Lodge Road awaits another visit for Tiverton Town after a mid-game deluge of archaic proportions rendered the pitch unplayable and the match was abandoned with the scores poised tantalising at two goals apiece. Our friends at the Met had forecast heavy rain during the middle of the afternoon and the clouds above Yate were filled with dark potential as the game kicked off and the first chance of the match came the way of Tiverton as Andy Taylor swept in a free kick from the edge of the box which Yate goalkeeper Josh Dempsey did well to tip over the crossbar.

Nevertheless Yate appeared to be more in control and their first attempt of the afternoon was sent wide from distance by Hector Mackie, a long-range effort that didn’t threaten Chris Wright. The home side did edge into a deserved lead midway through the first half with a move that started as Paul Kendall slipped and David Stone broke down the left to shoot low, Wright somehow forced the ball onto the crossbar. Matt Groves picked up on the rebound and his shot was bravely blocked by Alex Faux but the third phase of the attack saw Tom Knighton tap home the next rebound.

That was the former Tivvy striker’s first and last significant contribution as he hobbled off a few minutes later but Groves and Stone were threatening from wide positions and they combined only for the latter to fire over the top at the far post. However, Tivvy stayed within touching distance as the heavens opened after thirty-eight minutes, initially hail as the temperature dropped dramatically, and then pelting rain through to the interval, a period which saw Dempsey scuff a clearance as conditions became tricky only to make a fine recovering save to thwart Michael Nardiello.

The fifteen-minute hiatus saw the rains increase in intensity and within a minute of the restart Yate doubled their lead when Stone raced through as Kendall slipped again and placed an assured shot below Wright. Mark Saunders responded to sending Jules Emati-Emati on a warm-up and the Tivvy cult-hero was soon on the pitch in place of Taylor to offer a new dynamic to the Yellows’ attacking play. By now the pitch was becoming more than difficult as the rainwater failed to disperse and Referee Jack had an initial discussion with Saunders and Yate boss Rob Cousins regarding whether to continue. Naturally Cousins wanted to play on and wrap up the points his side seemed to be in control of and he got his wish only for Dempsey to once again mess up a clearance and put the Bluebells under pressure. Emati-Emati pursued and dug the ball out of the puddles before hammering in a low cross which Joe Bushin bashed into the net, and Tivvy gained some significant momentum.

Four minutes later Nardiello found space in the puddles on the edge of the area, played the percentages and whacked in a powerful shot which was too hot for Dempsey, and Emati-Emati nipped in to poke the ball through the legs of the Yate ’keeper and into the net to level the game. The Yellows were well on top at this stage but the rains had shown no signs of letting up and within five minutes of the restart, following a hideous sequence where ten yard passes were travelling three yards before the ball stopped dead in the standing water Mr. Jack had no alternative but to call a close to proceedings.

Yate Town: Josh Dempsey, Tom Warren, Tyronne Mings, Ollie Price, Scott Thomas, Harley Purnell, Matt Groves, Adie Adams, David Stone, Tom Knighton (Jake Cox 27), Hector Mackie
Goals: Knighton 22, Stone 46
Booked: Price 7, Adams 56
Sent off: None

Tiverton Town: Chris Wright, Josh Concanen, Alex Faux, Kevin Hill, Paul Kendall, Tom Gardner, Andy Taylor (Jules Emati-Emati 56), David Steele, Michael Nardiello, Joe Bushin, Josh Searle
Goals: Bushin 62, Emati-Emati 66
Booked: None
Sent off: None

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Club Events

Tiverton Town FC
Ladies Night

Friday 17th May

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Presentation Evening
Friday 24th May 7pm for 7:30 start.

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Club Committee Meeting
next meeting date TBA

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