Tiverton Town 2 Gosport Borough 2

 From the Tiverton Town website:

Tiverton Town vs Gosport Report

Tiverton got the game underway against a Gosport Borough side that started the day in fourth place in the Southern League Premier Division South table. The weather conditions were always going to stop this from being a game of flowing football but in saying that both teams contributed to an entertaining game to watch. Tivvy started brightly moving the ball down the line which resulted in an early corner that was cleared by the Gosport defence. The first real attempt on goal came in the fourth minute when a shot from returning Tivvy hero Owen Howe was saved comfortably by Albert White in the Gosport goal.

With ten minutes gone Gosport broke away down the wing and the cross come shot clipped the top of the Tivvy bar and went out for a goal kick. Both teams were showing some good moves on a very tricky pitch which wasn't helped by the wind and pouring rain. On fifteen minutes the visitors were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box. When the ball came into the Tivvy box the ball was stabbed towards the Tivvy goal but a combination of Craig Woodman and Lewis Williams cleared the ball off the line and away from danger. Gosport were seeing more of the ball and had Tivvy pegged back and unable to get out of their own half. With half an hour gone Tivvy broke away and a Dan Hayfield cross was headed just over by Howe who was looking to score on his debut. With the rain continuing to fall both teams were putting in some tasty tackles on a very slippery surface. Four minutes later and a good move down the wing from Gosport found Harvey Rew who cut into the Tivvy box and his shot across the box found the top corner of the net to put the visitors 1-0 up.

Their lead didn't last long as Tivvy went on the attack and the cross into the visitors' box was dropped by their keeper White and in his attempt to gather the ball he collided with Howe and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. The resulting spot-kick was cooly dispatched by Louis Morison to make it 1-1. Both teams had a couple more half chances but the first half ended 1-1.

Gosport got the second half underway and with only six minutes gone they were back in front when Elliot Wheeler found space and time to make it 2-1. Tivvy very nearly equalised instantly when a move down the wing involving Jordan Lam and Kyle Egan was put out for a Tivvy corner. When the corner came in Howe headed just wide of the goal.

Gosport made their first change of the day with Gomis being replaced by Lethridge . Two minutes later and a challenge by Gosport's number four Carter on Howe saw the Gosport man shown a straight red card for dangerous play. Tivvy started finding a bit more space now and a Matt Wright diving header fizzed just wide of the Gosport goal. Gosport made their second change of the game on sixty-seven minutes when Casey replaced Lewis in a bid to keep Tivvy out. A Hayfield corner nearby found its way into the Gosport net but their keeper white just managed to tip the ball over the bar. Tivvy continued to pile the pressure on the ten men of Gosport and got their reward when a cross into the box was cleared but it fell to the feet of Dan Hayfield who smashed the ball into the Gosport net to make it 2-2.

Tiverton were going all out for the winning goal and thought they had got their third goal of the game but it was ruled out by a very late flag from the linesman. Aaron Dawson had a long-range effort that went just over the bar. With only eight minutes left Tivvy made their first change when Chris Shephard replaced Aaron Dawson. Two minutes later and a Howe header is saved by White to keep Gosport in the game. Gosport made their final change of the game Paterson replacing Wooden which ate up a bit of time. The referee added on five extra minutes but neither team could add to the score and it ended

Tiverton Town 2 Gosport Borough 2