Axminster Town 3 Tiverton Town 3 Tivvy won 3-1 on penalties
08.11.2022
Tiverton Town made the short trip to Tiger Way the home of South West Peninsula League side Axminster Town for this Devon Bowl clash. Tivvy fielded a starting line up which included under 18 players Ollie Saunders starting in goal and Jack Fanning in defence. It was Tiverton who got the game underway and they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Axminster box with only a minute on the clock. Louis Morison took the kick which he curled around the wall and the ball went in off the post to put Tiverton 1-0. Just a couple of minutes later and a back pass to the Axminster keeper was closed down by Leighton Thomas who robbed the keeper of the ball and put it into the empty net to put Tivvy 2-0. Dylan Jones very nearly made it three but his shot was well saved by the Axminster keeper. Both teams were struggling on a wet and windy evening. Tiverton had dominated the opening thirty minutes but in the thirty first minute Axminster were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Tivvy box. The resulting kick beat the Tiverton wall and found the back of the net to make it 2-1 and two minutes later and it was 2-2 after a great save from Ollie Saunders the ball rebounded out to the Axminster forward who smashed it home. Tiverton looked stunned as the game turned on its head and the visitors were relieved to hear the halftime whistle and the half ended 2-2. Axminster got the second half underway and the tigers had their tails up and went all out looking to continue the second half the way they ended the first on the attack and Ollie Saunders was called into action and pulled of a great save to deny Axminster the lead. The home side continued to dominate the play and looked the more likely of the two teams to score next. Tiverton made a double change with Niall Thompson and Lucas Vowles replacing Leighton Thomas and Matt Buchan in a bid to get back in the game. It seemed to work as Tiverton were seeing more of the ball and Lucas Vowles was looking sharp upfront but in a collision with the Axminster keeper left him laying on the ground the ball fell to Alfie Moulden who saw his shot headed off the goalline and cleared away. Lucas Vowles was ok to continue after treatment. With eighty three minutes gone Tiverton were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Axminster box and Louis Morison scored his second of the evening as his shot found the top corner to put Tivvy 3-2 up but the lead didn't last long when a Axminster free kick was floated into the Tivvy box and after a goalmouth scramble the ball ended up in the net to make it 3-3 and send the game into a penalty shootout to decide who would go through to the next round.
Axminster were first to take a penalty and their player cooly put them 1-0 up. Louis Morison made it 1-1. Axminster's next penalty was brilliantly saved by Ollie Saunders to give Tivvy the advantage. Ollie Mehew put Tivvy 2-1 up and when the Axminster player blasted their next penalty over the bar things started to look good for Tiverton especially when Joe Belsten scored his spot kick to put Tiverton 3-1 up. Axminster had to score their next kick but yet again Ollie Saunders was there to pull of another great save to put Tiverton through to the next round 3-1 on penalties.
Man of the match
Ollie Saunders
Source: Paul Gray
