Ashland Rovers 4 - 5 Teversal Reserves

After over a month lay off Teversal got back into League action at local rivals Ashland Rovers. After much deliberation before the game we deployed a 4-4-2 formation taking into account of the very heavy pitch in particular down the sides and it was credit to Ashland the game was on in the first place. James Hewison returned to the Teversal goal after a lengthy spell out with a shoulder injury coinciding with the return of Greg Smith after a run in the first team. Johno Clark partnered Gary Atkins in centre midfield and the starting two up top being Josh Brentnall and Liam Vardy.

Teversal started the game well Ben Agbakosi with a powerful effort in the 6th minute which narrowly went wide of the target. A minute later Brentnall forced the first save from Hartshorn following a through ball from Atkins. Rovers first chance fell to Pugh in the 13th minute following a cross from the right he flashed the ball wide of the post. Teversal looked pacey in attack and took the lead in the 14th minute when following a clearance Vardy nudged the ball to Atkins who struck a magnificent half volley from 20 yards which hit both uprights before nestling in the back of the net for 0-1 Teversal.

The lead however only lasted two minutes when from a corner the ball was played in Mark Summers up from the back rose highest and his looping header managed to clear Hewison and nestled in the net for 1-1. Rovers summed up the threat in the air and a minute later could have taken the lead when from another cross they hit the post and only fantastic defending from Teversal saw the rebound cleared with the route to goal open. Tevie were stunned but when they got back to playing they again took the lead in the 24th minute when Kyle Bacon found Vardy who turned and played a great ball to Brentnall who turned inside his defender and fired low into the corner of the net and 1-2 Teversal.

Brad Newby found the referees book in the 26th minute for a late lunging tackle. Once again Rovers found the Tevie outfit wanting as a long hopeful free kick was played forward by James Scothern, Hewison totally misjudged the flight of the ball as he came to collect only to see it sail over his head and into the back of the net to make the score 2-2. Rovers saw this as the way forward as they got the ball into the Tevie box as often as they could but despite a couple of hasty shots high and wide the Tevie goal remained in tact or the rest of the half.

Agbakosi could have added to the Teversal score in the 37th minute when Hartshorn dropped the ball under pressure and Agbakosi was quick to react but his shot was blocked on the line and cleared to safety. In the dying seconds of the first half Tevie regained the lead when the ball was robbed back just inside the Tevie half, Vardy's quick thinking released the ball through to Connor Bower who had cut in from the right running onto the through ball he rounded the keeper for the easy finish and 2-3 Teversal.

Half Time: Ashland Rovers 2 - 3 Teversal Reserves

The second half started well Agbakosi headed wide from a free kick when well placed within a minute of the restart. Rovers had come out in the second half in a determined manner as once again the game was end to end. Agbakosi gave away a silly free kick wide on Rovers right hand side in the 52nd minute, the ball was pumped into the box and Adam Pugh managed to get his head on it and made the score 3-3. A silly goal to concede but Agbakosi didn't learn from it and two minutes later conceded another silly free kick in a similar position which earned him a yellow card, the ball was once again pumped into the box and after a couple of half clearances Connor Barnes stabbed the ball home to give Rovers a 4-3 lead.

Teversal took a couple of minutes to get going again, Joe Geeson replaced Craig Newton in the 58th minute as we looked to get a bit more height into the back four. Bower went close in the 62nd minute when following good build up play he could only fire over the bar. Geeson had a great chance to put Tevie back in it four minutes later when after winning a corner the ball was swung in Geeson rose high but headed just over the bar. James summers replaced Agbakosi in the 71st minute.

Tevie were having some good possession as Rovers seemed to sit a little deeper and three minutes after coming on the field James Summers put Tevie back in the game as he ran onto a ball from Johno Clark before finishing expertly past the rushing keeper to make the score 4-4. The game then seemed to settle as both teams tried hard to find another goal. Clark was replaced by Bret Dodsworth in the 84th minute

Rovers had two good opportunities first Cobb smashed wide under great pressure from Atkins then Pilmore ran onto a through ball when Atkins lost possession but found Hewison the equal to him as he saved brilliantly one on one. Vardy responded for Teversal when he raced forward but could only fire wide of the post. Rovers pumped another ball into the Tevie box which saw some great defending amongst bodies falling to the floor and shouts for a penalty, Mark Summers went a bit too far with the ref and got sent to the sin bin then found himself with another yellow after more verbal's at the linesman.

With seconds on the clock Teversal broke down there left, Kyle Bacon made a great run before drilling a low hard cross across the area for James Summers to slide the ball home to the jubilation of the Teversal dugout and make the score 4-5. The final whistle went a couple of minutes later and credit to both teams on a great game in heavy testing conditions.

Final Score: Ashland Rovers 4 - 5 Teversal Reserves