Tamworth v Nuneaton Borough
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Tamworth
3-0
Nuneaton Borough
Match Report
After two goals without reply at Redditch The Lambs looked to build on their opening seven points from four games by welcoming Jimmy Ginnelly’s local rivals Nuneaton Borough to the CR MOT Community Stadium.
The Bank Holiday Monday fixture had added spice, with ex-Lambs in the Borough squad - keeper Tony Breeden, Jordan Gough, Marcus Kelly vying to get one over on their former club.
Tamworth made one change to the side that ran out at The Valley, with Ryan Beswick returning to the starting eleven and Hart dropping to the bench.
Nuneaton kicked off the game with Tamworth attacking the segregated Meadow Street end in the first half.
Baker nearly struck after just 90 seconds but his strike from 18 yards hit the left post, rebounded onto the right and was cleared before anyone could force it home.
Pendley took a powerful shot from Nuneaton’s Louis Baker square on the back of the head on 5 and play stopped for three minutes while he received treatment and recovered. Play restarted with a drop ball on the edge of the area which Carl Baker tapped back to Singh.
Play was halted again on 14 when McDonald jumped with Brown to a high ball and left the Tamworth player on the floor needing treatment. No card was given against the Nuneaton player, despite calls for something from the referee’s pocket by the home faithful.
As both sets of fans in the buoyant crowd exchanged songs a long ball looking for Creaney nearly found the striker in the left channel, but the flag denied his run.
Then, on 21, a period of pressure from Tamworth ended with Waite forced slightly wide right of the D and he rifled his shot just past the left hand post.
Creaney picked up a Wilder cross on 24 but he ball back into the box was cleared by Tomkinson although The Lambs regained possession but a pass to Creaney in the box came to nothing.
Shamsi struck for goal from the left of the area on 27 but his shot rose over the target without troubling Singh and at the other end, on 29, Wilder made his way into the center of the Nuneaton defence but was on his right foot and struck high and wide of the mark.
Wilder, Concannon and Kellerman combined on the left on the half hour, but the final ball was hoofed away by Edmunds, forcing Tamworth to regroup.
Waite’s cross in the 34th minute was turned behind for a corner, but before ethe flagkick, Mussa was booked for a foul on Beswick in the build up. Brown rose highest at the near post to get a header away but it went over the bar.
Carl Baker forced a corner on the right on 36 but nothing came from it, and a couple of niggly fouls in the area set up Kelly with a deep freekick from the left on the half way line on 39 which McManus got his head to, but was unable to direct it on target.
Kellerman threaded the ball through to Waite in the next move but the flag denied him going clean through and his first goal of the season.
But less than a minute later Wilder received the ball from Waite and sent an inch perfect cross from the left onto the head of Creaney and he glanced it past Breeden (1-0, 41 mins).
On 43, Thomas put the ball through the back of the Nuneaton defence with seemingly too much ease and Creaney sprinted on to it but was unable to fire it past the keeper or pick up the rebound from his blocked shot.
Kellerman was upended by Carl Baker on 44 and Beswick sent the freekick into the box looking for Creaney, but he was unable to control it.
Five minutes added time was shown at the end of the first half and Kellerman was booked for reacting to a foul on Carl Baker.
Brown dropped to the floor on 49 with cramp and was replaced by Hart shortly before the half time whistle blew.
HT: 1-0
The Lambs restarted proceedings, ten minutes later than planned due to first half stoppages, and the visitors made a change before the game kicked off again.
On 50, Concannon squeezed through the back of the Nuneaton defence and appeared to have beaten Breeden with a deflected shot but the keeper did well to parry it away for a corner in mid-flight. Concannon took the corner on the left and Creaney stole in amongst a crowded box to divert the ball into the back of the net with a neat header and double his and his sides tally (2-0, 51 mins)
From the next Tamworth attacked on 54, Concannon rode a tackle or two before seeing his shot blocked, and Creaney’s follow up was parried by Breeden.
Waite was then upended by Edmunds, and he was booked for his challenge outside the area. Concannon stepped up for the resulting freekick but curled it high over the bar but the onslaught did not stop and when Kellerman center the ball form the left on 56 Creaney turned it home for his second hat-trick of the season. He celebrated by flinging his shirt in the air and flying kicking the corner flag and no one, other than the referee who booked him for doing so, could blame him! (3-0, 56 mins)
Concannon sent a right wing cross over into the box on 59 but it was just too long for Creaney to bag his fourth of the afternoon!
The Lambs made a change at the back just past the hour and Nuneaton tried to capitalise quickly with Louis Baker screwing his shot from 20 yards, and substitute Goddard’s shot, after Kelly’s freekick had only been half cleared, found it’s way back to Singh.
Creaney turned provider on 67 when his lofted pass fell for Concannon who advanced on the box but fired wide when well placed and with just Breeden to beat.
Borough continued to enjoy a spell of possession, forcing a couple of corners on the left which were dealt with by The Lambs and a long clearance required Breeden to race to the half way line to clear the danger.
Wilder was brought down on the left of defence on 72 and had to leave the field after receiving treatment but was OK to return shortly after.
The Lambs defender was on the receiving end of another tackle on 76 and this time it earned McDonald a straight red card which the Shed showed their agreement with in no uncertain terms!
Tamworth went on the attack again but Hart’s curled shot from 25 yards was wide of the far post and on 82 Breeden plucked the ball out of the air off the head of the incoming Creaney.
Walters advanced and fed Concannon on 85 allowing him to shape and shoot inside the area and forced a corner his deflected strike, but the referee changed his mind and awarded a goalkick instead.
As the minutes ticked away Tamworth moved the ball around with ease against the 10 men of Nuneaton but still found it difficult to break them down in the final third.
However, on 90 Walters beat his man on the left and cut the ball back for Creaney to divert towards goal. Breeden got to it but only just before Hart followed in.
Deep into added time Mussa went down after a coming together with Concannon and the final whistle blew with The Lambs in second place, ahead of the rest of the afternoon's SLPC fixtures kicking off and the FA Cup match v Alvechurch on the horizon.
Singh, Yeomans (Ward 61), Wilder, Beswick, Brown (Hart HT), Pendley, Concannon, Thomas, Creaney, Kellerman, Waite (Walters 72)
Subs: Forde, Soleman
YC: kellerman 45, Creaney 56
Breeden, Edmunds, Tomkinson, McCory, McManus, Mussa, L. Baker (Wakefield 83), Kelly (Noble 89), McDonalds, C. Baker, Shamsi (Goddard HT)
Subs: Edjenguele, Gough
YC: Mussa 34, Edmunds 55
RC: Mcdonald 76
Referee: Mr. Neil Pratt
Attendance: 1175
MOM: Chosen by Josh Green – Dan Creaney
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