Wimborne’s unbeaten four-game run came to a muddy end at Ladysmead. Profligate finishing, determined defending, and great goalkeeping meant that Nat Jarvis’s 19th minute goal was enough for Tiverton to take all three points.

Manager Sills made three changes to his starting line-up: Owen Roundell-Prince made his first start in central defence, Jack Lovell came into midfield with Will Fletcher joining Toby Holmes up front.

Before the game, when you saw the divots in the middle of the pitch, the no-grass goalmouths, and your management team gingerly walking around the pitch, then you knew that this wasn’t going to be a feast of free-flowing football. And so it turned out.

Wimborne’s first attempt on goal came on nine minutes: Matty Burrows cross was headed down by Jack Lovell for Will Fletcher to try an overhead which floated wide. Just before then Ross Flitney had made his first save, and Tivvy left-back Jones had launched the first of many long throws into the penalty area. Billy Walker was unable to direct his header goalwards from Josh Carmichael’s corner, and a spirited Burrows run won another before the hosts took the lead on 19 minutes. It was clear that the best way of negating the effect of the pitch was to hit the ball high and long, and that’s what happened. Parker raced onto a ball down the right, reached the by-line, lofted the ball over Flitney for the sliding Jarvis to bundle it into the net from a couple of yards.

Flitney then saved Parker’s well-hit shot before the visitors carved out a great opportunity on 25 minutes. The lively Burrows sent Toby Holmes through the inside-left channel to be one-on-one with keeper Duncan who denied the striker with his feet. The remainder of the first-half was full of perspiration but little inspiration. You couldn’t fault all 22 players for the effort they were putting in, but that bobbly, uneven, sticky surface made it heavy going for both teams, and a dire spectacle.

Wimborne dominated the second period having 14 attempts on Duncan’s goal compared to three on Flitney’s. Sam Jackson’s header from Carmichael’s first corner of the half was scrambled off the line for a repeat which the skipper headed wide; Burrows won the next corner which was a well-worked move between the winger and Carmichael before Owen Roundell headed over; Fletcher sent Holmes through but the tall striker lost his footing at the crucial moment; another tricky Burrows’ run set up Jackson for a shot which Duncan saved.

On 75 minutes another “hit it high and hope” ball caused confusion on the edge of Tivvy’s box when Duncan missed the ball, Holmes stroked the ball towards the empty net only for Britton to make a brilliant sliding block. In Wimborne’s next attack, Holmes was played through one-on-one, and this time the striker decided to go round Duncan. As he ran past the keeper his legs appeared to be taken away and he went sprawling; referee McFarlane waved aside appeals for a penalty.

With Wimborne driving forwards there would always be danger from a rapid counter-attack, and in the first minute of seven added-on by the officials, Matt Neale sprinted back to deny Parker with the tackle of the game. Adam Biss brought some late energy into the visitors’ efforts, and created a couple of shooting chances for Cam Munn. Then in the 96th minute, Wimborne won a final free-kick, centrally just beyond the top of the “D”. Burrows delivery beat the wall only to curl inches wide of the post. Shortly after, the final whistle went, and Tiverton celebrated a hard-won three points.

It was an awful game to watch on a shocker of a pitch. The muddy surface was, of course, the same for both teams. Credit to Rob Dray’s boys who were energetic, dynamic, and defended determinedly. Wimborne dominated the goal attempts stats, but in the end there’s only one stat that matters, and that’s how many times you score. The Magpies need to do better at that, and soon.

Wimborne: Flitney, Wright, Walker (Biss 86), Roundell-Prince, Jackson, Scorey (Scorey 68), Carmichael (Neale 79), Lovell (Bedford 61), Burrows, Fletcher (Munn 79), Holmes 

Attendance: 280

Match stats: