With Lewis Williams and Austen Booth both out injured and Gary Warren suspended the visit of Championship contenders Farnborough to the Ian Moorcroft Stadium was always going to be a hard game for Tiverton. Farnborough got the game underway but the first real chance fell to Tivvy in the third minute when Dan Hayfield played a great ball to Louis Morison who found Jorden Lam with a neat pass and Lam sent a dipping shot just over the bar.
Tivvy had the best of the opening ten minutes but as the half went on Farnborough had more of the attacking play and Jimmy Weeks in the Tiverton goal was called on several times to pull off some great saves as the visitors went looking for the win that could put them back on top of the table. The best of the Farnborough chances came in the twenty ninth minute when Elliott Buchanan caught the ball on the volley which was brilliantly saved by Weeks. Farnborough continued to have more of the ball but they couldn't find a way past Weeks in the Tivvy goal and the half finished 0-0.
Tiverton got the second half underway and with only five minutes gone Farnborough number five Mark Nisbet and Tivvy number ten Louis Morison were both booked after a bout of pushing and shoving which involved nearly every player on the pitch after a foul on Dan Hayfield had stopped play. Two minutes later and a late Challenge from Craig Woodman was deemed by the referee to be worthy of a straight red card and Tivvy were down to ten players for the rest of the game. Farnborough now fancied their chances and a low free kick into the Tivvy box was flicked on and looked to be heading for the back of the net until Weeks was there again to save the day for Tiverton.
On sixty three minutes a good run down the line by Jordan Lam saw his cross be deflected out for a Tivvy corner. The resulting corner was met by the head of Alfie Pond who powered home his first Tivvy goal to put the yellows 1-0 up. Farnborough nearly found a quick reply but Fernandes shot went into the side netting and out for a goal kick. On seventy three minutes Jordan Lam burst through the Farnborough defence and was pulled back by the last defender which most people in the ground thought should have seen the defender sent off as he was the last man but the referee did not agree and only showed a yellow card. From the free kick Dan Hayfield curled his shot just wide of the top corner of the goal.
Tiverton seemed to be playing better with ten men and the defence were looking very strong and were dealing with the Farnborough attacks. On eighty one minutes Tiverton brought on Theo Simpson who replaced Chris Shephard as they looked to hold on to their lead. Again Jimmy Weeks was called upon to make several saves to keep Tivvy in the lead. With just a minute of normal time left Theo Simpson turned well in the box and smashed the ball past Turner in the Farnborough goal to put ten man Tivvy 2-0 up. The referee indicated that there would be seven additional minutes to play. Farnborough thought they had pulled one back but another Weeks save and a goal line clearence from Robert Farkins kept them out and Tiverton held on for a great win.
Tiverton Town vs Hartley Wintney | Match Report | 02/04/22Final score Tiverton 2 Farnborough 0