Southern Premier League Southern Division

Tiverton Town 1 - 1 Beaconsfield Town

Rams Man of the match - Charlie Losasso

Beaconsfield capped their first season in the Southern League Premier South division with their longest away day of the campaign and earned a come from behind draw, with a Losasso special, at relegation threatened Tiverton Town.

Traffic and driver issues meant that The Rams were severely delayed on the road, missed their breakfast stop and arrived at the ground half an hour before kick off. Despite the truncated pre-match preparation they set about their task well in an open first half which they dominated without causing Liam Armstrong in the home goal too many alarms.

Charlie Losasso had the keeper scrambling with a ninth minute free kick which passed narrowly over the bar and Brendan Matthew launched an audacious shot from the narrowest of angles which flashed past Armstrong and across goal to safety. In truth though the winner of the first half was the vicious crosswind, which seemed to favour the visitors as far as it favoured anyone in the opening exchanges. Despite a decent playing surface livened up by a pre-match shower the swirling wind made fluid football, judging the high ball and cohesive passages of play difficult for both sides. The Rams enjoyed the lions share of possession with Dan Brown and Jordan Ajanlekoko looking solid in the middle of the park. Louis Stead was his usual combative presence whilst ahead of them Charlie Losasso buzzed around linking play with Brendan Matthew and Jon Jo Bates ever willing but struggling to create much in the way of clear chances.

All too often in the first period the final ball was delayed or misplaced and typically when a clear opportunity presented itself it fell to Luke Neville at the angle of the area and his hurried effort which may have started as a shot ended as a cross which evaded everyone.

In between times the home side huffed and puffed but Ravan Constable was never really extended as Tom Bath and Stewart Yetton saw headed efforts fly over and off the target. Tiverton, for whom Max Smallcombe, Josh Key, Callum Hall and Tom Bath were prominent, worked hard and battled but had just as much trouble with conditions as their visitors.

Their only gilt-edged chance of the half came on the stroke of half time and lead to the opening goal. Bath latched on to a header on from Stewart Yetton and shrugged off Reece Yorke with a suspicion of a hand ball aiding him on his way. He advanced on goal and stroked his shot into the bottom corner past the advancing Ravan Constable.

So somewhat against the run of play The Rams found themselves behind at half time, punished again for failing to turn territorial dominance into goals.     

Half Time 1-0

Buoyed by their late goal and clearly believing that they would benefit from the elements to a greater degree than their opponents Tivvy started the second half on the front foot. As early as the 46th minute Bath made space on the right and his cross found Yetton 12 yards out but he was unable to direct his effort on target. After that though it quickly became apparent that the wind was of no help to either team as it intensified into a gusting swirling cross wind.

Beaconsfield stuck to their task and did their best to play through almost drawing level when a sweeping move ended at Louis Stead who took aim from 20 yards and spanked a rasping drive inches wide of the post.

Admirable as the attempt to pass their way through was, on occasions The Rams were guilty of handing possession to their hosts in dangerous areas but Tiverton could not capitalise and in the 62nd minute Charlie Losasso made them pay.

Brendan Matthew linking with Losasso shielded the ball well 25 yards from goal and was clumsily fouled. Charlie placed the ball 25 yards out and with the benefit of the breeze from his right curled the dead ball into the top corner with Armstrong helpless.

The second half then meandered towards a draw in the afternoon sun as both sides rang the changes and deployed their full compliment of subs as they battled the elements as much as each other but the home side again came close to scoring at the end of the half.

First a spot of ‘after you Claude’ between Reece Yorke and Ravan Constable saw the centre half play a no look back pass round his own keeper who did enough to put off Smallcombe who could not keep his shot on target.

Then in the second minute of injury time a break away following a Beaconsfield attacking free kick presented home sponsors man of the match Callum Price with a straight run on goal from the left. The moment seemed made for the home-side to nick the points but as Constable advanced to narrow the angle the fullback reverted to type and pushed his effort well wide.

As their seasons came to satisfactory conclusions both sides will be happy enough with a point and both survive to meet again in the division for next year.

Now where’s the factor 30?

Beaconsfield Town   1.  Ravan Constable 2.  Alex Nolan 3.  Mayowa Balogun 4.  Reece Yorke 5.  Luke Neville © 6.  Dan Brown 7.  Louis Stead (Sub 16 Alex Cathline 73) 8.  Jordan Ajanlekoko 9.  Brendan Matthew (14 Billy Montague 80)   10. Jon-Jo Bates (Sub 15 Thomas Gogo 52) 11. Charlie Losasso   Subs Not Used: 12: Ethan Holland 17: Wes Daly     Manager: Gary Meakin	Tiverton Town   1.  Liam Armstrong 2.  Josh Key 3.  Callum Hall 4.  Jamie Price © 5.  Ben Mamola 6.  Jordan Dyer 7.  Max Smallcombe 8.  Steve Colwell (Sub 12 Scott Rogers) 9.  Stewart Yetton (Sub 14 Etan Phillips) 10. Tom Bath 11. Harrison Davis (Sub 15 Ethan Phillips 56)     Subs Not Used: 99. Jason Curtis     Manager: Martyn Rogers
Ref: Mr Matt Rushton Assistants: Mr Brian Lee - Mr Carl Peters Att: 206