Spalding United  v  Tamworth

Sat 30 Oct - 15:00 FA Trophy 3Q

Spalding United

Spalding United

1-1*

Tamworth

Tamworth

Match Report

The Lambs took a break from League action, entering the FA Trophy 3round Qualifying with a trip to Northern Premier Midland side Spalding, as the club visited The Sir Halley Stewart Playing field for the first time since the 1990-1 season.
Interestingly, in the 1999-2000 season the clubs met in the FA Cup and Gary Smith netted twice in the 6-1 home win, but the joint manager was looking for a response and hopefully a victory to progress to the next round.

After five changes in midweek against Hitchin, the Lambs bosses made five changes to the starting eleven for the Trophy tie with Chris Cox, Isaac Currie, Callum Cockerill-Mollett, Bradley Birch and Jack Thomas all coming in as Lucas Yeomans, Dexter Walters and Martin Riley did not feature while Aaron Forde and Jack Concannon took a place on the bench alongside a returning Charlie Shaw.

The Tulips got the game underway with The Lambs attacking the clubhouse end of the ground and in the second minute Cockerill Mollett crossed into the box but Duggan was able to punch it clear.
Both sides worked to get the ball forward in the first 10 minutes and MacCleod had the best chance with 10 gone receiving the ball over the top and striking his half volley over the target from 18 yards.
Spalding threaded the ball through for Broccoli and but Spalding’s style prevented a meaningful attack as they were playing deep and not willing to take too many risks with too many players forward.`
Waite received a chipped pass from Wilder on 15 and crossed for McDonald and Currie with the latter heading wide of the mark,
Wilder sent a long pass through to McDonald on 17 and his first touch let him down but he recovered and dragged his shot wide of the mark from the edge of the box.
Spalding forced a left sided corner on 19 which The Lambs dealt with and on 21 Glen Yala upended Cockerill-Mollett but Beswick’s freekick was headed away.
Spalding broke over the halfway line on 33 and a ball in from Broccilli and a clash of heads with Singh and Hart left the defender needing treatment and after a prolonged, Hart left the field on a stretcher and Taylor replaced him as The lambs rejigged their formation.
Wilder set up Waite with a run down the left on 42, and although his cross was missed by Taylor, McDonald was following in but lifted his shot over the target from 8 yards out.
Floyd sent a freekick in from the right in added time and Price met it at the far post and put it wide of the mark.
The Lambs forced their first corner of the game on 49 but it was long for Waite and dealt with by the Spalding defence and despite some hard work by the home side as the first half drew to a close, both sides went into the changing rooms goalless.

HT 0-0

The Lambs restarted the game, playing into the low dropping sun but it was the hosts who had the first chance with Yala nearly connecting with a cross into the box, but Singh was able to gather at his feet.
The Lambs rallied and pushed The Tulips back into the final third and earned a corner on the right which caused some concerns for the home defence who cleared their lines.
Spalding mounted an attack around 55, and Olivant whipped the ball into the box but it was missed by three of his teammates and Baker got clattered in the process, needing treatment before play resumed.
Taylor was nearly able to wrap his boot around a defensive clearance which forced a corner on the right just past the hour, and from Beswick’s flagkick, McDonald rose at the far post and put The Lambs in the driving seat (1-0, 62 mins)
Spalding got the ball into the Lambs box on 69 and Floyd met it at the back on the right but struck his volley high and over the target without troubling Singh at all.
Duggan nearly conceded an own goal on 76 when a slow back pass evaded his swinging boot and at the other end Cockerill-Mollett miskicked a clearance and allowed Olivant through and his shot from the right was stopped by Singh and the follow up from Baker was smothered by The Lambs keeper.
In the 84th minute Currie was adjudged to have brought down Broccoli in the area and the same player stepped up to take the spot kick and sent it into the top right corner to make it all square (1-1, 85 mins).
A long kick from Singh fell to Thomas on 90 but he struck it left footed just wide of the mark as five minutes added time was shown.
A foul on Thomas on the left allowed Beswick to load a freekick but Spalding held strong and when Macleod found space on the left he found substitute Adams in a good position but his right footed shot was off target but there was no late winner from either side and the match went to penalties.

Penalties:
1 – Spalding: Bucciero saved by Singh, Tamworth: Beswick scored (0-1)
2 – Spalding: Broccoli saved by Singh, Tamworth: McDonald scored (0-2)
3 – Spalding: Bucci scored, Tamworth: Thomas scored (1-3)
4 – Spalding: Adams scored, Tamworth: Forde scored (2-4)

After Singh's two saves and with four spotkicks to the good, The Lambs duly celebrated a place in the next round of the FA Trophy.

Singh, Currie, Cockerill-Mollett (Howkins 81), Cox, Hart (Taylor 41), Wilder, McDonald, Birch (Forde 80), Waite, Beswick, Thomas
Subs: Tait, Shaw, Concannon, Fallows

YC: Birch 73

Duggan, G. Yala (Stainfield 89), Hugo, Bucciero, R. Yala (Bucci 76), Price, Floyd (Adams 80), Broccoli, Baker, Macleod (c.), Olivant
Subs: England, Stanfield, Cartwright

YC: Hugo 82, Baker 87

Referee: Mr. Ricardo

Attendance: 310

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