Tamworth  v  Gloucester City

Sat 12 Sep - 15:00 Pre season friendly

Tamworth

1-2

Gloucester City

Match Report

The Lambs final pre-season friendly saw the visiting Gloucester City team (previously represented by a yellow and black The Tiger logo and complimentary kit but now with a club badge reflecting their home town) of the National League North.

Tamworth made a few changes to the side that defeated NLN side Brackley Town in midweek with most notably with Kyron Stabana no longer playing as a trialist, and Dan Creaney returning to the side after working on his fitness in pre-season, ahead of the opening league fixture away at Peterborough Sports in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central kick off.
Gloucester got the game underway attacking the Castle End in the first half and Singh got an early touch from a long throw on the right side.
The visitors took the game to The Lambs from the first whistle with long throws from Carline and a corner on 8 from Robert kept them in the final third for prolonged periods.
And on 9 Asante scored against his old club after a mix up and short pass between Rowe-Turner and Singh allowed McClure to roll the ball away from the keeper and give the former Lambs frontman a simple tap in from 6 yards. (0-1, 9 mins)
Walters forced a corner from an attempted cross on 14 and from Forde’s flagkick on the left, McDonald cushioned the ball back into the box and Creaney made sure for his first goal of pre-season. (1-1, 14 mins)
In the next move, after the visitors restarted proceedings Creaney knocked the ball down for Yafai to strike from 25 yards and he forced Cole into a flying save to deny his powerful goalbound shot.
McDonald got the better of Dawson on the right on 30 and Beswick took the resulting freekick which Daly did well to boot away from danger and The Lambs kept up the pressure but Creaney’s snap shot on the turn skimmed off his boot and went over the bar.
After a second of breaks for refreshment during the half, play resumed at a canter.
A deep Beswick freekick from the halfway line on 40 was met by the head of Yafai, but he couldn’t quite get enough on it to take it past the keeper.
On 45, McClure restored the visitors lead with a shot on the turn from 25 yards which went diagonally into the far right corner leaving Singh unable to do much about it (1-2, 45 mins)

All change in goalless second half

The Lambs restarted proceedings and McDonald nearly capitalised on an early opening but curled his shot from the right out past the far post.
McClure was unable to strike a well positioned knock down from Asante on 50 as it fell on his wrong foot, Whittle’s left sided cross was well defended on 52 and on 54 Asante was upended so Cunning fired in the freekick and forced a corner from the Lambs defenders which was headed over from close range by a Gloucester trialist.
On 57, Yafai turned but was brought down handing Beswick the freekick in the left channel 25 yards out and The Lambs made six changes before play restarted.
Asante threaded the ball through to McClure on 66 and his shot from inside the area forced Singh to make a regulation stop.
The rejigged Lambs side forced a corner of a defensive clearance on 70 and LRT picked up the ball on the far side, beat his man and curled a shot over the keeper but saw it nestle onto the top of the net.
A long throw from Tonks on 80 caused problems, and from the resulting corner O’Connor was only just beat to the ball by one of the Gloucester players in the box.
Another corner was forthcoming on 84 and again O’Connor was involved, but his header flashed ove the goal and didn’t threaten keeper Cole.
Another Tonks throw on 87 fell for O’Connor and his drive at goal was blocked, but the ball back in was headed on by Wilder for a corner and Meikle’s dangerous flagkick was taken under pressure by Cole, at height.
And in the final play of added time, Asante missed his shot when well placed before the final whistle blew.

Tamworth Team:
Singh (c.), Stabana, Wilder, Beswick*, Cullinane-Liburd, Rowe-Turner, Walters*, Forde*, Creaney*, Yafai*, McDonald*
Subs: Bateman, O’Connor, Meikle, Fry, Tonks, trialist (all used on 59*)

Gloucester City Team:
Cole, Carline, Whittle, Dunning, Daly (Pennell 73), Robert (James 65), Sullivan (Holliday 83), Asante, McClure (Hainault 79), Trialist A, Dawson (Trialist B 68)
Subs: (all used)

Attendance: 0

Referee: Mr. N. Pratt