Tamworth v Birmingham City
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Tamworth
3-1
Birmingham City
Match Report
Birmingham City sent a youthful side to the CR MOT Community Stadium for the Lambs next pre-season friendly.
The Blues kicked off proceedings and at the time of writing although the player names were known, the numbers were not which made things a little difficult reporting on the game!
A deep cross from Cox nearly found McDonald in the box on 3 but Brooks was on hand to punch it clear.
A Lambs freekick on the left was sent into the box by Beswick on 7 and cleared by Blues and they pushed forwards with Gordon marshalling the back line and Bailey getting involved in the front line although The Lambs were in no mood to be broken down.
And they took the lead on 12 from a right sided cross and a tidy headed finish from Creaney from the edge of the six yard box. (1-0, 12 mins)
Another deep ball looking for McDonald saw the forward connect and lift his shot over the bar from 25 yards and it was no trouble for Brooks, who had been warmed up before the game by former Lambs keeper Scott Bevan, now the Blues U23 goalkeeper coach.
McDonald had to leave the field around the 25 minute mark for treatment and came back on to beat his marker and send a cross to the near post which Creaney flicked on for Soleman but he couldn’t turn his shot goalward.
A corner on the left was met by the head of Creaney past the far post on 29 and it took a good reflex save from Brooks to deny a follow up in the box as Tamworth tried to keep pressure on the visitors.
A very long ball forward from Ward was met by Soleman on 30 but nothing was awarded for what appeared to be a tug on his shirt just outside the box.
A strong run by Campbell forced a corner on 34 and former Barcelona youth Dos Reis rose highest to head over the bar from a few yards out.
Bailey struck a dead ball from 35 yards high over the target on 38 and at the other end Creaney lifted the ball for Thomas to strike from 25 yards but it was straight at the visiting keeper.
Ward put a great tackle in on Bailey on 44 to deny his shot after a threaded pass set him into the box and from the corner Cox was called upon to clear the lines twice but Blues kept possession and Dos Reis eventually fired wide of the far post from an angle in the left of the box.
A flowing move to the edge of the area set up McDonald with a low shot which Brooks batted away and Soleman was unable to get his rebound past the covering defender forcing a corner in the process which Creaney headed just wide at the far post in the last action of the half.
HT 1-0
Tamworth restarted proceedings attacking the Castle End but it was the visitors that had the first foray forwards and the Lambs keeper punched the ball clear from a right sided deadball on 48.
On 53, substitute no. 14 struck the bar with a thumping dipping shot from distance and a tricky run into the Lambs box on 54 ran out of steam with the final ball.
A cross from Cox on the right on 56 was punch away by the keeper and when substitute Bastos advance towards the box he was upended and a freekick was awarded. From a distance it looked as though it may have been just inside the box, but a penalty was not given. Instead Beswick curled the deadball from 20 yards into the far corner with the keeper in full flight, to double the advantage (2-0, 58 mins)
The Blues made a number of changes just past the hour, making 8 in total.
On 69 Creaney span on a ball into his feet and fired just wide of the mark and on 73, after The Lambs had made a double change, Blues fire the ball into the hands of the keeper from a left wing cross.
Wilder nearly netted an own goal on 74 placing his back pass, under no real pressure, past the outcoming keeper and it thankfully saved his blushes by rolling wide of the near post.
Two further changes were then forthcoming for the home side in a much changed right side of the field.
Thomas latched onto a chipped ball forwards from Yeomans on 82 and tried a lob of his own to beat Brooks but cleared the corner of bar and post from 25 yards.
Creaney was then pulled back as he ran forward to chase the loose ball and was pulled back by the keeper in the right wing area of the pitch. Before the teams could reset he spotted the keeper still out of his area and lifted the ball over and round him into the back of the net, much to the bemusement of the Blues players while earning the plaudits of the home faithful. (3-0, 83 mins)
Blues pulled a goal back with a fine close range header from Zohore off a left wing cross on 85 (3-1, 85 mins) amd both sides continued to press as the minutes ticked down on a very enjoyable game of techincal, fast flowing and exctiting attacking football.
Trialist, Cox (Howkins 77), Wilder, Beswick (trialist 70), Ward, Pendley (Yeomans 77), McDonald (Bastos HT), Forde, Creaney, Thomas, Soleman (Mancinelli 70)
Subs: Taylor, Singh
Birmingham
Brooks*, Williams, Hudson, Chang, Gordon*, Oakley, Campbell, Walker, Dos Reis, Soldevila, Bailey*
Subs (all used, * not replaced): Sullivan, Nguepissi, Roberts, James, Boyd-Munce, Hall, Simmonds, Zohore
Att: 641
Referee: Mr. Perason
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