Tipton St John 4, Witheridge 2 Tipton finally recorded their first League win of the campaign against a Witheridge side who were fourth in the League and who had beaten them 3–0 earlier in the season, writes Richard Williams.

They took the lead on six minutes when a throw in on the right by Kev Sexton was headed back to him. He then hit a fine cross into the box where Barry Wood headed the ball on to Jody Freeman who did brilliantly to deftly lob the Witheridge keeper. Witheridge went close three minutes later with a shot that went wide. Both Teams then shared possession without creating any clear chances until Barry Wood headed just wide on 28 minutes. On the half hour Witheridge equalised with a lucky, scruffy goal when the ball was being knocked around like a pinball in the Tipton area before a Witheridge player scuffed the ball and it just about rolled over the goal line. Tipton deservedly reclaimed the lead on 40 minutes when Wood headed home from a well taken Neil Gooding free kick.

Tipton came out looking sharp in the second half and went close twice early on when they put together a fine flowing move which culminated in Wood knocking the ball on to Jody freeman, whose shot was well saved. The ball rebounded out and ended with a fine shot from Hadyn Banfield, which was also well saved by the keeper. Tipton went 3–1 ahead on 58 minutes when a long throw from Lee Strawbridge was headed home from the edge of the box by Kev Sexton. Witheridge really started to press after this, but were thwarted by a very resolute Tipton back four, ably supported by their midfield colleagues until the 78th minute, when Witheridge scored from a header following a fine right wing cross. They almost equalised on 80 minutes but Dale Strawbridge pulled off a magnificent save from a 6-yard header forcing the ball over the bar for a corner. Tipton responded well to this and made the score 4–2 on 84 minutes when Jody Freeman got on the end of a corner and headed back across the goal high into the top corner. They could have gone further ahead in the last two minutes of normal time when the Witheridge keeper did well to tip a finely struck free kick from Neil Gooding over the bar and Lee Strawbridge had a header cleared off the line by a defender.

This was a magnificent effort by the whole Tipton Team and they were rightly rewarded for all the effort they have been putting in all Season. Man of the Match honours went to Jody Freeman for a fine performance all round, topped off by two fine goals.

On Saturday Tipton travel to top six side Wellington.