TEVERSAL FC 1 - 2 LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY

"Scholars Progress In Less Than Sporting Manner"

Teversal had the honour of achieving the requirements to enter the world famous Emirates FA Cup for the first time since the 2013/14 season. Moving into their Centenary year the Tevie Boys were hoping to create some new history, so welcomed a home tie against Loughborough University which was spookily a team they played in the 2012/13 competition and on Saturday 11th August. That was a close encounter played in good spirit, which the Scholars eventually ran out winners with a 90th minute winner to make it 2-1.

The visitors arrived as firm favourites, playing at a level above the Tevie Boys in the Total Motion Midland League Premier Division. The Scholars started in assured manner passing the ball around to stretch their host. But it didn’t take long before we saw the antics introduced of unsporting simulation by the Loughborough side with Dasaolu, Boachie and Eneremadu the main culprits. Unfortunately for the home side the match officials didn’t see through this or take any action which lead to numerous free kick gained by from this despicable slur on the beautiful game and not something you would associate with such great sporting organization that is Loughborough University.

When the game was in play you wondered why these antics was being used, as the Scholars passed the ball round purpose and maintain a high percentage of possession, even though it didn’t create any serious threat to the Teversal goal. In fact in the opening exchanges the home side a couple of attacks that saw Croud heading to safety from a James Travis cross and Danny O'Donnell had an effort that beat O’Keefe, but also marginally cleared the bar. In return the Scholars managed to earn a couple of corners that came to nothing.

On 16 minutes the unsporting actions of Boachie had a telling effect on the game when the striker over ran the ball allowing James Travis to make a timely tackle with the ball going to safety, Boachie dragged his foot in to the Teversal defender and then dived “Neymar style”, the outcome should have been a yellow card for simulation to the striker, but no a penalty to the Scholars. The charlatan Boachie picked himself up to calmly place the penalty out of Rio Alberry’s reach to make it 1-0.

Loughborough controlled the tempo of the first period, but failed to add to the gift of a lead they had, which must have been disappointing for their coach due to the number of wasted free kicks in dangerous positions.

Teversal came out looking to battle their way back into the game, but they was dealt a cruel blow when yet again simulation was involved in the buildup that should have seen a free kick to Teversal and yellow card for Eneremadu for diving. The dive prevented a Teversal defender clearing the ball which dropped to Boachie who held onto the ball to fire an effort that Rio Alberry had covered at his near post, but a wicked deflection totally wrong foot the keeper and drop in at the far post to make it 2-0 on 50 minutes.

The visitors had now changed tactics to sit back and play on the break, so when Ferrinho and Crookes broke clear that lead to Crookes hitting the outside of the post with a fierce strike. Boachie then had time and space but fired high and wide of the target.

Teversal's luck was summed up on the day when they lost their second player to a knee injury, the first at towards the end of the first was the result of a Boachie foul on Luke Fisher which the Tevie defender coming off, then on 70 minute they lost Brandon Clarke also with a knee injury after landing awkwardly, to enforce another substitution.

On 76 minutes, Dan Hanson can count himself unlucky to receive a second yellow card for kicking the ball away for the second time, unlucky in the sense that Dasaolu, Boachie and Eneremadu had done far worse all afternoon with their Tom Daly impressions.

The numerical advantage started to tell as the home side became the dominant force, patiently passing the ball around looking to create the openings to get back in the game. That hope came on 90 minutes when a ball into the 18 yard box saw Matt Wilkinson head into the top corner to make it 2-1. But with 9 minutes of injury time to come, there was hope that this could lead to more and not be just a consolation goal.

Credit to the visitors defense who held firm lead by their skipper Joel Bonner who was outstanding all afternoon. The Scholars held on to book their place in the next round where they will entertain Cleethorpes Town on 25th August 2018. Teversal leave the competition feeling disappointed in how the game was managed and knowing they have more to offer, which will now move into their League campaign again.

Next up for Teversal is a local derby when Clipstone visit Carnarvon Street for their first East Midlands Counties League Premier Division fixture on Saturday 18th August 2018 with a 3:00pm kick off.

TEVERSAL; Rio Alberry, Jake Allen, James Travis, Joel Smith, Luke Fisher (Ben Cartwright 40), Tom Laister, Jack Griffiths, Matt Wilkinson, Danny Fletcher, Danny O'Donnell, Lewis Brown (Brandon Clarke 45 ((Sam Lavelle 70)). Subs Not Used; James Summers, Aaron Pride, Gareth Briggs.

LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY; Conor O’Keefe, Merlin Ferrinho (Jordon Slack 82), Harry Clibbens, Luke Moran, Joel Bonner, Jacob Croud, Jerimiah Dasaolu (Matthew Crookes 61), Connor Smith, Joe Boachie, Daniel Hanson, Christian Eneremadu (Matthew Olapo 73). Subs Not Used; Jake Hilton, Jordon Connor, Max Bardsley-Rowe, Cameron Moore.

REFEREE; Phil Roberts ATTENDANCE; 74

MAN OF MATCH; Teversal: Jake Allen. Loughborough Univerity: Joel Bonner.
YELLOW CARDS; Teversal: Tom Laister, Danny O'Donnell. Loughborough University: Jerimiah Dasaolu.
RED CARDS; Teversal: None. Loughborough Univerity: Daniel Hanson.