh Gallagher and Ashley Lodge combining to almost telling effect, as the ball was played through to the prolific Jack Mazzone. Without a fantastic, athletic save from Burton, the away side would have been in front.  

However, in an intensive attacking spell of play from the Yellow’s no fewer than three presentable chances fell to them.  

In a crowded box from a corner, last ditch defending denied Horne, whose attempt was on its way in. Then Koita produced a sharp save from Wynne- Roberts when he was played through and similarly Horne was denied by the Chertsey custodian when in the clear, much to the frustration of the self- critical forward. 

The visitors, whose line up was littered with many experienced players at this level and beyond, regained their composure and an expansive, neat piece of interplay resulted in a shot going wide of the target. 

However, despite The Curfews being more fluent in possession than Tiverton, the hosts ended the first half on the front foot, forcing a corner. 

The ball was recycled, which eventually saw the Yellow’s able to use another weapon, Dean Moxey’s long throw. He propelled the ball threateningly into the Chertsey area, but the away side cleared away and the referee blew for half time. 

To sum up, Chertsey enjoyed the better of possession, but Tiverton carved out slightly the better of the opportunities to score. 

When we got back underway a 53^rd minute effort was dragged wide by our opponents, who were in the ascendancy. Although The Yellows broke at pace on occasion, the majority of the probing to break the deadlock was coming from the visitors who upped their corner count. 

Billy Montague should have put the Curfew’s in front in a one-on-one with Burton but volleyed over and then with almost an hour completed the Yellows were behind. Abisogun got round the back and delivered a pinpoint cross to fellow danger man Mazzone who expertly headed past Tivvy’s number one. 

The lethal Mazzone doesn’t need too many invitations to add to an impressive collection of goals and the away side deservedly led. Steve Orchard from the sideline reacted by bringing on Gabe Billington, with Wellington who had put a good shift in, being replaced.  

The response on the pitch that included a long surging run from the lively Swann that was ended by a crunching tackle, saw a decent spell of possession end in a Tivvy corner, though Chertsey dealt with it comfortably and sprung an attack with a long ball lifted over the top. However, with pressure coming from a few of our backline, an attempted shot didn’t call Burton into action. 

Matt Wood was introduced in the 76^th minute for Dean Moxey who’d had a very good competitive debut. Then three minutes later in an attacking substitution, the hard working and cultured Stephens was withdrawn for striker Louis Jagger Cane. 

However, moments later Tiverton’s cause was made that much harder as, Dan Hector found fellow Chertsey substitute Olly McCoy who clinically finished from close in. In a last throw of the dice Zack Williams came on for Horne who’d shown good energy throughout. 

A late red card was received by Hector as he appeared to react to a challenge over by the Yellows’ corner flag, couldn’t take the gloss off of a dominant second half performance from the Surrey side and Tivvy could have few complaints with the final score line. 

Considering that there were many players making their competitive debuts for the hosts and quite a few of the team stepping up levels, this result should not be viewed negatively. This is a talented squad and there were plenty of good signs in the opening half, going forward. 

The Yellows will continue their acclimatisation away at Dorchester on Tuesday night, as they hope to bounce back.

Tiverton: George Burton, Brooklyn Wilkins, Toby Down (C), Dean Moxey (76), Corey Koerner, Asa Hall, Toby Stephens (79), Jacob Wellington (64), Tor Swann, Aiden Horne (86), Dan Koita 

Substitutes: John Ross (GK), Matt Wood, Gabe Billington (64), Louis Jagger Cane (79), Zack Williams (86).