Match Preview

Darlaston Town are tomorrow hopeful of a return to league action when they are due to travel across the Black Country to take on local rivals Tividale in a Midland Football League Premier Division local derby.

The clubs have already met once this season in a mid-week game at the Paycare Stadium, Darlaston were convincing winners beating their visitors 6-1, with a first half Aaron Bishop hat-trick, with Keiran Miller, Jake Pearson and skipper Alex Forshaw all on the score sheet. Ex-Darlaston forward Dominic Dell scoring Tividale’s only goal in injury time. However, the game was affected when Lewis Taylor-Boyce received two yellow cards within a four minute period, seeing him sent off on the 64th minute.

Since that game Tividale are currently in 16th place having also played sixteen games, won three, drawn four and lost nine with thirteen points, whereas Darlaston, after suffering their last two losses over the Christmas period have dropped down the table from fifth to eighth on twenty-seven points.

After Tividale’s 1-0 win against Walsall in the Birmingham Senior Cup, December saw Tividale play three games in the league and unfortunately the exited the FA Vase losing 2-1 to Ashby Ivanhoe in the third round proper.

Over the Christmas period have played all three games. The Saturday before Christmas losing 3-1 at Atherstone, all of Atherstone’s goals came in the first half and skipper Zacharias Kourouyianni scoring Tividale’s only goal. Boxing Day produced a 1-0 win against rivals Wolverhampton Casuals at The Beeches, Ryan Snape scoring the all important goal in the 79th minute, Cody Mullen being sent off after receiving two yellow cards and should miss tomorrow’s game. Last Saturday Tividale played at Lichfield City on the astro turf pitch when all grass pitches were unplayable, losing 2-0 to promotion chasing hosts.

Tividale also still remain in The Birmingham Senior Cup and have to play in form Lye Town at home in the next round on Tuesday for a place in the quarter-final draw.

Dangermen for Tividale include ex-Darlaston forward Dominic Dell who has scored eight times in his eighteen starts this season, along with Ryan Snape eight in twelve and Taylor Townsend eight in twenty-three. David Edwards has scored four in seventeen starts.

Darlaston against Tividale, over recent years, have always been close affairs apart from the game earlier this season and with the recent inclement weather, please keep an eye on the club website and social media feeds to see if a pitch inspection is required or not, sometime tomorrow morning. We understand from Tividale that there are currently no plans or no need for a pitch inspection.

Darlaston meanwhile haven’t played since the Boxing Day loss against AFC Wulfrunians, but manager Dean Gill has put his squad through their paces in several punishing training sessions and players and management are looking forward to this month, as it is extremely busy with several mid-week games, but also important league fixtures to be played.

A big crowd is expected at The Beeches tomorrow.

Kick-off 3.00 p.m.

Ground Address:

Tividale F.C.
The Beeches
Packwood Road
Tividale
OLDBURY
B69 1UL

Admission: £7.00 Adults, £4.00 Concessions (over 65’s and under 18’s), Under 16’s FREE but must be accompanied by a paying adult.

We hope to see as many Darlaston supporters there as possible tomorrow.