TIVIDALE FC 1-4 ALVECHURCH FC: FULL MATCH REPORT...

Poor Performances Proof of Pitch Pudding…

Tividale FC 1-4 Alvechurch FC

A ball dropped near me during the warm-up period and it made a slightly damp thud as it hit The Beeches turf and barely bounced, like it was really The Beaches… Neither Alvechurch nor Tividale mastered the conditions in a fierce if unenterprising contest, which featured few goalscoring opportunities, rare creative moments, yet lots of strong tackling, much inaccuracy and a good deal of visual and verbal anger by a number of players. The officials didn’t help either, annoying both sets of players and rendering the occupants of both dugouts so frustrated and exasperated that I feared for their relatives at home later in the evening. 

League leaders ‘Church struggled to master not only the surface but also their lowly opponents and it was some time before they really threatened with both chances stemming from corners. Despite their efforts, the hosts only fashioned a couple of first-half shots at the target, one of which equalised Josh March’s opener for Alvechurch. After the break, playing up the Tivi-slope, a scrambled goal gave the guests an edge but until the final 10 minutes or so, the result was certainly in doubt as ‘Church ‘keeper Lewis Fenney made one good save but eventually ‘Church took control and netted from a penalty and then from a set-piece, headed in by the lively Babu Sauane. Three points were deserved in the end but Tividale gave a mighty physical account of themselves in a game which missed the creativity of ‘Church’s Dave Bellis, whose gashed leg saw him replaced during the opening, ugly half.  

MAN POKES ANOTHER MAN'S SKULL...

Home ‘keeper Luke Kriskinans managed to smother a low effort by March in the opening moments and then scooped a ball away from the left side of his penalty-box but until the visitors saw a goal disallowed for offside, the only action had been a good move by the hosts which was halted when busy, willing forward Daniel Smith fell over under pressure. A neat pass by Ryan Winwood for the well positioned Daniel Dubidat to move onto at inside-left saw the striker slip a neat finish past Kriskinans but a flag wrecked the scorer’s joy. It was a close thing, for home skipper Karl Gardner was defending deeply and signalled hopefully, successfully getting a useful decision from the nearby linesman. Dubidat spent a tough and frustrating evening and in truth was penalised a number of times by the referee, who often gave the home defenders the benefit of any doubt, it appeared! I was in no position to comment though…

A Jamie Ashmore cross from the right was deflected over the Tividale crossbar but from Tom Turton’s right-side corner, ‘Church so nearly scored. Dubidat’s header looped against the underside of the crossbar, appeared to bounce off the base of the left post and as a desperate defender on the goal-line thrashed head and legs in an attempt to clear the ball, Kriskinans shoved it away from any predators. Eventually, a break by the guests brought the relief of a goal some 5 minutes before half-time and the creator was Sauane. The supporting forward broke through the challenges of Harvey Walker and Craig Stevens in midfield and as he fell he managed to slip the ball to the onside March at inside-right and although the advancing Kriskinans saved well from the initial shot, March, who was grounded, swung his left boot to net the rebound scruffily as the ‘keeper attempted to recover. 

ALVECHURCH HAVE JUST TAKEN THE LEAD...

The response by Tividale in the closing moments of the period was to attack twice and when a fine Stevens pass towards ‘Church left-back Zack Foster saw the ball not dealt with but Lewis McPike was freed, his low centre-cum-shot from an angle was so nearly turned into goal by the sliding Smith. This brought some unpleasant bellowing between the harangued Foster and ‘Church’s vociferous Andy Parsons, now captaining his team due to Bellis’ demise but when the skipper then made an error, the lively, speedy new Tividale signing Elliott Hartley crossed low from the left and McPike bodged the ball past Fenney to regain parity. Ashmore and Hartley actually enjoyed a rapid encounter for an hour which was a rare highlight in this feisty, industrial game.

LEWIS McPIKE: LIVELY & SCORED FOR TIVIDALE...

The half was brought thankfully to an end after a near post corner routine by ‘Church nearly brought a second goal for them. Turton, whose efforts in midfield were laudable, shoved his flag-kick towards Winwood at the near stick but Kriskinans plunged left to beat the ball away. Half-time arrived but I was disappointed not only by the game but also how the light was affecting video clips, resulting in Tividale’s equaliser being totally out of focus. I decided to stand beneath a floodlight pylon and use the ‘Night Landscape’ setting on my hand-held bridge camera in an attempt to right matters. It would work, although the footage would prove to be a little darker…

Alvechurch began the second period by scoring an important second goal and it stemmed from a free-kick at inside-left by Bellis’ replacement Ryan Edmunds. His kick was deflected towards the right upright but Sauane chased the loose ball along the byeline, screwed it back inside for Dubidat to attempt a falling shot which Kriskinans swooped to stop, only to serve the ball on a plate for Alvechurch’s excellent central defender Jamie Willetts who deserved his goal from close range. 

Kriskinans held a cross-cum-shot from the left by Foster, substitute Chris Bladen replaced Shane Grainger for the hosts and the presence of Bladen set up a chance for Walker to shoot from 18 yards, an effort which was well kept out by Fenney who plunged to his left to rap the ball away. Fenney had already been forced to head the ball away on one occasion in the opening half but came out to deal with a corner in the second-half and was knocked flat as he attempted to punch the ball clear. The linesman’s hair stood on end at the clashing sound… Home skipper Freddie Watts was unable to get enough on the ball beyond the far post following a left-side corner but in fairness, Fenney was rarely troubled in the ‘Church goal. Bladen threatened once but Parsons and the effective Willetts generally held firm and after Turton had made way for Mike Wardle, the replacement whacked a rising shot too high from a corner situation and was then treated for a head-knock. 

THE PHYSIO' IS SO COLD, HIS HANDS HAVE TURNED BLUE...

A fine run on the left-side by March was halted by a foul by, I believe, Tom Hurdman and March himself took the subsequent penalty, shooting centrally, as Kriskinans dived to his right. 1-3 was comfortable for the visitors and after Seebah Seegah had replaced Hartley, Foster’s right-side free-kick saw Sauane out-jump defender Chris Hill to lift a close-range header into the right side of the net to add a fourth and slightly flattering goal too. It remained only for March to take a rest and for Dubidat to deliver a superb right-wing centre for Sauane, who dived like a quarterback going for a 3-yard touchdown sneak but he could only place a spectacular header just past the left upright. Chris Hill? Hmm, I used to live near a Martin Hill, whose wife was Hilary Hill of Hilltop Drive, Hodge Hill… Really.

1-3...

RELIEF FOR ALVECHURCH...

...& A BRACE FOR JOSH MARCH...

The untidy match ended with the hosts attacking but Alvechurch had done enough to win the game, undoubtedly. Fair play to Tividale however, for their defensive tackling and midfield battling were exemplary and caused their guests some tough periods during the 90 minutes. Stevens, McPike and Hartley had decent offensive moments for Tivi’, whilst Dubidat and Sauane were sometimes dangerous for the strength of ‘Dale’s Watts and Gardner to contain. Winwood and Turton fought in the pudding trenches all through for the visitors and were doubtless applauded by their manager afterwards. Three more points for ‘Church though, as they rattled on towards perhaps achieving what Hereford managed last term: promotion…

TEAMS:

TIVIDALE FC:

LUKE KRISKINANS, TOM HURDMAN, CHRIS HILL, KARL GARDNER (CAPT), FREDDIE WATTS, CRAIG STEVENS, LEWIS McPIKE, SHANE GRAINGER, DANIEL SMITH, HARVEY WALKER, ELLIOTT HARTLEY.

SUBS:

CHRIS BLADEN, JORDAN POTTER, MATT PRESTON, SEEBAH SEEGAH, LIAM WILLIAMS.

ALVECHURCH FC:

LEWIS FEENEY, JAMIE ASHMORE, ZACK FOSTER, TOM TURTON, ANDY PARSONS, JAMIE WILLETTS, DAVE BELLIS (CAPT), RYAN WINWOOD, DANIEL DUBIDAT, BABU SAUANE, JOSH MARCH.

SUBS:

RYAN EDMUNDS, MIKE WARDLE, JACK CRESSWELL, JAMIE SPENCER, PAUL EVANS.