Hope Valley League: Dove Holes 2-0 Tideswell United

In the end Dove ran out comfortable winners with a goal in each half to compliment a clean sheet.

The home side started much the brighter as United struggled to get a foot on the ball.

Arran Maund twice got in behind the visitors’ defence but Joe Muir and Ant Roberts were equal to it.

Despite the home side having much more possession they were restricted to efforts from distance, leaving Arran Dixon largely a spectator in the Tideswell goal.

After a rare shot at goal by the away side, it was Dove who eventually took the lead in first-half stoppage time as Sam Johnson calmly steered home from close range.

With the second period only four minutes old Ryan Doxey all but killed the game as he turned his shot in from close range to make it 2-0 to the hosts.

Dixon then showed his battling spirit as he twice superbly denied Dove adding to the scoreline.

As the hour mark approached so did the first United strike on Stuart Lindsey’s goal, as Stuart Baker drove a free-kick which the stopper dealt with comfortably.

The two sides played out the rest of the game in a low-key fashion as the final half-hour petered out.

• See this week’s Advertiser (out Thursday, October 10) for Hope Valley reports, results and tables.