Tamworth
V
Newcastle Utd PL2
Bedford Town
1-8
Tamworth
Matchday 04 and to confirm the final score... 1 - 8 (eight)!
The Lambs travelled to The New Eyrie, Beford, for the two sides first ever competitive fixture and newly promoted The Eagles boss was not unknown to Tamworth as Gary Setchell had played under former Tamworth boss Darron Gee for 20 odd appearances in the 2003-04 season.
Andy Peaks Lambs side had made it 17 unbeaten after the midweek win over Rushall Olympic and there were two changes to the side that ran out at The CR MOT Community Stadium as James Hurst made way for Ty Deacon.
After a minutes applause in memory of two people associated with The Eagles, the home side got the game underway and after just 100 seconds The Lambs took the lead when a long ball to Deacon allowed him to thread the ball through to Creaney in the right of the box and he rolled it past Street to give The Lambs the lead (0-1, 2 mins)
Bedford responded forcing a corner off Dolman and Singh rose highest to snatch it from height under pressure at the far post.
A long mazy run from Fairlamb out of midfield to the edge of the area on 7 earned a corner from his low shot to the left which deflected behind, although Milnes corner was taken by Street.
Fairlamb was involved again on 13 whipping the ball into the box but just too high for the jumping Creaney ad when he was upended on the left on 17 Milnes launched the deadball into the box the offside flag prevented Collard from latching onto his chest down.
A deep cross into Singh’s box called the Lambs custodian into action on 23 and he went up with Brooks, and landed awkwardly allowing the players a drinks break before he recovered and play could resume.
A long cross field pass found Creaney in the left channel on 28 and he advanced into the box and struck for goal forcing Street into a one handed save to push it around the near post for a corner, which came back out to Milnes and eventually found it’s way to Street but The Lambs continued to press and when Fairlamb turned his man in the left of the box and chipped towards the far post there was only one outcome as Creaney powered home his header (0-2, 30 mins)
the Eagles tried hard to get some purchase on the game but found Tamworth a very tough nut to crack at the back for the remainder of the half as The Lambs enjoyed spells of possession and made some occasional headway towards Street none moreso when Fairlamb went on another run but saw his strike catch the bottom of a defenders boot on 40.
And in added time Moloney whipped the ball into the danger area from the right forcing Curley to turn it behind as two or three Bedford players missed their half chances, and Phelan headed the ball high over the target in the final action of the half.
After a chance for the home side, Tamworth restarted the game and had the first chance with Creaney looking for his hat-trick, but with the goal on his left and under pressure he lashed the ball well wide of the mark.
At the other end a good cross from the left was met by Lewthwaite but his flick don’t come off and Singh was not troubled at all.
There was no mistake on 51 though, Creaney heading the ball back for Deacon to take down, roll around the defender and then rifle past Street to the delight of the travelling faithful. (0-3, 51 mins)
And then on 52, Creaney bagged his hat-trick sprinting through over the halfway line before beating the offside trap and taking it around the grounded Street to roll it home for the fourth of the afternoon (0-4, 52 mins)
A clumsy but determined finish from Finn from close range added a fifth on 54 though, stabbing the ball home at the second attempt after the keeper had done his best to prevent the ball from a low cross going goalward. (0-5, 54 mins)
After a niggly foul on Milnes on the right of the Lambs midfield on 61, Phelan was sent off on 63 for a scything tackle on Deacon on the left wing which gave the referee no hesitation in sending him for an early bath. The freekick was glanced behind for a right sided corner which Creaney slammed home after his initial effort had ballooned up and Street had been unable to claw it out. (0-6, 66 mins)
Creaney took a well earned rest on 68, brining Jones into the fray for the final 22 minutes and he was bundled down in the box on 70 for a penalty which he dusted himself down to take and rolled it home (0-7, 71 mins) equalling the last 7-0 away league scoreline which happened at Blakenall in 1987!
Hurst replaced Collard on 74 who couldn’t continue after going down with cramp and Deacon ran through onto a 1-2 with Finn but was called offside when his shot met the boot of Street.
Cater replaced the hardworking Mussa with just over 10 to go and from a right sided corner Dolman nearly got on the scoresheet but his thumping drive from 18 yards was blocked by the home defence.
A long kick from Singh deflected off an Eagle defender on 83 and beat Street but went just wide of the mark, but the ball was in the back of the net from the flagkick which Hurst powerfully headed home (0-8, 83 mins) and the last time we won 8-0 away from home in the league was v Oldwinsford in 1987.
There was still time for Tamworth to look for a ninth, but there was also time for the home side to put a fly in the ointment when Butterworth fired past Singh from distance with a minute of normal time remaining to the visible annoyance of the Lambs keeper and his defenders (1-8, 89 mins).
And there was no added time forthcoming, ending one of the biggest Lambs wins in the clubs history and only the second time that the club have finished a game with exactly 8 goals in an away league fixture (a few other games have finished with more!).
Tamworth
Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Mussa (Cater 79), Dolman, Collard (c.) (Hurst 74), Finn, Milnes, Creaney (Jones 68), Hurst, Fairlamb
Subs: McKeown, Clement
YC: none
Street (c.), Moloney, Phelan, Pennell, Sanders (Warburton HT), Alban-Jones, Tomlinson (Butterworth 64), Donnelly (Setchell 65), Lewthwaite, Brooks, Summerfield
Subs: Richardson, Granville
YC: none
RC: Phelan 63
Referee: Mr. J. Mills
Attendance: 565