Tamworth
V
Newcastle Utd PL2
Tamworth
2-1
St Ives Town
The Lambs returned home on the back of the 3-1 away victory over Basford United to take on 11th placed St Ives.
Of the top four teams, of which The Lambs sat at the top five points clear before kick off, Leiston welcomed Ilkeston to Victory Road and Nuneaton Borough travelled to Royston Town but Rushall Olympic found themselves unable to go to Coalville Town as The Ravens were playing much postponed FA Trophy tie away at Banbury United.
Andy Peaks made two changes to the side that ran out at Greenwich Avenue. Liam Dolman returned to the eleven after Alex Collard dislocated his shoulder at Basford and Alex Bradley returned to the side as Gift Mussa sat out, so Ben Milnes took the captains armband.
St Ives got the game underway at 19:49 with Tamworth attacking the Meadow Street end in the first half.
After a stuttering start, McKeown forced a corner and it dropped for Creaney but his goalbound shot was cleared off the line on 7.
Another corner came on 10, this time on the left, and Milnes planted it onto the head of Curley at the far post to head home and open the scoring, and his Lambs account, to the delight of the home faithful (1-0, 11 mins)
The Lambs kept control of proceedings without threatening Dadge’s goal too much, and on 19 a deep cross from Curley fell for Dolman, under pressure at the back of the area but his header was off target.
Hart got in the way of a low Andoh shot from the edge of the area on 24 and St Ives corner from the right caused Dolman to clear his lines quickly.
Next, McKeown was beaten to a whipped in left sided cross on 26 and Milnes lined up the flagkick again, dropping it on to the head of Creaney this time, but Dadge palmed it away from danger.
The visiting defence were forced to head a bouncing cross away for a right sided corner on 29 and Dadge punched it up and away but only as far as Milnes, and his first time volley powered wide of the left hand upright.
Fairlamb went close to doubling the lead on 33 with a header towards the top left corner after Finn lifted a cross into the area, but it was off target and there was a booking for Richens on 34 when he upended Fairlamb in the centre circle.
Edwards came close to Singh’s goal for the visitors on 38, meeting a left wing cross with a header, but under pressure from Dolman he couldn’t get the right direction on it to test the otherwise keeper largely untroubled keeper.
A flowing Lambs move upfield on 42 ended with Bradley placing his shot from 18 yards, but it was straight at Dadge.
Edwards was booked for pushing Curley down when both went for the ball as the whistle below for halftime.
The Lambs restarted proceedings and initial play was a little disjointed as both sides tried to settle again after the break until Finn worked hard to get the ball on the left of the box and prodded it under the advancing Dadge and in at the far post (2-0, 50 mins)
Cockerill-Mollett gave away a freekick on the right on 51 and was booked for his foul and on 52 Edwards headed the resulting freekick home to stun The Lambs and reduce the arrears (2-1, 52 mins)
McKeown couldn’t the ball out from under his feet when well placed in the area on 54 and had to settle for a corner when he managed to get half a shot away, and he headed Milnes flagkick against the bar from close range.
Hottor was then booked for a two footed challenge on Milnes on 58, despite calls from more from the vociferous Shed contingent who had a very good view of the tackle in front of them.
Fairlamb loaded a left wing cross on 61, and it was touched away from Bradley as he shaped to shoot from 18 yards, then at the other end Andoh rifled a low strike from the left of the box and Creaney stuck out a boot to divert it over the bar before it reached Singh.
Former Lamb Kaziboni came into play on 67 and when play resumed following the change, Milnes tried his luck from 20 yards but his shot rose over the bar.
McKeown forced a corner on the right on 70 and it came of a St Ives defender for another on the opposite side but Dadge smothered it ahead of Creaney.
The visitors pushed upfield and McKeown tumbled Baker over on the left wing on 71 setting up Richens with the deadball which The Lambs were able to deal with, ultimately through the boot of Dolman.
Creaney was felled by Williams as he tried to go past his man towards the edge of the area on 76, with the St Ives man earning a booking, and Milnes curled his deadball over the bar from 20 yards.
There was a stoppage in play when Hottor took a blow to the face when jumping for a high ball with Milnes on 81 and hesitancy in the middle from Clement allowed the Saints to advance, but their move quickly broke down when Clement raced back to help out at the back.
Creaney made way for Deacon with 6 to play and McKeown forced a corner on the right which D Finn put onto the head of Dolman at the far post but he headed down and just wide of the mark.
A St Ives corner was headed away by Deacon on 86 and Tamworth advanced to the other end, and twice in quick succession no penalties were awarded when Finn and then Milnes went down in the area under hefty challenges.
The Shed burst into a round robin of ‘Red Army’ as the clock ticked into added time at the end of the game and St Ives made a push upfield and Curley headed a goalbound cross away from danger as the time ticked down.
Curley was booked for a sliding challenge on Baker on 97, but St Ives had to wait until Finn had treatment for cramp on the field until the left sided freekick could be taken.
Dadge left his half to launch the ball forwards from the left wing and it was taken by Singh at height and the whistle blew on three more points for The Lambs with the clock in the 99th minute.
Tamworth
Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Bradley (Clement 79), Hart, Dolman, McKeown, Milnes, Creaney (Deacon 84), Finn, Fairlamb
Subs: Cater, Jones, Yeomans
YC: Cockerill-Mollett 51
St Ives Town
Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (c.), Williams, Toseland, Higgs (Baker 60), Hottor (Johnston 85), Edwards, Hickinson (Kaziboni 67), Andoh
Subs: Milne, Johnson
YC: Richens 34, Edwards 45, Hottor 58, Williams 76
Referee: Mr. Watson
Assistants: Mr. Devonport, Mr. Johnson
Att: 644
MOM: Chosen by Laguna Properties: Ben Milnes