Tamworth v Halesowen Town
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Tamworth
1-1
Halesowen Town
Match Report
A week after The Lambs entertained Coleshill Town of the Northern Premier League Midlands Division, Tamworth welcomed The Yeltz to The CR MOT Community Stadium at The Lamb in the next pre-season encounter.
Paul Smith’s Halesowen, of the same league as Coleshill, would undoubtedly provide another telling test, especially with former Lambs Chris Lait and Kyle Finn in the visitor’s squad.
The heavy rain stopped shortly before kick off and Halesowen got the game underway attacking the Castle End in the first half and they looked the brighter of the two sides in the early exchanges without causing Singh too many problems.
Tamworth exerted some pressure around the ninth minute and Forde threaded the ball through to Waite but his shot from 18 yards rose and cleared the away stand.
After a foul by Pendlye on Lait, the freekick deflected onto the head of visiting captain McCone on 13 but it was straight at Singh.
Cox’s ball from the right wing was perfect for Walters on 15 but he couldn’t keep control and his feet on the right of the area and the move resulted in a goalkick.
Waite forced Platt into a low save with a drive at goal from the left of the box on 18 but it was Halesowen who took the lead on 19 when White converted at the past after a low ball across the box from the right by Holmes skipped past Singh and there were no covering defenders on hand (0-1, 19 mins)
Another pinpoint ball from Beswick found Cox on the right on 27 and his cross was headed by Creaney, eventually falling for Wilder on the edge of the area but he couldn’t get his shot down and on target.
Finn was prevented in doubling the visitors lead on the half hour after picking up Sammons through ball, when he found Singh well placed to smother his low shot.
Lloyd forced a corner by the new clubhouse on 31 from a left sided move involving Lait.
On 37 Walters was unable to continue so was replaced by Soleman. In the next move Waite curled a right footed cross from the left wing into the danger area and it skimmed off the head of Creaney and out past the far post for a goalkick.
Pendley conceded a freekick with a foul on Lloyd on the corner of the area on 42 but the deadball from White was straight into the grasp of Singh while at the other end Beswick snatched at a half volley from 20 yards and the ball span up and wide of the mark.
As the clock ticked to the end of the first half, Waite seemed to have a clear sight on goal from the left channel but he took a little too long and was dispossessed before he could shoot in the final action of the first half.
HT 0-1
Tamworth restarted proceedings under the floodlights, having made one change with Brogan replacing Forde in midfield.
A deep freekick from the left from Beswick on 55 was the first real action of the second period, and it was met by the head of Cox at the back of the area but he was unable to direct it towards goal.
After a double subsitition by The Yeltz on 57 , Sammons struck from distance straight at Singh.
Finn’s cross from the left on hour hour was turned behind by Wilder for a right sided corner and The Lambs were unable to clear their lines, conceded a freekick by the corner flag in the process. Halesowen kept up the pressure and Finn forced another flagkick, this time on the left, on 63, which Finn received back but was unable to test Singh with his shot from 20 yards.
Then on 65, The Lambs struck back with a surging run and left footed shot from the left of the area past Platt and into the back of the net (1-1, 65 mins)
From the visitors move after the restart, Lloyd spotted Singh slightly off his line on 67 and fired just over the target from 25 yards.
Beswick then lined up a freekick from the right channel but it curled into Platt’s grasp and on 72 a flowing Halesowen move ended with a low shot from White which rolled past the far post.
A mazy run by Holmes forced a corner on 76 and from it the ball fell to Sammons who struck straight at Singh who was replaced for the final 13 minutes by the substitute trialist keeper.
Cox’s ball into the area was touched by Creaney on 79, but he couldn’t get enough purchase on it to force any save from Platt, then a rifled effort by Holmes forced another flagkick for the visitors which came to nothing.
The Lambs made four more changes on 85 mixing things up for the final few moments of the game although a knock to the head of Parker brought a stoppage in play for a couple of minutes and he left the field for additional treatment before being replaced by Yeomans in added time.
Halesowen had time to force a couple of corners and exert a little last minute pressure as the clock ticked down to the final whistle.
Singh, Cox, Brown, Beswick, Pendley, Ward, Wilder, Forde, Creaney, Walters, Waite
Subs: Soleman, McDonald, Mancinelli, Bastos, Brogan, Yeomans, Howkins, Parker, GK (trialist)
Halesowen Town
Platt, Wright, Lloyd, Hawker, McCone (c.), Flanagan, Holmes, Sammons, White, Finn, Lait
Subs: Ashmore, Evans, Bunn, Scott
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