Halesowen Town v Tamworth FC
Halesowen Town
0-1
Tamworth FC
Match Report
The 14th placed Lambs travelled to the Black Country to take on 19th placed Halesowen, managed by former Tamworth player Rob Smith ad with new signing Matt Curley.
Lambs boss Dennis Greene brought the two on loan Blades players into the starting eleven, with Lait and Johnson both taking spots on the bench for Parkhouse and Potts.
Tamworth got the 40th meeting between the two sides underway and the start of the game ws very scrappy on windy afternoon and on a damp pitch.
Jemson slid in to prevent the shot of Coyle on 8 and on 13 Coyle was brought down by Lilly, setting up the number 8 up on the left of the box with the dead ball but despite the promise it floated harmlessly out of play.
On 18 Smith worked hard to get the ball out from under the crowding defenders and struck low towards Boucher’s near post from the right of the box which the keeper smothered.
On 21 the ball came in from the right following a quick throw and it bounced over Smith but set up nicely for Potts who tried to lift it over the keeper but Boucher tipped it over the target for a corner, which came to nothing.
Lawton struck a low effort towards the bottom left corner and Singh did well to smother it.
Tamworth forced a corner on the right on 27 and Potts lifted it towards the back post but Smith’s header was claimed by Boucher. Lawton put a late challenge in on Maphosa on 30 and the number 8 picked up a booking.
Play from Green’s freekick was halted by the offside flag, as Lawton was replaced in a tactical substitution which pushed Curley into the centre of defence.
Wheatley planted a freekick into the box on 36 but a push in the build-up denied the header which Singh did well to push around the post.
Tamworth were forced to defend strongly around the 42 minute mark with Coyle causing problems. One minute added time was shown at the end of the first half which ended goalless.
HT: HALESOWEN TOWN 0 0 TAMWORTH
Halesowen restarted proceedings and went on the attack straight away, but Tamworth countered and forced a corner on the right which was cleared by Curley at the far post.
Wheatley upended Potts on the left wing on 50 and Verma direct the dead ball short to Parkhouse and back to Verma but his cross was wayward.
Tamworth pushed forwards around the 55 minute mark and forced Boucher to punch clear through a crowded area.
Waite and Potts were replaced by Lait and Sharpe respectively on the hour to inject more attacking options in the Lambs side and Lait made an immediate impact, running at the defence into the box on 63.
His cut back was met by Green but his shot was blocked on the line by a combination of defender and keeper. The home side then forced their way through via a deflection and Singh was forced to watch the ball loop onto the top of the cross bar.
Following a knock to the head which required both physios to attend to Curley, and after around 5 minutes stoppage he was bandaged up but unable to continue.
Halesowen had a penalty appeal waved away on 73 and in the next passage of play Jemson got in the way of his man on the right and earned a booking for his troubles.
Sharpe’s ball from the left on 77 was punched clear by Boucher and Green’s cross form the right was flicked on by Lait onto the head of Smith but went straight back to the home keeper.
At the other end, Sweeney spotted an opportunity after Hughes was unable to get his shot away and the ball rose over the target. Lait gave The Lambs the lead on 80 after a move against the run of play which saw Sharpe find Parkhouse who in turn found Lait.
The substitute made light work of the defence in front of him and jinked it around them before firing across Boucher into the bottom right corner (1-0, 80 mins)
Kelly was booked for pulling substitute Johnson back as he looked to made headway down the right wing on 84 but The Yeltz cleared the danger. Boucher was forced to push the ball away from danger after a shot from Johnson from the edge of the box, and six minutes added time was shown.
Gough escaped a booking after foul in the centre circle on 83 and from the freekick Sweeney picked his spot, but it was the wrong one and he could only put his effort into the stand behind the goal.
Smith was tripped on the left wing on 94 and The Lambs held the ball up to wind the clock down and forced a corner on the same side on 95 and eventually the final whistle blew on three points and an eighth away game without defeat.
Tamworth Team:
Singh, Green K. Gough, Maphosa, Lilly, Jemson, Waite (Lait 60), Verma (c.), Smith, Parkhouse (Johnson 81), Potts (Sharpe 60)
Subs: Clement, Evans
YC: Jemson 74
Halesowen Town Team:
Boucher, Curley (Hughes 71), Kelly, Bragoll (c.), Morris, Charlton, Lawton (Wheatley 31), Coyle, Sweeney, Reilly
Subs: Hayles-Docherty, Higginson, Platt
YC: Lawton 30, Wheatley 50, Kelly 84
Attendance: 505
Referee: Mr. S. Tallis
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