Tamworth v Royston Town
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Tamworth
1-1
Royston Town
Match Report
On the back of the FA Cup exit behind closed doors in midweek, The Lambs returned home for their next fixture, and welcomed one of last season’s promotion hopefuls Royton Town.
Tamworth made a hatful of changes to the side that ran out at Oxford City in midweek in a bid to return to winning ways as quickly as possible, and with a week to recover after the final whistle the partisan crowd were looking forward to an enjoyable afternoon!
The Crows for the match underway with Tamworth attacking the Meadow Street end in the first half and Parr was booked on 8 as The Lambs tried to forge a way through to the final third, but neither side was finding the going easy in the opening quarter of and hour.
Adams was pulled around a little 30 tards from goal and Brighton set up the dead ball on 18 and it fell to Beswick to hoof away from the box.
Handball set up Beswick with a freekick but it slammed against the wall, Tonks launched a long throw but it was headed away and Yafai and Ryan both tried to break through to no avail.
Graham received the ball on the left on 27 but his cross was too long to cause a threat, and then Yafai had to be replaced by Meikle as he couldn’t shake off the after effects of an earlier tackle.
A long Tonks throw nearly found Ryan at the back of the box on 32 but he was beaten to his header as The Lambs continued to try and turn the screw.
The best chance of the half came on 39 following a Royston presence in the Lambs area, and Beswick launched the ball forwards for Ryan to race onto, which he did, under bearing down pressure but he got a shot away and it looked destined for the top corner but Smart leaped to push it over the bar for a corner.
Tamworth ended the half in ascendency, but there were no surprises that the first period ended goalless.
Lambs and Crows share the spoils
With the Caste End now in their sights, Tamworth restarted the match but it was the visitors that got the first shot away with Adams curling his effort from the left of the box out past the far post on 46.
Ryan struck from the left of the area into the side netting on 52 and he squared the ball through a gap in the visiting defence for Meikle to run onto on 53 but the midfielder was quickly cut out.
Then, Adams was allowed time to pick his spot and shoot low into the bottom left corner from 20 yards to give the visitors the lead (0-1, 55 mins)
But the lead didn’t last long as following a foul on Ryan 30 yards out, Beswick planted his deadball onto the head of Cox to beat Smart and level the tie (1-1, 58 mins)
McDonald tried a long range shot on the hour, and Tonks sent the ball into the box for Ryan but he was blindsided by the covering defender and was unable to gamble on it on 62.
Tonks put a leg out to deny the run of Williams on 65 and Bridges freekick took a deflection over the bar for a right sided corner and the ball eventually fell to Adams in the box who struck the base of the right hand post with his shot on the turn.
A long Tonks throw on 67 fell for Meikle on the edge of the area but he lifted it over the bar under pressure then at the other end from a Royston corner, Galliford did similarly.
On 82 Tonks launched the ball in the box from the Shed side of the ground and a push in the box went unpunished as Smart recovered the loose ball.
As the clock ticked onto 90, McDonald was fouled by Scott-Morris on the half way line and after a lengthy stoppage Magunda and the Royston man were booked.
The deep freekick was finished by Cox’s powerful shot but the whistle had already gone for a foul and at the other end a penalty was waved away shortly before the final whistle blew on a point a piece.
Tamworth Team:
Singh, Cox, Wilder, Beswick (c.), Magunda, Cullinane-Liburd, Tilt, Tonks, Ryan, Yafai (Meikle 28), Graham (Hart 80)
Subs: McDonald, Howkins, Rowe-Turner
YC: Graham 53, Magunda 80
Royston Town Team:
Smart, Asafi-Adjaye, Brighton, Bridges, Murray, Parr (c.), Castliglione, Scott-Morriss, Adams, Galliford, Williams (Culley 68)
Subs: Edwards, Newton, Rotimi, Green
YC: Parr 8, Scott-Morriss 90
Attendance: 521
Man of the Match: Henri Wilder
Referee: Mr. R. Eley
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