Yellows Progress in Devon Bowl

Tiverton Town 5

Swann 42 53 (pen) Aworinde 62 Jagger Cane 73 Koita 75

Elburton Villa 1

Hughes 55

Tuesday 21st October

Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium

Attendance: 134

A smaller crowd attended this St Lukes Devon Bowl game, but our passionate fans behind the goal more than made up for this and their support drove the team on against Southwest Peninsula Premier West side, Elburton Villa. The team for this one comprised of a mixture of regular first teamers and squad players, some gaining experience playing in the Premier East section of the Southwest Peninsula, at the same level as our opponents. John Ross took the gloves and there were additional starting berths for Jacob Wellington, Sergui Lungu, and Ise Aworinde. 

The Yellows began this game on the front foot. A skidding shot from Toby Stephens from distance found the side-netting and Finn Rooke who had remained up from a corner had a header cleared off the line, as early as the 6th minute. Tor Swann was showcasing all of his tricks and often leading his markers on a merry dance down Villa’s left. In the 15^th minute there were half-shouts for a penalty on Ise Aworinde, but the game continued with Tiverton having the majority of the ball. 

Then the visitors started to settle and had already got round the back of Tiverton’s defence and flashed a shot wide, when Ross made a good stop in the 20^th minute. He palmed the ball away to safety and out of the reach of interested Elburton forwards. In the 21^st minute Swann joined Stephens in finding the side-netting. A body swerve seeing him tease his way into the box, before he missed the target by a whisker. Playing at high tempo and nicely through the thirds Horne and Wellington were probing for openings and the latter had a penalty appeal turned away. 

In the 32^nd minute however, following some good approach play of their own, Villa drew an impressive save low down from John Ross.  This was made harder as it was through a crowd of players. Shortly after that attempt on our goal, Wellington showing quick feet, brought a save at his near post out of the away sides keeper and then a carbon copy of that effort from the former Willand man again, about a minute later, had exactly the same result. 

About ten minutes prior to half time, an enforced change was made, with Finn Rooke coming off and Gabe Billington being the man who took his place. This could have been precautionary or otherwise ahead of Saturday’s game at home to Yate. 

An offside flag seemed to rule out a certain goal for the Yellows, with 38 minutes on the clock. However, the games opener did arrive not long after that, as Swann who was a constant menace, collected a cross-field pass, progressed into the box and adjusted his feet, before finding a conclusive finish. 

An immediate response from Elburton saw Ross having to save well with his feet to prevent an equaliser. The last significant play of the half came from Horne, whose lively ball-carrying around the box almost paid dividends, but he just clipped his shot over. 

So, Tiverton had their noses in front, at the break and this was a fair reflection of an entertaining half, in which our opponents had definitely played their part. Whatever was said at half time seemed to galvanise the team further, as they found another gear. 

That however came after a couple of scares in the 47th minute, when Ross’s roll out didn’t go where it was meant to. It was intercepted and an incisive pass left a Villa player homing in on goal. Fortunately, he blazed over and then from the goal kick, the visitors returned the ball up field and an Elburton player cut in from the flank and clipped the Tivvy crossbar. 

Another enforced substitution was made a few minutes later, when Ross limped off and Zak Baker took over in goal.  The Yellows regained control of the game and there was a crispness and sharpness to their play through the team that the away side were finding hard to contain. 

Pace, athleticism and power are three qualities that are a good description of youngster Ise Aworinde and after a spell of total football, he moved past two or three challenges with a burst of speed and close control. An honest challenge for the ball resulted in him being tripped and the referee pointed to the spot. 

Tor Swann stepped up and sent their keeper the wrong way. That gave us a two-goal lead and Swann a two-goal tally on the evening. This sparked a mini recovery from Villa and following a few sweeping attacks, Sam Hughes reduced the deficit to one with a tidy finish, on 56 minutes. 

It wasn’t long though before Tiverton who were playing some very attractive football and looking as convincing as they have in quite a while, soon restored their two-goal cushion. Firstly, Swann forced their keeper into a parry around his post on the hour mark, with him taking the ball nicely in his stride and with a hattrick beckoning. Then Aworinde was played through and calmly slotted the ball through the legs of the keeper. It was now 3-1 to Asa Hall and Steve Orchard’s men, who were confidently in the box seat. 

That 62^nd minute goal saw a rampant Yellows sense blood. Stephens thundered over after some excellent interplay in the final third and then maybe inspired by his older brother Jacob’s fine individual strike for Weston-super-Mare, earlier in the evening, Substitute Louis Jagger Cane not long off the bench, produced a sumptuous strike from fully 25 yards, that flew like a tracer bullet past an almost motionless Elburton keeper. 

This kind of technical ability from him, is definitely in his locker. Hot on the heels of that 73^rd minute effort, fellow substitute Dan Koita wriggled away from a few Villa defenders and made space to calmly pick his spot in the 76^th minute. That completed the scoring on the evening, but Tivvy came close to a sixth in the closing stages. Captain Matt Wood had the ball in the net, but it was ruled out for pushing. Then Horne whose lively performance deserved a goal was foiled by the Villa goalie, who made a very good save on 80 minutes. 

A strong, fair, well-timed challenge in the box then came to the visitors rescue, followed by a strong block on a Koita effort. Tivertons number 9 then showed an excellent first touch around the D and was deliberately stopped at the start of time added. 5-1 it ended and it was comprehensive in the end, after a spirited display from a very capable and talented Elburton kept the Yellows in check, until we went into overdrive, in the final half hour.  

A much-needed boost going into Saturday’s vital encounter against Yate. If we can copy the freedom and inventiveness in which we played with going forward and remain solid defensively, an opportunity to win will be available for Tiverton. 

Tiverton: John Ross (50), Brooklyn Wilkins, Toby Stephens, Matt Wood, Tor Swann (79), Jacob Wellington, Ise Aworinde (68), Finley Rooke (36), Zack Williams (63), Aiden Horne.

Substitutes: Zak Baker (50), Corey Koerner (79), Dan Koita (63), Louis Jagger Cane (68), Gabe Billington (36).