Spirited performance not enough as Town slip to defeat

TIVERTON came from behind to beat Stratford Town 2-1 at a damp and drizzly Ladysmead on Saturday, writes Bryan Hale.

This defeat was a tough one on Stratford, whose spirited performance was far removed from their limp effort at Lancaster a week ago.

If Carl Adams was looking for a reaction after last week’s FA Trophy shocker, he only had five minutes to wait as Mike Taylor’s flick-on released Ben Stephens into the penalty area and he coolly slotted the ball past Tiverton keeper Martin Rice.

Tiverton looked to hit back and thought that they had levelled on 18 minutes when Owen Howe netted from Nick Hurst’s cross, but his celebrations were cut short by the offside flag.

As the game developed into a niggly affair, clearcut chances were few and far between but either side of the half hour mark Stephens shot straight at Rice after more good work by Taylor followed by Howe’s header from a corner being cleared away by Liam Francis.

Tom Bath went close for Tiverton immediately after the restart while Rice saved well from James Hancocks in the 65th minute, but Tiverton were now piling on the pressure and equalised on 72 minutes when a right wing corner was headed back across goal by Howe and turned in at the far post by Bath from a couple of yards out.

And on 81 minutes another corner led to the winner. This time it was from the left, but Town could only clear it as far as Levi Landricombe and Tiverton’s leading scorer hit an unstoppable right footer into the top corner from 20 yards out for his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.

Stratford Town: Louis Connor, Dan Summerfield, Lee Thomas, Andy Gallinagh, James Fry (c), Liam Francis, Justin Marsden (Charlie Evans 77) , James Hancocks (Edwin Ahenkorah 84), Mike Taylor (Jazz Luckie 73), Will Grocott, Ben Stephens.