Darren Collins playing as a lone striker, Hayes and Nightingale teaming-up with Che Wilson in the centre of midfield and Matt Clement and Adam Wilde playing wide.
There was little early pattern to the game, the first significant action coming on 3 minutes when Danny Haines went down under a heavy challenge from Jack Wignall which resulted in a lengthy hold up whilst the visitors left back received extensive treatment.
City quickly settled to their game. The visitors, who appeared to start with three at the back and two wing-backs, found their two wide players pinned back by Clements and Wilde which left them short on numbers in the middle of the park. On 6 minutes City were ahead. A free kick from the Tiverton right was charged down and Matt Clements picked up the ball on the edge of the City box. Seeing space ahead of him he surged forward, his pace enabling him to glide past one challenge and carry the ball up to the half-way line. Spotting Darren Collins running through the inside-left channel Clement struck a perfectly weighted low through ball into the path of the on-rushing striker, who skilfully drew the ‘keeper before finishing neatly in the bottom right hand corner of the net.
Passing the ball better than in any other home game this season and making full use of the width of the pitch City pressed home their advantage. Good work by Wilson and Hayes down the left resulted in the ball being fed into Collins on the edge of the box. The big striker used his body strength to hold off three defenders and roll the ball into the path of Clements who smashed his shot into the corner of the net past a despairing Steve Collis who was again left helpless.
City playing with new found confidence continued to dominate. Rob Nightingale adding much needed pace to the City midfield saw a powerful run thwarted on the edge of the box only 2 minutes later. Soon afterwards Collins swung in a deep cross from the right wing which forced Steve Winter, under pressure from Wilde, to head back towards his own goal, only the outstretched arm of the alert Collis preventing a third goal.
On 15 minutes Haines, who had never recovered from his early knock limped off to be replaced by David Steele, causing the Tiverton defence to re-organise. City continued to control the game however. On 20 minutes Colin Vowden brought the ball out of defence and played a raking ground pass into the path of Darren Collins which allowed the skipper to fire in a powerful angled drive towards the top left hand corner of the net, Collis diverting the ball behind for another corner.
On 28 minutes City delivered the killer blow. A left wing corner was worked into Collins who again showing great awareness laid the ball off to Rob Nightingale who lashed a powerful right foot shot into the roof of the net. Leaving Tiverton, who had only conceded three goals in five previous away games completely shell shocked.
Clements, given a massive confidence boost by his goal continued to terrorise Nathan Rudge with his pace. On 33 minutes another quality cross picked out Adam Wilde who fired low back across Collis only to see his effort flash past the foot of the post.
Two minutes later came a key moment in the match. A loose pass by Adie Hayes was intercepted by Steve Winter who got to the bye-line and cut the ball back for Steve Ovens whose powerful downward header appeared goal bound until Shane Wardley recovered his ground to hook the ball off the line. Wardley was soon to be in action at the other end when Hayes played a neat ball inside Winter which allowed Wilde to slide the ball low into the box and pick out Wardley. The left back blasted his shot straight at Collis who gratefully beat the ball away from danger.
On 40 minutes the pass of the afternoon from Adam Wilde, deep in his own half, found Collins who took the ball early and slid his shot wide of the keeper only to see it roll agonisingly past the post.
At the other end Tiverton were just starting to get a foot hold. On 43 minutes Martin Davies was called into his first meaningful action when he parried a powerful Steve Ovens shot, the ball eventually deflecting off Tim Wooding and going behind for a corner. Moments later Phil Everett, showing good feet worked himself space for a fierce shot which was again deflected behind Davies’ goal.
City however ended the half on the attack and a left wing cross whipped in by Wilde narrowly evaded the diving Clements, 4-0 would have been a remarkable scoreline, but by no means unjustified as City left the field to enthusiastic applause.
Tiverton made the better start to the second half and began to show why they had started the day third in the table. Prompted by the intelligent probing of the busy Jason Rees the visitors began to pass the ball much better than they had in the opening period and press the game in the City half. Four minutes in a good cross from Winter gave Kevin Nancekivell a decent opportunity which the former Plymouth Argyle man headed over. Winter was proving to be a useful attacking outlet for the visitors, delivering some quality balls into the box, Martin Davies handled well however and collected some difficult centres confidently and cleanly.
On 55 minutes City hit back, Clements streaked past Rudge and delivered a low far post cross. Only the intervention of Rees, who had made a lot of ground to cover the attack prevented Darren Collins from doubling his goal tally for the afternoon.
Only a minute later and Tiverton had their best chance to get back into the match. Nancekivell skipped around Vowden on the edge of the box and fired the ball low to the right of Davies. The City ‘keeper however made an excellent save with an outstretched leg. A goal at that point and the Devonians would definitely have felt they were in with a chance of salvaging something from the game.
On the hour mark Collins got on the end of a long clearance and the ball broke for Rob Nightingale just outside the box. His fierce drive was too powerful for Collis to hold but he got enough behind it to see of any threat of a goal.
Two minutes later Rudge made way for Richard Pears whose strength and mobility tightened up the Tiverton left for the remainder of the match. On 66 minutes it was City who made their first substitution. Adam Wilde, given a rousing ovation by the City fans, replaced by debutant Scott Houghton, the former Tottenham player having arrived at Milton Road the day before from Stevenage.
City continued to soak up Tiverton pressure and found themselves defending deeper and deeper. Colin Vowden however produced another outstanding display and Tim Wooding was rock solid alongside him. With both full backs looking sound City’s rearguard action held firm. As Tiverton continued to dictate in the middle of the park Che Wilson, in his efforts to break up the visitors’ rhythm, picked up a yellow card for a lunge on David Steele. He was soon followed into referee Henry’s notebook by Rob Cousins who tackled Collins from behind.
City still looked dangerous on the break and as the game entered its final 10 minutes, Rob Nightingale, making a hugely impressive return to first team action, wriggled free of Scott Rogers and forced Collis into another scrambling save down low to his right.
In a final throw of the dice Jamie Mudge replaced Steve Ovens but by now City were successfully running down the clock. Kevin Wilkin replacing Darren Collins with barely five minutes to play.
Kevin Nancekivell had Tiverton’s final chance on 87 minutes. Yet again Martin Davies was equal to the challenge, tipping a powerful header over the bar. City could have finished the afternoon in style when Wilkin put Clements clear of the last defender however the winger who again got through a huge amount of work looked exhausted and fired weakly at Collis.
With Hastings the visitors at Milton Road on Tuesday the City faithful trooped out of Milton Road hopeful that a similarly committed and professional display would yield back to back wins high on entertainment value.
