West Didsbury & Chorlton 3-2 Tividale

By Club Press Office

Full-time at the road: West Didsbury & Chorlton 3-2 Tividale. On target: Ben Givargidze, Callum Hamnett.

A frustrating result, but an outstanding performance from the boys in front of a fantastic crowd of 870 at West Didsbury. We started the game really well and took the lead after 15 minutes through a fantastic finish from Ben Givragidze. Will Uchenna delivered an excellent cross into the box and Ben finished brilliantly to put us 1-0 ahead. We continued to compete extremely well throughout the first half and went into the break with our lead intact. The second half was a different test as West Didsbury worked their way back into the game and eventually found the equaliser in the 64th minute. Credit to the boys, though, because we responded brilliantly rather than letting the momentum completely shift. We were awarded a penalty in the 78th minute and Callum Hamnett stepped up and calmly converted to put us back in front at 2-1. The pressure continued to build as the game entered its final stages. We were forced into a change at the back, with Lewis Pearson having absolutely run himself into the ground for the team. The boys continued to fight, but with the pressure piling on, we conceded late on to make it 2-2. Six minutes of added time were indicated, but the game continued and, in the 98th minute, West Didsbury were awarded a penalty which they converted to complete a dramatic turnaround. Naturally, we're absolutely gutted with the result because we genuinely believe the boys deserved something from the game. But despite the disappointment, there is so much to be proud of in that performance. The players showed exactly what we are about: desire, resilience, togetherness and a willingness to fight for every ball. Three weeks ago, the frustration was that things simply weren't clicking. Today, we're walking away gutted because we didn't get what we deserved from a game where we produced an outstanding performance. That is a huge turnaround and a sign that this group is moving in the right direction. We keep hitting home the same messages, we keep working, and most importantly, we keep believing in what we're trying to achieve. The team is right on the brink of finding its form, and performances like this give us even more belief that we're heading in the right direction. Huge credit to every single one of the boys. The result may not have gone our way, but the performance, character and attitude they showed in front of 870 people was something to be incredibly proud of.