Tamworth FC v Nuneaton Borough
Tamworth FC
3-3
Nuneaton Borough
Match Report
After a prolonged, weather enforced break, The table topping Lambs returned to action on Boxing Day with a post-Christmas festive welcome to local rivals Nuneaton Borough, six points behind in seventh place in the league.
In the only midday kick off of a full Southern League premier Central programme, there were a number of changes to the side that suffered a rare narrow defeat to Needham Market some 16 days while the visitors featured a number of players who had previously featured for Tamworth adding extra spice to the mix.
Nuneaton got the game underway but The Lambs quickly won possession and Hoenes made headway before setting up Forde but the shot was way off target.
Hoenes and Clifton went toe to toe and a corner resulted on 7 which Creaney rose highest to head but it was straight at Breeden.
Beswick went in for the loose ball with a raised boot on 8 and Edmunds dipped his head to try and head it away but there as no contact and play continued after a brief stoppage for treatment.
Hoenes went on another run on 15 and was tripped as he shaped to shoot so Beswick lined up the freekick from 20 yards out. His shot went past the wall but Breeden denied him with a one handed save low to his left.
Kettle got his head onto a visitors corner on 19 and Rowe-Turner was in the way to deny him then Forde sent the ball long for Hoenes to thread it through to Waite in the box but Breeden came out bravely and stopped him from going around and slotting it home.
Tamworth conceded a corner on 27 and from the right sided flag kick Benbow, in a central position, flicked his header through a crowded box, into the net inside the far post (0-1, 27 mins)
A freekick from Beswick fell to Waite and he pulled it back for Yafai to have a shot at the target from 18 yards, but it was blocked on the way and Nuneaton cleared. However in the next move the ball was threaded through the Borough back line, Hoenes got the better of Kettle and into the box.
All Kettle could do was bring Hoenes down and so after the defender had been booked for his troubles, Beswick slotted the penalty home past Breeden (1-1, 36 mins)
Hoenes was involved again on 39 making headway into the box again and pulling it back into the path of Creaney, but he couldn’t get a firm enough touch on it to divert it past Breeden.
As the clock ticked towards half time, Waite picked up the ball and turned into the box, his run was impeded by Byrne and the referee pointed to the spot for the second time and so for the second time Beswick slotted home and gave Tamworth the lead at the break (2-1, 45 mins)
HT: TAMWORTH 2 1 NUNEATON BOROUGH
Tamworth restarted proceedings and within 5 minutes had extended the lead to 3-1.
Yafai lifted the ball over the home defence for Waite to run on to and he cut into the box from the right channel, beat Breeden and fired home his 10th of the season (3-1, 50 mins)
Waite was booked for a challenge down the Nuneaton left on 53 and the freekick from Clifton caused the Lambs defence to be on their mettle before Singh smothered the ball to stop play in it’s tracks. But on 58 a left sided Nuneaton corner resulted in Kettle reducing the arrears from close range (3-2, 58 mins)
This gave the visitors some impetus and Powell cut in from the left and forced a right sided corner with a driven low shot on the hour which Singh punch away and a deep Sharpe freekick from the right was met by the head of Kettle and headed behind by Creaney on 63.
Benbow went down on the right on 65 and Sharpe set up another deadball which forced Singh into a fingertip save.
The Lambs made a double change on 71 with Fry and Lait replacing Yafai and Lait and both had an instant impact as The Lambs looked to seal the deal with a fourth goal.
Kelly-Evans had other ideas though and struck from distance on 79 forcing Singh into a parry that nearly fell invitingly to the visitors but Fry was on hand to clear The Lambs lines. Byrne was booked for a late on the floor challenge on Beswick on 80.
With five to play Singh denied a powerful drive from Sharpe with a low block to his left, and from the left sided corner Kettle’s header struck the inside of the near post and came back out again.
With two to play the referee awarded the third penalty of the game after Fry was adjudged to have brought down Bremang, and the Borough number 11 stepped up and fired the ball past Singh to level the tie (3-3, 88 mins)
There was a lengthy delay after the goal had been scored and Obeng came on for Forde and before Beswick was booked for a foul on Powell with the clock on 98.
From the freekick Kettle headed down and Singh took it by his feet, play switched to the other end but neither Lait nor Waite could force a way through and Nuneaton pushed back to force a couple of corners at the other end which forced Tamworth to defend strongly once again.
Nuneaton forced two quick corners in the 104th minute and after The Lambs cleared the danger once again the final whistle blew.
Tamworth Team:
Singh, Little, Wilder, Beswick, Magunda, Rowe-Turner, Waite, Forde, Creaney, Yafai (Fry 71), Hoenes (Lait 71)
Unused: Kaziboni, Howkins
YC: Waite 53, Beswick 98
Nuneaton Borough Team:
Breeden, Clifton, Sharpe, Kettle, Osbourne, Byrne, Powell, Edmunds, Benbow, Kelly-Evans, Bremang Subs: Jullen, Maphosa, Burroughs, Coyle, Donnelly YC: Kettle 36, Byrne 80
Attendance: 1326
Man of the Match: Guinan Girls chose Ryan Beswick
Referee: Mr. J. Maskrey
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