Resolute Tiverton claim a hard earned point at Stourbridge

TIVERTON Town kept their third clean sheet in four Southern League Premier Division games as they secured a 0-0 draw at Stourbridge on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Ryan Draper again produced an outstanding display to deny the home side any chance of success as the Yellows worked hard for a point.

They could even have grabbed a win had Jamie Densham’s first half header not rebounded off the post and away to safety.

But the draw pleased manager Chris Vinnicombe, who has coached his men to tighten things up at the back since conceding 19 goals in their first seven games.

The Tiverton boss decided to play five across midfield in an attempt to stifle the Glassboys’ skilful wide men.

Jamie Hatch, Russell Jee, Perry Carpenter and Mark Saunders all came into the starting XI, having not featured regularly recently.

And Vinnicombe paid tribute to his committed side for sticking to their pre-arranged tactics.

“We knew that they were a big side with decent wingers, so we changed our shape and changed a few people and it seemed to work,” he said.

“Our lads worked really hard and stopped them from playing. In the end they only had a few chances and that was down to how tight we kept it.

“If somebody had said to me before the game ‘you can have a point and a clean sheet’ I would have said ‘yeah, we’ll go home now’.

“Not many teams go to Stourbridge and get anything, but we were able to do that.

“Three clean sheets in four games is credit to the lads and shows how hard they are working.”

According to Vinnicombe, Tivvy’s hard work has been matched by a greater sense of togetherness among his squad off the pitch.

“The spirits are really high,” he said. “You could tell in the way that the lads were joking with each other on the way up that they are becoming a close-knit group.

“It makes it easier to encourage the kind of hard work that we put in when you’ve got that camaraderie.”

Now in 15th place and with Salisbury – who have won just once on the road this season – at Ladysmead on Wednesday, they have the chance to push on even further, according to Vinnicombe.

The Tiverton chief admits he now has a selection headache for the Southern League clash.

“On the back of Saturday’s performance we’ve got a whole squad of players who could go straight into the team,” said Vinnicombe.

“It’s a nice situation to be in because we haven’t got the biggest squad of players but they are all playing well at the moment.

“Hopefully we can maintain that level of work and determination for as long as possible.”

Tiverton Town line-up: Draper, Adam Faux, Martin, Ellis, Gardner, Hatch, Carpenter, Saunders, Jee, Hill, Densham