Tamworth  v  Bedford Town

Sat 3 Dec - 12 30 Southern League Premier Central

Tamworth

Tamworth

2-2

Bedford Town

Bedford Town

Match Report

Following the trip to Nuneaton’s Liberty Way the previous weekend, The Lambs returned to the CR MOT Centre Community Stadium for their next run out to take on The Eagles of Bedford Town who had sacked their (previous) manager and one time Tamworth player, Gary Setchell in the run up to the game.
The Lambs had of course defeated Bedford by eight goals to one in the early season encounter at The New Eyrie, and with Tamworth at the top of the table going into the 12.30pm kick off there was a hope amongst the home faithful that Andy Peaks side pick up three points against the visitors, who started their day off two places and 5 points above the drop zone and only a handful of points in their last dozen games.

Peaks made a couple of changes to the side that had not won a game inside 90 minutes in seven attempts, despite leading in five and were forced to take bring a point home from the clash with Borough. Ben Bailey came in for Liam Dolman after replacing him at Liberty Way, and similarly , Eoin McKeown came in for Kyle Finn.

Tamworth kicked off the game towards the Meadow Street End of the game and started on the front attacking the Eagles back line from the first whistle.
A free kick from Bradley in the first 5 minutes forced the visiting defence to react and they continued to feel the pressure of play, without any real chances being created.
Fairlamb and Cockerill-Mollett combined down the left on 10 to force a corner on the right and it went low to Jones who saw his shot deflected away from danger rather than test Azaze.
In the next move, Jones cut a mazy path to the edge of the box and turned his shot on an opposing angle, but it rolled just wide of the near post.
Jellis rolled the ball into the path of Bradley on 14 but his shot went over the target from the edge of the box, and McKeown and Jones exchanged passes on 15 but the latter fired high from 18 yards.
Bradley was set up again on 18 but the ball from his freekick rebounded back to Azaze with Fairlamb and Cockerill-Mollett closing down the far post.
A penalty was awarded though, when McKeown was felled by Phelan and Jones would have beaten Azaze with the spot kick but his 19th minute penalty cannoned back off the foot of the left hand post.
Ololade enjoyed possession in the box around 24 but his path was quickly cut out and cleared by a combination of Collard and Curley.
Fairlamb was pulled down by Gyamfi for a second time in as many minutes on 30 and the Bedford player received a talking too before Collard connected with Bradley’s deep freekick but it went down and back to the Eagles keeper.
Singh was tested by Ololade’s low drive on 32 and when Fairlamb clashed with Gyamfi 25 yards out on 33, it gave the visitors a deadball just outside the D which Warburton struck powerfully straight into the wall.
Fairlamb and McKeown switched sides towards the end of the half and the latter set up Bradley from 25 yards but he was quickly closed down, then Camara upended Bradley to set up another freekick for himself but nothing came of the chance.
However, a defence howler handed the visitors the lead on 42 when Singh and Collard both went for the same ball with Ololade in close quarters and the Bedford forward got there first tapping it diagonally home just inside the near post from the right corner of the area to the bemusement of the partisan home faithful, and delight of the travelling supporters. (0-1, 42 mins)
With renewed impetus, Ololade struck right footed over the target on 44 and in added time Camara was booked for a foul to set up Bradley once again but the offside flag halted progress from the kick.

HT 0-1

Bedford restarted proceedings with Tamworth attacking the Castle End in the second half and a couple of early through balls for Jones seemed to be a way through, while Bradley also hit a hopeful effort on 49 which rose over the crossbar.
Curley crossed from the right on 51 with three Lambs players in the box but neither of them could get a header on target and when Bradley advanced on 53 it took a timely challenge to deny him a shooting opportunity.
Tomlinson nearly got the better of Bailey down the Eagles right on 54 but Bailey was able to put the ball behind for corner and Butterworth forced Singh to punch it away before Dreyer hit a hopeful toe poke wide.
With both Ololade and Phelan receiving treatment on the field on 58 Creaney warmed up on the touch line to the delight of the home faithful when he replaced Jellis on 61 and he jumped to try and head the ball home on 63 but clashed with Azaze who also needed treatment.
Curley’s shot was put behind by Gyamfi on 65 and Tamworth pressed despite the clearance, but it was short lived and Milnes replaced Mussa.
Donnelley’s strike forced Singh to tip it away on 68 and Butterworth’s corner was turned goalward by Tomlinson and then headed on target by Keeble but hooked away by Creaney.
Creaney angled the ball into the back of the net from a left sided cross on 72 and although it was initially called offside, the referee overruled the decision and the roof of the Lambs erupted a second time (1-1, 72 mins)
The Lambs continued to push on and with substitute Milnes now in the mix, it was down to the same player to put his side in front on 79, cutting in from the right and firing past Azaze into the bottom left corner to the delight of the home faithful. (2-1, 79 mins)
Creaney whipped the ball into the area from the right on 85 and Jones met it with a cushioned shot but it angled past the near post as Tamworth looked to seal the win.
Creaney went up with Azaze on 90 and beat him to the bouncing ball, then recovered to put it into the area but Finn couldn’t quite get there in time to make it 3-1.
Keeble took ‘on for the team’ in the first of six minutes added time, bringing down Fairlamb on the halfway line.
Jones then forced Azaze into a double save in added time with two strikes from the edge of the area that the keeper did well to get to, but at the other end, Keeble stole in to smash home the equaliser after Singh made a close range stop but the Lambs defence were unable to clear the rebound (2-2, 94 mins)

Tamworth
Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Mussa (c.) (Milnes 67), Collard, Bailey, McKeown (Finn 75), Bradley, Jones, Jellis (Creaney 61), Fairlamb
Subs: George, Hart
YC: Creaney 83

Bedford Town
Azaze, Gyamfi (Halliday 82), Warburton, Dreyer, Phelan, Keeble, Tomlinson (MacKail-Smith 75), Donnelley (c.) (Setchell 71), Soyemi-Olalde, Camara, Butterworth
Subs: Thorne, Page
YC: Camara 45, Keeble 90

Referee: Mr. B. Robinson

Att: 625

MOM: Chosen by match sponsor Flick Electrical Wholesale: Alex Bradley

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