Tividale 1, Shaw Lane Aquaforce 2

A LATE double saw determined Tividale defeated by newly-promoted Shaw Lane Aquaforce.

Tivi had to soak up a lot of pressure throughout today's opening day battle at The Beeches and had goalkeeper Tom Turner to thank for keeping them in the contest on more than one occasion.

However, just as the match looked like it could end goalless, the game's substitutes had their say in the final 15 minutes.

Tivi wide man Chris Rabone opened the scoring against the run of play just moment after coming on in the 75th minute.

However, it would be Shaw Lane's changes that were to prove even more influential.

Adam Priestley grabbed a contentious equaliser in the 89th minute before fellow substitute Lee Bennett netted in the first minute of stoppage time to break Dale hearts.

It was a blow to Tivi but a result that was more than fair on the balance of play throughout.

Shaw Lane started the better of the sides and were soon working Turner in the Tividale goal.

First the lively Wafula hit a tame effort at the keeper in the sixth minute after latched onto a flick on from Lee Morris.

Turner was again called into action just a minute later to save well at his near post from a Grant Darley header.

The home side's biggest issue was their inability to get their forward pairing of Chris Sterling and Demetri Brown into the contest.

The pair were isolated for large parts of the game and had to feed off a host of long balls as Tivi dropped deeper trying to deal with the Shaw Lane pressure.

Dale did create a good opportunity in the 19th minute to force Ian Deakin into his first save of the afternoon.

Lee Chilton won the ball, drove forward and hit a powerful and dipping effort that had to be tipped over the bar by the Shaw Lane stopper.

But it was Aquaforce that continued to look the most dangerous.

Again Turner denied then, this time Paul Walker was thwarted by the legs of the keeper in the 25th minute.

Tivi's best chance of the half came in the 42nd minute when Sterling fired at Deakin before skipper Craig Milligan's effort deflected wide after he collected the rebound.

The second period continued much like the first.

Shaw Lane were the team on top but still Tivi kept them out.

When the visitors did find a way past Turner in the 50th minute, defender Jesse Race was on hand to clear off the line.

Time and time again the home side frustrated their visitors with solid defending.

Surprisingly though, it would be Tivi that would eventually take the lead.

Chris Rabone found space just moment after coming on, burst into the box and cut onto his left foot before unleashing a brilliant curling effort into the far post past the despairing dive of Ian Deakin.

Then, as time ran out, Aquaforce hit back in controversial fashion.

A corner from the visitors was first headed against the woodwork after being swung into a mellay of players at the far post. Only half cleared, the ball was put back in the danger zone.

Sub Adam Priestley latched onto it and slotted past the out-rushing Turner.

Tivi appealed for offside but the goal was eventually given after referee John Law consulted his linesman.

Shaw Lane were level and then quickly in the lead.

With Tivi's minds still on the contentious decision, a simple ball over the top saw substitute Lee Bennett get in behind before firing past Turner as the game entered added time.

It was a blow for Tividale who had worked so hard to keep out their visitors before falling at the final hurdle.

However, it is still early days in Ross Thorpe and Phil Male's rebuilding job and they will have been encouraged by how hard their new-look squad worked for each other.

Tividale: Turner, Hill, Caines-Powell (Granville 64), Race, Barnes, Taylor, Jackson, Milligan (c), Sterling (Rabone 73), Brown (Devlin 73), Chilton.

Unused subs: Cox, O'Neill.

Shaw Lane: Deakin, Stoner, Thornton, Foster (c) (Bennett 59), Meynell, Bruce, Thornhill, Darley, Walker (Allott 68), Morris (Priestley 68), Wafula.

Unused subs: Instead, Holt.

Att: 132.