Tamworth v Banbury United
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Tamworth
0-4
Banbury United
Match Report
As the cold evenings started to draw in, The Lambs welcomed The Puritans to the CR MOT Community Centre in a ‘rare’ home game for a Tamworth side eager to impress the home faithful ahead of another long distance trip on Saturday.
Andy Whing’s Banbury meanwhile sat in 3rd with 32 points from 12 so there was no doubt on the task in hand as the visitors had been unbeaten in 19 games in all competitions until FA Cup and FA Trophy exits had been separated by a league victory over Rushall Olympic in the previous 10 days.
Tamworth, in 6th in the table on 24 points from 13 made two changes to the side that edged past Colne in the FA Trophy at the weekend with captain Ryan Beswick returning to the starting eleven alongside Shaq McDonald who had been named as a sub, but not featured, on Saturday.
After a minutes silence for all the heroes and veterans that had have served and sacrificed in recognition of Remembrance Day, Tamworth got the game underway attacking the Meadow Street End in the first half.
Waite showed a burst of pace to try and get past his man in the opening minutes as The Lambs tried to press the visitors back and on 6 Thomas slipped the ball through to Jones but he saw his powerful strike saved by Taylor for a corner which was headed over the bar from close range.
In the next move a poor clearance by Taylor rebounded off Thomas and nearly found the keeper wanting but he managed to recover and prevent the opening goal.
McDonald was having a rough time of it in midfield and the referee called back play a few times none moreso than when Roberts pulled him down on 11.
A ball into Jones from the play following stuck in the feet of everyone in the box but with an increased energy on the field and Beswick and Forde disrupting the midfield signs were positive going forwards.
Wreh gave The Lambs a warning on 15 with a strike from 18 yards which curled wide of the far post.
A foul on the left of the box was struck by Beswick into the danger area and Thomas followed up from distance, but dragged his effort wide of the left hand upright.
Wreh tried his luck again on 21 but his diagonal strike from the left corner of the box dipped out past the far post and then at the other end Waite forced a corner on the right which Williams headed away for McDonald to pick up and he laid it off to Waite whose shot was wayward from 20 yards.
Roberts found Rasulo in the box on 25 and his shot cannoned off Riley for a short corner on the right which saw the Puritans press for a period until a knock to Roberts halted play.
Acquaye struck from the edge of the D on 27 and it went wide of the target and Banbury were handed a corner when Cox took a freekick out of play.
The Lambs continued to work hard to get the ball forwards and on 34 Forde struck right footed from 25 yards, but it curled away from goal and into the terracing and Jones then squeezed the ball through for Beswick to run onto in the box on 37 but Taylor was brave and smothered the chance.
When Forde was wrestled off the ball by Wreh by the Lambs dugout on 40 the reaction was as you may expect, but the freekick didn’t fall kindly for the run of Wilder and Taylor was happy to let it go out for a goalkick.
Banbury took the lead on 43 though, via a curling shot from Wreh which Singh was unable to prevent going inside the left hand post despite a full flight leap to try (0-1, 43 mins)
And combination between Babos and Stevens in added time nearly ended with a second goal but Singh was equal to the latter’s shot after a diagonal pass gave his time and space on the left of the box.
The visitors did add a second in added time when Babos shot from 20 yards and it cannoned back off the bar for Stevens to head into the net from 8 yards. (0-2, 45+2 mins)
HT 0-1
The visitors got the second half underway and won an early corner on the right which was headed away for a throw on the left which Brown launched into the box as Beswick took a blow to the face, but nothing came of either.
An incisive pass from Jones through to McDonald in the box on 49 drew Taylor out to smother the ball at the feet of the latter and he took a knock from his bravery to deny a strike on goal.
Another defensive mix up at the back nearly resulted in a Banbury own goal when Roberts headed past Taylor on 52, but the keeper once again saved any blushes.
Forde was penalised for a blocking trip on the edge of Singh’s box on 54 setting the visitors up with a deadball on the edge of the D which Rasulo and Roberts stood over, but it was Rasulo who further extended Banbury’s lead when his freekick rebounded off the wall and he struck it low into the bottom right corner (0-3, 55 mins)
Wilder was booked on 61 for a sliding challenge in the middle of the park and both sides made a change, with Concannon replacing Waite on 63.
A high boot by Rasulo on Jones halted play and allowed The Lambs to turn their attention to the final third of the field on 67 and McDonald received the ball short and struck low but Taylor saw it and pushed it round the post for a corner
The first flagkick was put behind for another on the opposite side, and the second was headed over the bar by McDonald but the optimism didn’t last long as a quick break set Lander free and he slotted it past Singh from the edge of the box (0-4, 70 mins)
A snap shot from Acquaye forced Singh to parry the ball away from the post on 74 and this brought a Lambs double change on 77.
Roberts did all the hard work to make space for himself on 85 but let himself down with the resulting shot from the edge of the area, lifting it high into the fir trees over the away terracing and he was booked for kicking the ball away a minute later.
Content to defend their advantage and not take too many risks, Banbury allowed Tamworth to push forward and Yeomans got a sight on goal in added time but blasted over the target from the right of the box but the final whistle blew on a defeat for The Lambs.
Singh, Cox, Wilder, Beswick, Pendley, Riley (Yeomans 77), McDonald, Forde, Jones, Thomas (Malandjou-Kondjo 77), Waite (Concannon 63)
Subs: Creaney, Cockerill-Mollett
YC: Thomas, Wilder 61
Taylor, C. Roberts, Brown, Babos, Langmead, Williams, Stevens (Johnston 84), Rasulo, Wreh (Landers 61), M. Roberts, Acquaye
Subs: Chapman, Sharpe, Reilly
YC: M. Roberts 86
Referee: Mr. Scott
Attendance: 526
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