Saturday 22nd October 2022

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South

Beaconsfield Town 1 Tiverton Town 2 

Holloways Park - Attendance - 88

 

Ram of the Match - Sam Togwell

On Saturday, Gerry Heron made his second trip to officiate at Holloways Park this season. The First time on August Bank Holiday Monday he gave two penalties to the visitors, Hanwell Town. The first one was debatable and the reason for the second remains a mystery.

For the opening half hour here he gave almost nothing that could be described as ‘soft’ which allowed a well drilled physical Tiverton Town back four, spearheaded by the returning Josh Jones and skipper Jamie Richards, to get a stranglehold on Nathan Minhas, occasionally quite literally. 

Defences held sway throughout the opening exchanges. Nathan Minhas escaped the shackles and managed one shot in the early going without extending Lewis Williams, who produced a tumbling save. At the other end Alfie Moulden drew a regulation save from Ravan Constable. 

For half an hour both sides struggled to settle or play anything approaching controlled football and everything was a little rushed and frenetic. Beaconsfield probably edged it on possession and chances but too often the final ball lacked quality and they were limited to shots from distance with Eitel Goueth coming closest drawing a sprawling save from Williams before seeing a second effort beat the desperate dive of Williams but flew inches wide of the post. 

The first move of real quality for Tivvy produced the opening goal. Launching a quick counter after a Beaconsfield corner they worked the ball to the right where Niall Thompson made space and launched an inswinging cross which found Tom Purrington in space eight yards out and he steered a cushioned header past Constable.

For the second week in a row Beaconsfield scored their opener in first half injury time. Finally a quality final ball was supplied by skipper Toby Little,  leading by example as ever, who provided a perfect pull back to pick out Aaron Minhas who drove the ball home from eight yards. 

 

Half Time 1-1

 

The second half began with the referee who gave nothing in the first half awarding an innocuous freekick for a challenge for a high ball on the touchline at half way. 

While everyone was checking to see if we had changed officials at the break the ball was launched towards the Beaconsfield box. 

Ravan Constable left his line and advanced with confidence. He got as far as no mans land before realising he wasn’t going to get anywhere near the ball, giving Jones the opportunity to win his header and nod the ball over Constable into the unguarded net.

Tiverton then largely sat in and played on the break as Beaconsfield rang the changes and pressed for the equaliser but for all their effort they failed to fashion quality chances and could have conceded further goals. If Leighton Thomas in particular had packed his shooting boots and capitalised on promising late opportunities.

As time wore down and both sides continued to push the boundaries to the absolute limit Mr Heron initially showed good game management. 

To his credit he stamped early on time wasting and having warned Williams over the time he was taking over kicks, he booked the keeper when he continued to dawdle.

Where contact was concerned though he largely lost the plot as tempers boiled over as both sides did everything they could to assert themselves. At flare ups [mostly handbags] Mr Heron seemed to have no idea what was going on, twice as players squared up he had his back turned to play and received no assistance from his assistants. 

The final quarter became bitty and broken up and suited Tiverton perfectly until injury time when Jones, previously yellow carded,

body checked Olly McCoy into touch to prevent him breaking into space received his second yellow and the red to go with it

After last kick heroics in their last game at home The Rams almost did it again. Nathan Minhas almost got on the end of Toby Littles dinked cross which carried to beyond the far post where Kyel Reid hooked an effort from an impossible angle which came back off the face of the crossbar. 

Tough on The Rams who probably deserved something for their efforts but credit to Tiverton who took their chance and then defended their lead like their lives depended on it.

No time to stew for The Rams though as they entertain Winchester City at Holloways Park on Monday evening. 

 

Beaconsfield Town

Ravan Constable, Charlie Smith [Sub Dan Bradshaw 66], Oliver Sprague, Liam McDevitt, Keano Robinson, Sam Togwell, Toby Little ©, Aaron Minhas [Sub Elliott Buchannan 79] Nathan Minhas, Eitel Goueth, [Sub Olly McCoy 66]

Subs Not used - Mike Neish, Sam Granville

 

Tiverton Town 

Lewis Williams, Joe Belsten, Joseph O’loughlin, Matthew Britton [Sub Craig Woodman 46], Jamie Richards ©, Josh Jones, Oliver Mehew, Tom Purrington, Leigton Thomas [Sub Kane Simpson 80], Niall Thompson, Alfie Moulden [Sub Dylan Jones]

Subs Not used, Toby Down,Lucas Vowles

 

Images ©NealeBlackburn Photography 2022

All Images are here