Yellows slip to narrow Sholing defeat

Tiverton Town 0 

Sholing 1 

Folivi 79 

Saturday 23^rd August  

The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium 

Attendance: 363 

It was the Boatmen who came away from this game with all three points, as the Yellows battled in the stifling heat, but just came up short and fell to a second consecutive loss. 

For the first of two games over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the management team of Asa Hall and Steve Orchard were without the injured Dean Moxey, so the side that finished the game at Hungerford last  Saturday, lined up against early front runners Sholing. 

Matt Wood taking his place, as the right sided centre back and captain Toby Down moving over to the position vacated by Moxey on the left side centrally. Gabe Billington continuing in the right back berth, with the not yet fully-fit Brooklyn Wilkins on the bench. 

A bright start from the Yellows’, saw them win two corners in quick succession around the five minute mark and from the second delivery in, Matt Wood’s header agonisingly just cleared the woodwork. 

As the first half progressed chances for both sides were few and far between, as the two defences were on top. The quartet of Gabe Billington, Wood, Down and Koerner looked solid and organised and apart from a shot dragged wide on seventeen minutes from a Sholing attacker, they were relatively untroubled early on. 

The majority of the play took place between both boxes, that was until Dan Koita hurried the Boatmen’s keeper Craig King as the ball was perhaps unwisely played back to him. Bobbling through on the dry surface, with 28 minutes played, Tivvy’s number nine impressively executed a high press, stealing the ball away from King’s feet, the athletic frontman’s sight of goal was soon obstructed by a Posse of determined, visiting defenders and he was crowded out. 

The defences both stood firm and although each side played some neat football and put pressure on the other in the opposing half, opportunities to take the lead were rare, apart from a 41^st minute effort from Sholing, when it opened up for one of their forwards who shot wildly off target. 

When crosses did come over or the ball was played into the box, George Burton was alert and his handling was assured. The goalless first half was a fair outcome and the Yellows had  applied themselves well and worked hard. 

A bit of a war of attrition in the first 45 and with opportunities to score a rarity, it never felt like there would be many goals in this game. When the teams re-emerged, Koita wriggled past a couple of defenders after latching onto a long searching ball, but he hooked his flying volley over the bar in the 51^st minute. 

Tivvy ramped up the pressure in a good five minute spell of probing interplay and forced a corner, which despite a brief game of pinball was cleared to safety. Sholing though were then into their stride and always looked more likely in the final half hour. 

Relentless attacking play from the visitors required “backs to the wall defending”, as Burton produced a couple of magnificent saves from point blank range, in as many minutes and Corey Koerner’s excellent defensive block, just outside Tivvy’s six yard box, denied what seemed a certain goal.   

More good glove work from Burton saw him tip a header over, for a corner to the Boatmen. During this period Sholing Manager Paul Doswell made three changes, including the introduction of former Southampton Premier League player James Hesketh and the quick footed winger Gianni Crichlow. This seemed to re-energise the visitors’ 

Tiverton responded through Louis Jagger Cane’s snap-shot, after the Yellow’s had won themselves a free-kick. His attempt in the second phase of this set-piece, forcing a good stop from keeper, King and with the tempo noticeably increasing, the teams traded attacking moves, as they frantically sought out a goal. 

However, it was Sholing who were carrying  more threat in the final third and on 79 minutes, the elusive goal arrived. For once ex EFL striker, Michael Folivi was able to turn and take a decisive touch past a defender and although it wasn’t the cleanest of finishes, it was enough to put the Southampton based side in front. 

Steve Orchard reacted to this by introducing Aiden Horne for Dan Koita, a few minutes later. There was almost an equaliser for the Yellows,  prior to going into added time, though King managed to smother a Yellows attempt from close in. 

A late corner for Tiverton gave the fan’s a little hope, but it wasn’t to be and Sholing I feel, did enough to warrant their victory. The management team can be proud of their sides efforts, in running close the high flyers, who with this result stay top of the league. 

Moving onto Monday now. The Bank Holiday fixture away at local rivals Taunton will be another tough test and both sides will be keen to bounce back after losses at the weekend as the Peacocks also suffered defeat, going down 2-1 at Walton & Hersham. 

Tiverton: George Burton, Gabe Billington, Toby Down (c), MATT WOOD, Corey Koerner, Asa Hall, Toby Stephens, Tor Swann, Jacob Wellington, Louis Jagger Cane, Dan Koita (82).

Substitutes: John Ross, Brooklyn Wilkins, Ise Aworinde, Aiden Horne (82), Sam Gleeson.