Tividale V Whitchurch Alport (Premier Division)

​Tividale were looking to start their premier division campaign with a result against Whitchurch Alport. The hosts were looking to bounce back from last weekend’s result in the FA cup where they lost 3-1 to Clay Cross Town.   

There’s a feeling of optimism around Tividale going into this season and it feels like the club is building something at step five. Scott Haywood has invested in the club and there’s been some notable changes both on and off the pitch.

Notable additions to the squad include defender Bradley Maslen-Jones who helped Shifnal Town achieve promotion to the Northern Premier League last season with the best defensive record in the division. Other signings include midfielder Joe Fitzpatrick and striker Callum North who both impressed for Cradley Town last season and helped them reach the play offs at step six.

There’s also been encouraging changes off the pitch with the addition of 68 sponsor boards and a scheduled pitch care programme throughout the season. The club have also introduced card payments for the new season along with positive infrastructure changes.  

Whitchurch were looking to build on last weekend’s encouraging 3-0 win over Litherland REMYCA in the FA cup and start their league campaign with a result. The visitors were one of the standout teams at step five last season under manager Adam Shillcock. They notably reached the quarter finals of the FA Vase alongside challenging for the play offs and are looking to go again this season.

A lot of key players have been retained such as goalkeeper Jack Sheward who has impressed at step five over the last few seasons. Defender Freddie Bishton and winger Adam Hailes have also been retained who were ever present with 64 combined starts in all competitions last season.

Notable additions to the squad include winger Theo Knight who impressed with Shifnal Town last season in their promotion to step four. 

​Starting line ups

Tividale’s starting line up included Keiran Harrison starting in goal and Bradley Maslen-Jones captaining the team at centre back. The formation looked like a 4-3-3 with Ezekiel Agyemang playing up front and being supported by Shakeel Brown and Tom Cottam on the wings.

Whitchurch’s starting line-up included Jack Sheward starting in goal and Cameron Dourish captaining the team from attacking midfield. The formation looked like a 4-2-3-1 with Callum Parker playing up front and being supported by Theo Knight and Adam Hailes on the wings. 

​First Half

Whitchurch built some momentum in the early stages of the first half and were taking the game to Tividale in the opening half an hour.

The visitors were working the channels and putting dangerous crosses into the box to test the Tividale backline. They built up the play well and looked like a side in form inside the opening twenty minutes.   

Tividale gradually grew into the match as the first half went on and were working hard off the ball to not allow any easy chances for the visitors. Bradley Maslen-Jones and Kyle Batchelor were reading the danger well at centre back and helped Tividale settle into the match.  

They had an early half chance when Tom Cottam found some space down the left-hand side before having a shot comfortably saved by Jack Sheward in the 4th minute.

Whitchurch were pressing for an early goal at the other end and caused Tividale some problems.

Theo Knight looked a threat down the right-hand side and was making things happen for the visitors yesterday. He found some space before crossing the ball to Adam Hailes at the back post who put his header over the bar in the 13th minute.

​The chances in front of goal were limited until the half hour mark when Whitchurch found the breakthrough to take the lead. Kyle Batchelor was dispossessed on the edge of the box with the ball being worked to Callum Parker who had just Keiran Harrison to beat. He calmly squared the ball to Adam Hailes who found the bottom right corner for 1-0 on 31 minutes.

Tividale showed character and responded well to going 1-0 down in the latter stages of the first half.

They created some notable chances in the final ten minutes with the best one falling to Bradley Maslen-Jones in the box from a well worked corner. He found some space before having a shot well saved by Jack Sheward on 38 minutes.

Whitchurch had a huge chance a few minutes later when Callum Parker broke free in the box and had a clear sight of goal. Bradley Maslen-Jones did well to block his shot to keep it at 1-0 going into half time.   

​The visitors showed a lot of quality in the first half with George Carpenter starting off attacks from holding midfield and helping to link up the play. Roman Allen also defended well at centre back and cut out promising Tividale attacks.

Tividale showed a lot of effort and endeavour but were just lacking that final ball into the box to stretch the Whitchurch defence throughout the first half.

Second half

Whitchurch kept their momentum going in the early stages of the second half and had a good chance to make it 2-0. Theo Knight made a promising run down the left before playing a low ball across the box to Callum Parker. He made a good run at the back post but couldn’t quite connect with it on 46 minutes.  

Tividale were working hard off the ball throughout the second half and built some momentum in the final thirty minutes in search of an equaliser.  

Joe Fitzpatrick helped to break up the play from holding midfield to give them more of a foothold and did a good job of protecting the back four.

​Manager Phil Rann also made a clever tactical change which made them more of a threat up front. He bought on striker Isaac Phillips to play up front and moved Ezekiel Agyemang to the right hand-side to cause Whitchurch more problems at the back.

They created a notable chance for an equaliser when Ezekiel Agyemang showed brilliant technique to get the ball down and lay it off to Isaac Phillips on the edge of the box. His strike was blocked on the goal line by Freddie Bishton on 67 minutes.

Whitchurch still looked a threat at the other end and almost made it 2-0 when substitute Lewis Bloor put a header wide of the right-hand post on 72 minutes.

Isaac Phillips was brilliant for Tividale yesterday and changed the momentum of the game in the second half. He played well as the target man up front and won a lot of headers to help them get up the pitch.  

Tividale were pushing for an equaliser and found the breakthrough late on to make it 1-1. A well worked corner into the box found Bradley Maslen-Jones at the back post who made no mistake and fired into the bottom left corner in the 87th minute.

Whitchurch had a chance for a late winner when Lewis Brown found some space before putting his header wide from a free kick delivered into the box.

Tividale were able to see the match out in the closing stages for a huge momentum building result yesterday.

Upcoming fixtures

Tividale’s fixtures include playing Highgate United on Tuesday evening (Away, League) before a huge match away at Stafford Town in the FA Vase on Saturday 23rd August.

They round off August with matches against Brocton (Home, 25th August) and Coton Green (Away, 30th August).

Whitchurch’s fixtures include playing AFC Wolverhampton City on Tuesday evening (Away, League) before a huge home match against Runcorn Linnets in the FA cup next Saturday.

​They also have home matches against Uttoxeter Town (Saturday) and Hanley Town (Monday) over the bank holiday weekend.    

FT score: Tividale 1-1 Whitchurch Alport

Man of the match: Bradley Maslen-Jones (Tividale)

Attendance: 122

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League