Alleynians pay the Penalty.
Due to the late start of the season this was the first competitive game of the 2020-21 season for either side, with Stone Old Alleynians hosting Tividale, who are 1 level higher and in a very tight FA Cup tie the game ended goalless after 90 minutes, but it was Tividale that moved into the
next round after a penalty shoot-out.
It was Stone starting the better and Sam Wilson headed over after just 6 minutes. Wilson in the thick of the action a minute later when his free kick came back off the Tividale wall but Will Bailey fired the rebound over the Tividale bar. Tividale’s first chance came in the 11th minute but Luke Carter dragged his shot wide.
Ryan Goodwin forced Tividale keeper Adam Harrison into the first save of the game. Then almost immediately Ryan Grosvenor shot straight at Stone keeper Adam Alcock. The game settled down a little then with Stone enjoying most of the possession, but Tividale’s well organised defence and midfield were able to deal with it and threatened themselves on the counter.
On the half hour both sides had great chances to open the scoring. First a misunderstanding in the Tividale back line allowed Jake Vernon through on goal. Harrison blocked his initial shot and Tom Hurdman completed the clearance. Then in a Stone goalmouth scramble, Curtis Cocking twice had efforts blocked on the line by Stone defenders.
The half ended with Stone on top and Harrison pulling off a brilliant save and then Stone centre back Oliver Davies heading over
Half Time: Stone Old Alleynians 0-0 Tividale
The second half was never going to be a repeat of the full throttle all action of the first half and the sides more equal. The Old Boys, as in the first half looked comfortable on the ball but Tividale’s midfield were always on hand to intercept any loose pass and start an attack of their own and Grosvenor, Dan Smith and Brad Welding were willing runners against the Stone back line.
Although, goalmouth action was at a premium . Tividale had the two best chances. Within seconds of Jelson Antonio coming on to replace Grosvenor he fired across the face of the goal and then Welding saw his free kick go a whisker past the post with Alcock stranded. Tividale appeared to have broken the deadlock, when Smith curled his shot into the bottom right-hand corner on 82 minutes. The referee gave the goal, but his assistant ruled that a Tividale player, in an offside position was obstructing the view of keeper Alcock.
Full Time: Stone Old Alleynians 0-0 Tividale
Goalless is how it ended and with no extra time, it was straight to penalties. Luke Carter stepped up for the first one and made no mistake putting Tividale 1-0 up. Alleynians, Dave Ablewhite levelled with his kick 1-1. Brad Welding was next up for Tividale and he made it 2-1. Alcock did get a hand to it but the sheer power of the shot meant it still found the back of the net. Jake Vernon then saw his spot kick come back off the bar 1-2. Dan Smith then made it 3-1. Adam Harrison then pulled off a fine save to deny Dominic Thorley 1-3. It meant Tividale only had to score one of their last two spot kicks and up stepped Jelson Antonio and again Alcock guessed the right way, got his hand to it but could not keep it out 1-4.
So, Tividale go through to meet Market Drayton in the next round. The Old Alleynians could consider themselves unlucky to have lost the tie, but will have to practice their penalties, before the next time they are involved in a cup-tie.
Penalties: Stone Old Alleynians 1-4 Tividale
Stone Old Alleynians:- Adam Alcock, Sam Bradbury, Dave Ablewhite, Luke Askey, Ryan Goodwin, Oliver Davies, Sam Wilson[Louis Downs], Will Bailey, Matt Thomas[Jack Tomlinson], Dom Thorley, Jake Vernon
Subs:- Lewis Downs, Michael Machin, Jack Tomlinson, Liam Hickson, Oliver Griffths, Cameron Sinclair, David Harry
Attendance:- 205
