Proper Football: Tividale leave it late.

Midland Football Alliance 5/4/2014

Tividale v Coventry Sphinx

You certainly get the impression nerves are beginning to fray at the edges as the season draws to a conclusion and Tividale home in on the title. They have enjoyed an unbelievable season and look destined to move up a level,having looked to all but blinkered observers,the best team in this league by some way. But this is April, the time when realisation kicks in ; the time when tired limbs are asked to go the extra mile, play three games a week ; the time when crunching tackles that were brushed off with a grin earlier in the season, now leave players grimacing in pain. This is pressure time.

Coventry Sphinx came to town with their own record of six wins and a draw in the last eight games. Obviously a side to be reckoned with ; and it showed. Highly organised with a terrific defence and a midfield with the uncanny ability to win nearly every second ball. They had absorbed all that Tividale could throw at them and with virtually their first serious attack they took the lead on 24 minutes. The keeper got his hands to it but it had been hit with some power. The hosts certainly looked a little off colour but that would be taking away from the visitors who really do look a competent side. Tividale drew level on the stroke of half-time with a goal of some quality,the ball being fired from way out on the right wing into the far top corner leaving the keeper grasping at thin air.

Half-time ; Tividale1 Coventry Sphinx 1

If anything,the visitors improved in the second half forcing errors from the home side and from a free kick,they again took the lead following a goal-mouth scramble. Tividale are top for a reason. They're a very good team and don't know when they are beaten. With the clock winding down and the visitors seemingly home and dry with three points in their pockets and weathering persistent Tividale pressure, a low cross was fired in from the right and headed into the net.

This was probably a fair result. It wasn't a vintage display from the hosts but as already stated, you can't be brilliant all the time ! I think this may be the first time I've seen CS and I was impressed.

As for MOTM, there were a couple of contenders from each side but my vote goes to the visitors' number 5.

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