Tamworth FC  v  West Bromwich Albion

Tue 9 Jul - 19:45 Pre-Season Friendly

Tamworth FC

2-4

West Bromwich Albion

Match Report

For the first pre-season game of 2019-20 Tamworth welcomed a Baggies U23 side to The Lamb.

Gary Smith, Andrew Danylyszyn and Thomas Baillie had been working hard during the break to recruit new faces to compliment those that remained in the squad from the 2018-19 season and this was reflected in the starting eleven where five had not previously pulled on a Lambs shirt with only one familiar face on the bench.

West Brom got the game underway attacking the Castle End and in the fourth minute Singh blocked a shot from Wilding at his near post as the visitors kept possession and control in the opening exchanges.

And Harlow then went close, forcing the keeper to parry the ball away. Clayton-Phillips then struck from 25 yards and Singh watched as it struck his left hand post and away.

The visitors took the lead on 11 after Meredith was brought down by Gough allowing Soule to send Singh the wrong way from the spot kick and roll the ball home into the bottom left corner. (0-1, 11 mins)

On 19 a run from Hoenes down the left released Waite at the near post and he was unable to test the keeper but got his shot into the side netting.

But a minute later Clayton-Phillips nodded the ball home after a cross from Soule found him free at the far post and able to cushion his header down into the bottom right corner past Singh. (0-2, 20 mins)

Waite reduced the arrears on 27 with a low shot from the right of the box under the keeper and into the back of the net (1-2, 27 mins)

And on 32 a Beswick corner on the right found the head of Waite at the back of the box but he couldn’t change its direction enough to sneak it inside the far post.

Clayton-Phillips tested Singh again on 44 with a driven effort which the keeper parried and freekick was awarded in the ensuing play which Melbourne struck over the bar shortly before the whistle blew for half time.

HT: TAMWORTH 1 2 WEST BROMWICH ALBION

Tamworth restarted proceedings with both sides having changed five players each during the interval. This lead for a slightly disjointed start to the half.
The visitors struck twice in a minute to extend their lead through Soule first on 67 and then on 68 and both times he struck from the right of the box with a cool finish past Singh (1-3 67 mins, 1-4 68 mins)
Tamworth then made their final two changes and West Brom made 5 changes with players who had perhaps not come off earlier in the game.
Beswick was brought down on 75 and in another game the WBA player may have been sent off but not in a friendly so the Lambs captain struck the freekick close to the left hand post but wide of the mark.
On 82 Obeng made use of his pace to get past his marker and into the box, round the keeper and slot home at the far post to reduce the arrears (2-4, 82 mins)
Hoenes was denied his claims for a penalty after getting into the box alongside the covering defender on 84 and although he went down the referee was not swayed and that was the final notable action of the game.

Tamworth Team:
Singh, Ambris (Clifton HT), Beejer (Frances HT), Beswick, Magunda (Willock 70), Gough, Kaziboni (Obeng HT), Forde (Sibanda 70), Waite (Creaney HT), Yafai (Fry HT), Hoenes
Subs: all used

West Bromwich Albion Team:
House, Meredith, Harmon, Martinez*, Healy, Melbourne*, Azaz*, Wilding*, Soule, Windsor*, Clayton-Phillips
Subs: Solate*, Cann, Brown*, Taylor*, Trialist, Asomugha*, Ashton*
* off / on at HT, 5 x later subs not recorded

Attendance: 549

Referee: Mr. T. Wainman