Tamworth  v  Biggleswade Town

Thu 21 Apr - 19:45 Southern League Premier Central

Tamworth

3-1

Biggleswade Town

Match Report

Matchday 50:

Rearranged from earlier in the season when the game had been abandoned at half time, for the last Thursday of the season, following direction by the FA and Southern League, second from bottom Biggleswade Town returned to the CR MOT Community Centre stadium to take on Andy Peaks unbeaten-in-twelve Lambs, who had recorded a maximum six points over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

Peaks made two changes to the side that came back to win 3-2 at Hednesford with Dexter Walters and two-in-two-off-the-bench goal scorer Wahib Tahra making his first full start as Shaq Whittingham took a place on the bench and Dan Creaney was unable to feature.

The Lambs got the game underway attacking the Castle End in the first half and a freekick on the left in the third minute was launched into the area by Beswick but Hurst’s header flashed past the far post.
Concannon saw his shot inside the area blocked on 4 and a throw from the clubhouse side of the ground eventually made its way to Beswick but he dragged and screwed his shot high and wide from 18 yards on 8.
McKeown did well to get the better of the covering Waders defender on 12 and get a half shot away at Hill, but the keeper was happy to take it in both hands at head height.
However, the advancing keeper was unable to do anything to prevent McKeown running onto the through ball and lifting the ball over his head from 18 yards and could only stand and watch it drop into the back of the net to the delight of the home faithful (1-0, 13 mins) and putting the team in the same score position as when the original game was ended.
Biggleswade tried to respond quickly and went close to Singh’s goal in the move from the restart but The Lambs responded through Walters down the left who skipped past his marker and drilled a low ball across the box but there was no one waiting.
The visitors pushed forwards again, and on 22 Smyth struck a low left footed shot from 20 yards which Singh dropped to smother.
Walters, heavily marked on the left, forced a corner on 22 which Bailey got his head onto but he was in mid air and falling backwards so it went out past the far post.
But it was left to McKeown to show everyone how to do it again on 31 when Concannon threaded the ball through him to beat the offside trap and then his marker before lifting it diagonally past Hill and into the far right corner to double his tally on the night, and his total Lambs goal count from two to four in the process (2-0, 31 mins)
Singh pulled off a superb point blank reflex save from a close range header by Parker from a Biggleswade corner on 33 while at the other end Walters jinked past his marker on the edge of the box and fired straight at Hill.
The Lambs custodian denied Ludovica’s speculative shot from the left channel with a low push away from danger on 38 and as Biggleswade tried to push forward a foul on Hurst by the same player halted their move up field.
Wilder needed treatment for cramp as the first half minutes ticked by, which wasn’t surprising given that both sides would have played four games in 8 days come Saturday.
Concannon surged through the left channel and put a low ball into the danger area on 44, but it went past the far post untouched.
However, it was 3-0 in added time at the end of the first half when Tahra played Beswick in through the left and he pulled it back for McKeown to fire home from 8 yards at the second attempt. (3-0, 45 mins)

HT 3-0

The Waders restarted proceedings and forced an early corner which Mussa headed away strongly and despite both side’s need to play the second 45 minutes, the impetus in the first 10 minutes of the second period was unsurprisingly slower than in the first half.
However, Tamworth did go in search of a fourth and Hurst planted an almost inch perfect cross from the right onto the head of Wilder on 58 but he couldn’t get it inside the far post and a link between Walters and Concannon almost orre fruit but the final return ball to the former was too strong.
McKeown nearly beat the offside trap and although he did beat Hill with his finish, the fourth of the evening didn’t count, and then in response, Lodovica drew a one handed push over the bar by Singh on the hour.
There was a scramble for a Biggleswade goal and Tamworth clearance from the corner which resulted in the ball cannoning out for another couple of corners, the latter resulting in a goal from 15 yards via Mampolo’s low straight drive through a crowded box. (3-1, 62 mins)
Yeomans replaced Tahra as the formation changed for the final 20 minutes and The Lambs were forced to defend a dangerous deadball after a foul on the edge of their area on 73 which Lodovica fired past the far post.
Whittingham replaced Walters on 77 mixing the formation again for the final 13 minutes and hatt3rick hero McKeown made way for Parker for the last 10.
Wilder got into a good position on 84 from a Concannon 1-2 and whipped the ball in from the left but there was no one in the box waiting to get on the end of it.
Mampolo was denied by brave a save by Singh at his feet on 86 when it looked more likely he would slot the ball home and set up a tense finish, and Keller crossed form the right after finding space to do so on 87.
Beswick nearly got on the score sheet from a Concannon cushioned header onto his left boot, but his powerful strike went just wide of the top left corner of bar and post.
Wilder was booked for a foul on Mampolo on the halfway line on 93 and a last ditch corner for the visitors came to nothing as after of added time minutes time ran down on a lucky thirteen unbeaten game for The Lambs, but perhaps an unlucky one for the visitors who could find themselves relegated when the make up of the 2022-23 leagues is confirmed.

Tamworth
Singh, Hurst, Wilder, Beswick, Bailey, Howkins, Concannon, Mussa, Creaney, McKeown (Parker 80), Tahra (Yeomans 70), Walters (Whittingham 77)
Subs: Fallows, Cockerill-Mollett

YC: Wilder 93

Biggleswade Town
Hill, Keller, Farrell, Mahoney (Mampolo 39), Parker, Howe, Middleton, Manning (Dearman 63), Lodovica, Smyth, Andoh (Cardines 78)
Subs (3 only): all used

YC: none

Referee: Mr. Sam Wesson

Attendance: 353