Tamworth
V
Wealdstone
Tamworth v Stratford Town
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Tamworth
2-0
Stratford Town
Match Report
After the disappointment of the Easter Saturday trip to St Ives, The Lambs returned home and welcomed The Bards to the CR MOT Community Stadium.
With automatic promotion a play-off place guaranteed, Lambs boss Andy Peaks was looking to his squad to finish the season on a positive and take some momentum in to the final games and finish as high as possible.
Peaks made 3 changes to the side that ran out 48 hours previously as Lindon Meikle and Kyle Finn continued after coming on as substitutes versus St Ives, and Jamie Willets came in for Liam Dolman.
As April showers hit The Lamb and Leiston secured a last minute 1-0 victory following an early kick off away at Needham Market, The Bards got the game underway with Tamworth attacking the Meadow Street End in the first half, and after 6 minutes Creaney got into the box past his marker and onto the scoresheet with a close range finish from a lofted pass to feet, past O’Brien to make it 37 for the season (1-0, 6 mins)
McKeown burst over the halfway line and past the home midfield to force a corner on 9 and Hart’s deadball was headed away to Jellis who tried a shot from 25 yards and forced O’Brien to fumble then recover his effort at the far post.
Fairlamb was on hand to take the ball away from the path of Molyneux on 17 as he tried to chase it down in Singh’s box and he prevented Ebanks from having a shot when McCone drilled it into the danger area on 19 too.
Jellis picked his spot from 30 yards on 20 and sent O’Brien to his left with a dive towards the ball, but it went a yard wide of the mark while at the other end, Williams flashed a right footed shot past the far post, with a single bounce taking it around the wrong side of the target.
Coaville went behind to Barwell as Fairlamb was in action at the other end on 25 forcing a corner which Hart planted on the head of Creaney past the far post, but he couldn’t cushion it down to test the keeper who was happy to watch it go over the bar.
The Ravens had equalised by the time Ebanks was spoken to by the referee for a late challenge on Collard, and fans kept one eye on results elsewhere as Mickleover’s scored against Nuneaton.
McKeown got a shot at O’Brien on 33 but needed a time to recover from a knock in the build up so players had a quick drinks break.
Lafferty was booked for tripping McKeown as he turned to follow the ball over the halfway line on 39, and a possibly accidental handball in a similar move on 42 went unpunished, but not unnoticed by the referee who warned him in no uncertain terms.
From the freekick Willets header dropped towards the box but the wind took it over the bar and O’Brien was happy to watch go out of play.
Creaney nodded the ball down for McKeown on the edge of the area in added time but the latter was prevented a clear sight of goal by quick defending and so Jellis took the left sided corner, after McKeown’s shot had deflected wide, but the flagkick came to nothing and the whistle blew on a positive first half for The Lambs.
HT 1-0
The Lambs restarted proceedings and nearly doubled their advantage on 47 but Fairlamb’s ball into the area whistled past Deacon and Creaney at the near post.
Creaney then forced his way to the edge of the box and the ball popped up for McKeown who struck for goal but curled his shot just wide of the right hand upright.
It all fell perfectly on 58 though when Finn finished a flowing move started by McKeown on the far side winning the ball off the defender and feeding it into the middle to Deacon who threaded it on for Finn on the right of the area to side foot home into the opposite corner with O’Brien unable to get more than the slightest of touches to it. (2-0, 58 mins)
Barwell then retook the lead over league leaders Coaville, and Mickleover doubled their lead as The Lambs forced another corner, but it was cleared by McCone and The Lambs were forced to rebuild their attack which they did with an unchallenged run from McKeown but there was no one able to connect to the ball into the six yard box.
Finn nearly added a second on 70 when Creaney set the ball through past the last man into the box but Finn’s final touch took the ball away from him and back to O’Brien.
Stratford forced a couple of corners on the right by the Cross Street entrance in quick succession on 72 and substitute White headed on target but it was easy for Singh to gather.
Jellis was booked for a late challenge on 76 and from the freekick Wright struck the top of the woodwork on it’s way out of play.
Meikle battled hard to get the ball in midfield and set McKeown through on a run into the box on 78 but he couldn’t keep his angled shot down and O’Brien was content to watch it go over the cross bar and onto the Castle End terracing behind him.
Hart picked up a card for stepping across the run of Williams with 10 to play, and Bennett’s freekick went out for a throw on the right thanks to the intervention of Fairlamb.
Peaks made three changes, and Barwell and Mickleover added third goal each as the minutes ran down, bringing Mussa and Cater and Jones into the play.
Stratford forged an attack on 89 and McCone’s low shot went out for a corner which came to nothing and the clock ticked into the four minutes of added time at the end of the game.
After a period of keep ball in the corner, Deacon picked up his head and tried a long range shot on 94, but it failed to trouble the Bard keeper and McKeown did put the ball into the back of the net from a Jones but the offside flag denied the MOM a goal and the final whistle blew on three well earned points.
Tamworth
Singh, Hart, Fairlamb, Meikle, Willets, Collard (c.), Finn (Cater 85), Jellis, Creaney (Mussa 82), Deacon, McKeown
Subs: Dolman, Jones, Clement
YC: Jellis 76, Hart 80
Stratford Town
O’Brien, Lafferty (White 70), Morrison, Ludford-Ison, McCone, Turner, Bennett, Hawker, Ebanks, Williams, Molyneux (Wright 55)
Subs (4 only): Beresford, Vaughan
YC: Lafferty 39
Referee: Mr. Jack SHEPHERD
Assistants: Mr. James & Mr. Price
Att: 861
MOM: Chosen by Bradley Scott Windows: McKeown
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