Tamworth FC  v  Leiston FC

Sat 18 Jan - 15:00 SL Premier Central

Tamworth FC

Tamworth FC

1-2

Leiston FC

Leiston FC

Match Report

After the previous weekends defeat at Bromsgrove who leapfrogged into top spot, Tamworth welcomed a lowly but resurgent side Leiston to the CR MOT Community Stadium at The Lamb for their 23rd league game of the season, a point behind Sporting with three games in hand over the top side. Tamworth had left it very late to take the points in the reverse fixture in August and the Lambs management trio were expecting a reaction from the side in front of a partisan home crowd.

After Monday night’s Staffs Senior Cup game at Kidsgrove had been postponed due to the weather, The Lambs welcomed Liam Hearn into the squad from Basford but he was unable to play due to his registration having not been confirmed while Luke Little remained sidelined through illness and so there were no changes to teamsheet from the previous weekend.

The visitors got the game underway with The Lambs attacking the Meadow Street end in the first half once again and made positive moves towards Donkin’s goal in the opening exchanges.
In the seventh minute Hoenes struck from the left and forced Donkin to push the ball around the post for a corner.
Creaney met the flagkick at the far post with his head and forced the keeper into action again, saving the ball on the line.
A foul set up Beswick with a freekick on 9 which took a slight deflection to put it wide of the mark but the rehearsed set piece needed a bit more work and Leiston cleared.
A Leiston corner on the left on 14 cannoned off Rowe-Turner and deflected off the bar and out for a corner which went out to Hammonds, was nodded back into the box by Odelusi and Sands fired into the back of the net (0-1, 15 mins)
The Lambs responded strongly forcing the visitors back, but it was no easy feat to break into the final third. Wilder forced a corner on 22 and he got on the end of it to force the covering defender to clear it off the line.
There were shouts for handball as Creaney followed up, but his effort was also dealt with.
Tamworth tried to work the ball up the field and create chances, but frustration was starting to show as the Blues continued to do more than enough to keep them at bay and Lawrence struck from distance past the left hand post n 35.
Wilder was booked following a challenge on the Leiston right back on 36, and was then involved in the next move when Hoenes’ shot deflected into his path in the left of the box and his strike rose over the corner of bar and post.
A long ball down the right wing found Hoenes on 44 and he got a shot away but the angle was tight and Donkin was able to gather at his near post.
Hoenes found an opening in added time and his shot was blocked but Beswick followed up and shot narrowly wide of the mark in the last action in the first half.

HT: TAMWORTH 0 1 LEISTON

As the sun and temperature dropped at The Lamb and Tamworth restarted proceedings. but it was Leiston who had the first two shots in the opening couple of minutes, first Sands from distance, straight at Singh and then Hitter striking well wide of the mark.
Waite forced a corner on the right on 48 but it came to nothing and it wasn’t until the 53rd minute that Waite forced Donkin in action with a low shot from the left channel.
A deep cross from Beswick on the left was met by the head of Yafai but it went over the keeper and bar.on 54 and on 58 Fry struck from 20 yards on target but it rose into the keepers hands.
Donkin gladly received Waite’s shot from the edge of the area on the hour, After Saunders was booked for a challenge on the right, Beswick whipped the ball into the crowded box but it was cleared by the Leiston defence.

Hitter found Singh perfectly placed for a low stop from distance, then Waite was presented with a good chance when the ball skipped past Donkin who slipped on the edge of the area, but under pressure Waite couldn’t wrap his foot around the ball enough to put it int the empty net.
Obeng replaced Waite on 67 but before he could warm up Leiston extended their lead through a powerful volleyed strike from Sands from the right of the box (0-2, 69 mins)
And on 72 Hammonds shot on the turn curled past the far post and would have beaten Singh had it not done.
A foul on Yafai set up Beswick again on 74 with a dead ball in the left channel and he struck it powerfully into the back of the net off the right hand upright (1-2, 75 mins)
Clement replaced Waite for the final 15 minutes and The Lambs played with added impetus, higher up the field.
A rocket of a freekick from Sands from 30 yards forced Singh to protect his goal with a parry, Creaney sent a looping header onto the bar and then Bloom’s angled shot from the left of the box went just wide of the far post as both sides looked to add to their tally in the dying minutes.
In added time a Forde cross swirled but Donkin snatched it calmly out of a crowded box and Obeng drilled the ball from the right into the area but it was cleared for a corner which was also cleared.
And the final whistle blew on the first consecutive defeats of the season for The Lambs.

Tamworth Team:

Singh, Forde, Wilder, Beswick, Magunda, Rowe-Turner, Waite (Clement 76), Fry (Obeng 67), Creaney, Yafai, Hoenes
Unused: Gough, Howkins, Lait

YC: Wilder 36

Leiston Team:

Donkin, Clements, Saunders, Aitkens, Odelusi, Hutchings, Lawrence (c.), Hitter, Hammons, Sands (Bloom 86), Eagle
Subs: Debenham, Henry, Keys, Johnson

YC: Saunders 61

Attendance: 651

Man of the Match: Lichfld and Tam Chamber of Commerce chose Beswick

Referee: Mr. L Corbett

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