DECEMBER 2016: EVESHAM TOWN 1-4 TIVERTON TOWN...

 Evesham Robins Upset By A Dose Of the Landricombes 

Evesham United 1-4 Tiverton Town

(December 2016...)

No magnificent sunset over the Malverns on this December Saturday, merely fine, then heavier rain, culminating in a slight mist invading from the covered end of the ground, as if fifty people were in group-vape mode. Visitors Tiverton began this game cautiously whilst United raced into action but a questionable penalty award to the hosts and resulting goal by Lance Smith was soon negated by Town’s Jamie Price, then improved upon by embattled striker Owen Howe who lashed a near post goal off ‘keeper Kevin Sawyer’s wet gloves. Following the interval, again the Robins threatened, mainly on the flanks, but after home defender Liam Harding blazed an acceptable chance over the Tivvy crossbar and a few corners were dealt with by the impressive visiting defence, Town began to feature a little more on offense and increased their lead via Mike Landricombe’s forehead. The second and third substitutes used by Evesham took time to fit into the now difficult situation and after Tivvy goalie Joe Perry had scooped away a Garyn Preen shot and another Preen drive had struck the Town crossbar, Levi Landricombe volleyed a memorable fourth goal for the Devon club. 

This was a tense, hard, lusty battle between two strong teams, each using their flanks and attacking until the end of the match. Both teams might have won the encounter but in fairness Tiverton were more clinical and efficient than Evesham despite the fine wing-play of Preen and Paul Fahy and the pacy movement of Smith and Adam Mann. Town’s Price and Nick Hurst were the wide-men who pressed for the Yellows, with centre-forward Howe challenging aerially and Levi Landricombe sniffing about like a badger at a bread roll. Tivvy took their chances, Evesham didn’t.

The penalty award to the hosts did look rather like a gift found beneath the Christmas tree, for Smith appeared to virtually swing Kingdon round like they were rehearsing for a pairs figure skating event. Kingdon lost his footing, Smith fell forwards and the referee assumed that the Tivvyman had shoved him there. Not only a spot-kick to United but a harsh caution for Kingdon whose complaints probably didn’t help his cause.

Smith smashed a straight penalty into the net, lifting the rigging and sending a spray to douse the lit fags in the mouths of covered-end spectators. Perry? He dived left. 

SMITH CELEBRATES: 1-0...

Tiverton had flattered to deceive before the opening goal despite a couple of right-flank sorties by Nick Hurst but within moments of conceding, Stanley was bemused by Hurst’s smart play on that wing and the ensuing low centre was rapped into the net near the far upright by the sliding Price who had reacted more quickly than Fahy, with Sawyer unable to prevent an equaliser.

PRICE HAS EQUALISED: 1-1...

The Robins’ bright opening had been stifled a little by their guests and to the home fans’ shock, a second goal arrived on the half-hour when Howe forced his way past Stanley, slipping the ball between the left-back’s legs before not feeding Levi Landricombe, instead pummelling a drive towards the near post where the surprised Sawyer could only slap at the ball with his wet gloves as it rushed on its way inside the upright and suddenly the visitors led. 

HOWE (9) GRABBED GOAL 2 FOR TIVVY...

The rain intensified, the gloom dulled the stadium and the hosts replaced the harassed Stanley at the break, sending on Leroy Odiero. Certainly Preen, the loanee from Hungerford, had shown up well for United and Fahy’s pace and deliveries had caused some concern for the visitors but in truth, ‘keeper Perry hadn’t been too strenuously exercised thus far and although the contest was keen and offensive, goal chances hadn’t been that regular.

A powerful Turley shot was deflected over the crossbar by a Tivvy defender, Price headed the resulting corner away but Sheehan reached the left byeline and rolled a pass inside for Harding to score, surely… He skied his shot from 8 yards and really, at that point, Town began to look a little more secure until later in the game.

Tiverton then enjoyed a confident period when they took hold of the game and won a right-flank corner from Levi Landricombe’s left-side centre following a deep run. Up went Mike Landricombe but his downward header from the flag-kick, just like Stanley’s had in the first-half, bounced up straight at the goaltender. A warning had been offered but Evesham failed to heed it and so the visitors exploited the weakness from a deep, right side free-kick. And scored.

The deep free-kick saw Mike Landricombe under the close attention of home skipper and strong defender Linden Dovey but the Devon man performed a virtual do-si-do on Dovey and looped a simple header goalwards which dropped sweetly into the right corner of the net with Sawyer a spectator. Mike Landricombe might just be seen on the next series of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’…

MIKE LANDRICOMBE HAS HEADED TIVVY INTO A 1-3 LEAD... 

And then came the killer blow although initially it seemed that Evesham were about to pull back a goal and make the final minutes as shaky as a vole in a barn owl’s beak. A right-side corner by the Robins was nodded clear by Mammola and the ball found its way to Preen who must have thought his fine 20 yard drive was a goal all the way but with Perry grasping only mist the ball struck the crossbar, Turley nodded the rebound against the last-gasp thrusting body of Mammola and the ball was subsequently lost and won by both teams before a Sheehan pass was deflected into Hurst’s path, 22 yards from his own goal whereby he lashed it forwards. Levi Landricombe, onside, was the recipient like the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight-end Travis Kelce latching onto a Hail-Mary throw by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Tivvy striker turned to unleash a superb volley from 35 yards or more and the ball rose, soared and dropped over the totally cheesed-off Sawyer into the same right corner of the net that Levi’s brother Mike’s had, earlier in the half.

1-4 & THE RESULT OF LEVI LANDRICOMBE'S SUPERB LOB...

LEVI LANDRICOMBE WROTE AT THE TIME: 

"I thought it was an even game. Both teams played nice football at times but luckily enough we managed to take our chances. 

With them scoring first, we could have crumbled but two minutes later, to go on and get an equaliser was a big point in the game! 

I think Evesham were the better side in the first-half but we defended well and managed to get in front just before the break. 

Second-half we looked very comfortable in what they threw at us and to go on and get two more goals and for myself to score was great. 

I didn't feel I had the best of games yesterday but I just had to keep working hard for the team..."

Evesham will play so much worse than this and win, Tiverton will play something like this and lose but for the neutral it had been an absorbing contest. Dovey, Turley, Harding, Fahy, Sheehan, Smith and especially Preen had been so good for much of the time for the Robins but the wall of Mammola, Kingdon and Landricombe, that well known firm of Pharmacists, had blocked the way for their hosts. Price, Hurst and the destructive Scott Rogers, alongside Norrish and Short had put in fine shifts for Town but Howe’s availability and of course Levi Landricombe’s brilliant fourth goal had iced a fine pre-Christmas cake for the travellers from the west…

TIVVY: GRATEFUL TO THEIR FANS...

TEAMS:

EVESHAM UNITED:

KEVIN SAWYER, LINDEN DOVEY (CAPT), NICK STANLEY, JOE TURLEY, LIAM HARDING, ASH WILLIAMS, PAUL FAHY, LORCAN SHEEHAN, LANCE SMITH, ADAM MANN, GARYN PREEN.

SUBS:

JACOB SLOGGETT, LEROY ODIERO, MARK MAGEE, JORDAN BRYAN, CARL BROWN.

TIVERTON TOWN:

JOE PERRY, JAMIE PRICE, NICK HURST, BEN MAMMOLA, STEVE KINGDON, MIKE LANDRICOMBE, JAMIE SHORT, BOB NORRISH, OWEN HOWE, SCOTT ROGERS.

SUBS:

TOM BATH, GEORGE ROGERS.