Tamworth  v  St Ives Town

Sat 23 Apr - 15:00 Southern League Premier Central

Tamworth

Tamworth

1-1

St Ives Town

St Ives Town

Match Report

Matchday 51:

And so the final match of the 2021-22 season came around almost as quickly as the season had begun and with it many highs and lows and highs again – just a typical season for many football clubs!

Andy Peaks 13th game in charge came against a side that featured a number of players that were familiar to him as the St. Ives squad was peppered with players who had been around clubs in the Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire area, but there was no love lost! And there were two ex Lambs on the visitors side – Nabil Shariff and Liam Cross.

He made one change to the side that condemned Biggleswade Town to the final relegation spot on Thursday night with Yeomans replacing Howkins in defence, and while there were expected to be some tired legs out on the 3G surface due to the fourth game in a week and asked his rejuvenated Lambs side to do their best to do the double over The Saints and end the season with a 14th unbeaten run-out.

The visitors kicked off proceedings towards the Castle End of the ground and got an early speculative shot away from distance and on 5 Johnston got the better of Bailey and struck low on target but Singh prevent the early opening with a fine stop (once again!).
At the other end Walters forced a corner with a deflected cross on off the St Ives defender but it came to nothing.
The Lambs keeper was called into action again on 11 when Cross found space on the right of the box and forced Singh to parry his powerful effort over the bar for a right sided corner. Tamworth broke from the clearance and Concannon tried his luck from 25 yards but dragged it wide of the left hand pos.
Bailey feigned a defensive header on 13 which actually let Cross into a gap behind him but Hurst was on hand to put him off balance as he struck from 25 yards just wide and high of the corner of bar and post.
Tamworth were forced to defend a spell of St Ives pressure on 22 and conceded a corner, but when the ball broke Walters was released to take the ball up field down the left and worked to fire it low into the box for Tahra who was perfectly placed past the far post to rifle his shot past Brearey and open the scoring with his third in four games (1-0, 23 mins)
Tahra jinked over the halfway line and advanced towards the edge of the box on 31 shaping to shoot twice during his run but the final ball to release McKeown, instead, went awry.
Cross made a nuisance of himself to force a right sided corner on 40 and Fairlamb’s deadball forced Singh to tip it over the bar for another on the opposite side and the visitors worked the ball into the box through Flanagan, resulting in Johnston heading home almost unmarked, past Singh (1-1, 41 mins)
Johnston missed a clear chance to double his tally and give his side the lead on 43 when the ball over the top of the Lambs defence found them wanting.
​St Ives captain Richens found space to fire low but ultimately well wide of the mark in added time at the end of the first half.

HT 1-1

The Lambs restarted proceedings and went on the offensive with Bailey heading on for Walters who hit his shot on the volley but was unable to get it on target.
At the other end on 52 Singh denied Johnston again with another one handed parry of a goalbound effort from 20 yards and Brearley leapt to deny Concannon’s curling effort from planting itself in the top corner on the hour and Walters nearly scored a worldy on 63 with a shot from the left which curled over the keeper and crashed against the far post before being cleared.
Tahra was brought down on the right of midfield by Fairlamb on 64 setting up Beswick with the deadball and eventually got the ball back from Bailey on the edge of the area but couldn’t get his shot on target and the players had a quick drinks break while Cross received treatment.
Walters struck the same post again with a powerful strike that fell invitingly from a corner and The Lambs made a chance with a little over 20 minute remaining.
Hottor was booked for a foul on Beswick as he tried to make his way through the midfield towards the St Ives box on 73 but the freekick came to nothing and the visitors advanced with Cross striking for goal but it was a wayward effort.
Williams earned himself a booking for a dive in the box on 78.
With 8 to play a St Ives corner on the left was met by a strong Lambs defence, and at the other end Tahra met a cross into the box with a half hit half volley while falling but still managed to test Brearey’s reaction, and with it the final whistle blew on the end of the campaign.

Tamworth
Singh, Yeomans, Wilder, Beswick (c.), Bailey, Hurst, Concannon, Mussa, McKeown (Whittingham 69), Tahra, Walters (Parker 84)
Subs: Fallows, Howkins, Griffin

YC: Wilder 85

St Ives Town
Brearey, Flanagan, Fairlamb, Richens (c.), Milne, Toseland, Cross, Hottor, Shariff (Richard-Noel 59), Johnston (Baker 74), Williams
Subs: Gott, Solkhon, Osei-Bonsu

YC: Hottor 73, Williams 78

Referee: Mr. Ellis

Attendance: 640

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