Tamworth FC v Halesowen Town
Tamworth FC
4-1
Halesowen Town
Match Report
Gary Smith and Andy Danylyszyn kept the same starting eleven for the 87th meeting between The Lambs, in 13th and looking for a fourth straight win to make it five unbeaten, and the Yeltz from Halesowen second from bottom place in the league on the back of four games without a win and having only scored three goals in the previous five games. New signing Anthony Dwyer took a spot on the bench in an otherwise unchanged substitute line-up at The Lamb, while former Tamworth player Matt Curley sat in the opposition dugout.
Halesowen got the game underway attacking the Castle End of the ground and Mendez-Jones unleashed a left footed shot from the left of the box which Singh helped over the bar.
On 5 Green drilled the ball across from the right after good work from Concannon but the flag prevented a final touch in the box.
Lait forced a corner on the left on 11 and this allowed Tamworth to keep the pressure on the final third of the field, Gough drilled the ball into the box from the left and Waite met it at the near post but put it wide of the post although the flag would have denied him anyway.
Nabi backheeled into the path of Fitzpatrick on 18 and the latter smashed a shot from the right of the area wide of the mark, but it was another wake up call for the Tamworth defence who had been opened up a couple of times previously but survived the Yeltz attack.
Singh pounced on a through ball looking for Wright on 20 and a freekick from Bragoli was taken by the keeper. Bragoli was then booked for a block on Dias on 23 and Concannon fired low for Platt to smother on 23 – the first shot on target from Tamworth.
This was quickly folloed up by a right footed finish from Waite but he was offside when he received the ball from Lait and the flag denied them again.
Wright curled a shot from 20 yards into the arms of Singh on 26 while at the other end Green forced a corner off a right sided cross. Beswick’s dead ball nearly found the head of Magunda but he was unable to get past his marker and make contact.
A cross from Morris from the right on 31 was aimed for Nabi but Magunda got their first under a hefty challenge in the box and Tamworth were able to regroup again from the clearance.
Coyle struck low from the left and forced a corner off Singh’s block at his near post and Gough headed clear.
Concannon was tripped outside the area to the left of the D on 37 and when the kick was taken by Lait on 39 he curled it around the wall and inside the right hand upright to give The Lambs the lead (1-0, 39 mins)
Morris put a late challenge through Concannon on 43 and was booked for his efforts and Wright, Kettle, Magunda were also booked for getting involved in the handbags that followed and the Lambs ended the half on top of proceedings.
HT: TAMWORTH 1 0 HALESOWEN TOWN
Tamworth got the game back underway after making a change in the line up with Frances making his full debut, coming on for Gough. Lait netted his second of the afternoon and 17th of the season on 53 when the ball went through to Waite but he was unable to get a shot away and unselfishly passed to Lait to prod into the far corner (2-0, 53 mins)
Bragoli clashed with Dias in front of the dugouts on 59 and escaped a second yellow before being immediately substituted.
Lait sensed his hattrick was on the cards on 61 but Platt was equal to his effort from the right of the box and Concannon was too far away to capitalise on the parry.
Dias then almost prodded a bouncing ball over the advancing keeper but Platt deflected it is away and at the other end Kelly forced Singh to parry a shot from the left of the area on 68.
Kelly got into a wide open space that perhaps should have been manned by the Lambs right back on 69 and forced another shot at Singh’s goal.
Waite got on the scoresheet for the third time in three games, finishing a tricky run from Lait into the box and past the keeper on the by-line to make it 3-0 on 72 and the pair were replaced shortly afterwards, having earned the right to take an early rest.
James nearly made it 4-0 with a right footed drive from the right channel but Platt pushed it behind for a corner on the right which was punched away.
Concannon tried his luck from outside the box on 85 but dragged his shot wide of the left hand post and at the other end MOM Concannon pulled the ball across the box from the right but neither James not Gordon could stretch a leg out to divert it home.
Green left the field on 87 with a slight niggle to leave Tamworth playing a man short for the remainder, but it didn’t trouble Concannon who beat a defender and the forced Platt to push it onto the post.
He couldn’t finish the rebound and was then booked. Gordon rounded things off in added time though with a close range finish after a pull back from James on the right (4-0, 92 mins)
Halesowen puled one back right at the death through Fitzpatrick’s finish (4-1, 95 mins) after the visitors packed out the final third and Singh was unable to keep the ball out, giving the travelling faithful something to celebrate which they duly did, alongside the home fans when the final whistle blew!
Tamworth Team:
Singh, Green K., Gough (Frances HT), Beswick, Kettle (c), Magunda, Concannon, Clement, Waite (Gordon 72), Dias, Lait (James 72)
Subs: Maphonsa, Dwyer
YC: Kettle 44, Magunda 44
Halesowen Town Team:
Platt, Griffiths (Gilpin 65), Kelly, Mendez-Jones, Morris, Fitzpatrick, Lawton, Bragoli (c.) (Spruce 59), Wright, Coyle, Nabi
Subs: Curley, Hughes, Till
YC: Bragoli 23, Fitzpatrick 39, Morris 43, Wright 44
Attendance: 736
Man of the Match: Brian Swain chose Jack Concannon
Referee: Mr. S. Tallis
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