Tamworth  v  Sutton Coldfield Town

Tue 26 Jul - 19:45 Friendly

Tamworth

2-1

Sutton Coldfield Town

Match Report

Preseason matchday 06:

The Lambs welcomed The Royals to the CR MOT Community Centre after a weekend off in the first of the final three friendlies, all of which pitted Andy Peaks side against local Northern Premier League Midland Division sides, with trips to Coleshill Town and Chasetown to follow.

Tamworth started proceedings attacking the Castle End in the first half, and an early strike from Clement flashed across the face of the goal and out past Brown.
Whittingham’s right sided cross into the danger area was headed away for a corner by the clubhouse on 8 and Bailey rose at the far post but headed it out past the opposite stick for a goal kick.
Deacon rifled a powerful shot at the target on 15 which Brown was equal to with a low block and smother, and Cater rolled a low shot from a similar distance at the keeper on 19.
Mussa, wearing the captains armband, put a strong tackle in on a Sutton midfielder on 23 allowing Sutton some time with the ball and Sawyner unleashed a drive from the right of the box which Singh had to tip over.
On the half hour, Cater met a chipped ball to the far post with a clean but ultimately off target finish, and Hurts drilled a bending shot from the right of the area inches out past the left hand upright on 34 as the game remained goalless.
Clement and Cater combined with a 1-2 into the box on 35 but again the Sutton defence got the ball away for a corner which threatened but didn’t forge an opening for The Lambs.
Dolman nodded a deep flagkick back into the danger area on 41 but it was taken by Brown and The Royals advanced upfield, with Bailey picking up a yellow for a challenge that halted play.
Despite all the chances for The Lambs it was the visitors who took the lead on the cusp of the break when Pryce advanced down the right byline past Dolman and wrong footed Singh before rolling the ball home around the post (0-1, 45 mins)

HT 0-1

After two halftime changes for The Lambs and the switching on of the floodlights to increase the light as the sun dropped behind the Castle End, Sutton got the second half underway.
One of the subs, Cockerill-Mollett unleashed a left footed drive from the edge of the area and a corner resulted, which eventually fell onto the head of Dolman but his goalbound effort was scrambled away.
Tamworth played for a few minutes with 10 men while Bailey recorded from a tackle on the halfway line and Whittingham was booked for a foul when play resumed.
Hart replaced Bailey on 53 and Hurst went close with a far post header from a corner on 55.
Deacon made headway into the box on 57 and pulled it back for Finn but it was nipped off his toes before he could get a clear shot away, and another chance went begging for The Lambs.
The Sutton boss was shown a yellow card for comments made on 66 and The Lambs then made three changes.
A foul on sub Creaney resulted in a booking for visiting captain Beresford on 69 and Fairlamb lined up the deadball but struck the wall.
Finn’s freekick on 72 was watched and met by Hurst but he headed over the target from a good position and a foul on Mussa set up a deadball on the edge of the area on 75. This bore a corner, which fell to Hart but he was unable to keep his shot down and the ball ended up in the garden of a house behind the Meadow Street end.
The Lambs continued to move the ball around well and forced another corner from which Tamworth were awarded a penalty. Sub Jones was at the far post and as the ball went long he turned and was brought down, setting up Creaney with the spot kick which was pushed out by Brown and cleared, but when the ball came back in Creaney cushioned it for Griffin to smash the ball home from 18 yards, via a deflection past Brown (1-1, 80 mins)
Injury to a Sutton defender caused a lengthy stoppage and the visitors played with 10 men while he received treatment.
As the minutes ticked down Tamworth broke through Jones who squared to Creaney and he fed Finn but the final shot was blocked, as was Jones’ long range effort on 92.
And it was left to the final minute for Jones to net the winner, a far post finish from a left sided corner through a crowded box (2-1, 93 mins)

Tamworth
Singh, Yeomans (Curley 67), Mussa, Bailey (Hart 53), Whittingham (Griffin 67), Hurst (Jones 78), Deacon (Creaney 67), Clement (Cockerill-Mollett HT), Cater (Finn HT), Fairlamb, Dolman
Subs: Bradley

Sutton Coldfield Town
Brown, Sawyner, Armitage, Todd (Hunt 60), Beresford, Mills, Ceesay, Collins, Pryce (Spruce 64), Hilton, Hendrie (Tavares 64)
Subs: Walton, Hurley, Oyanda, Hart

Referee: Mr. Cooke

Attendance: 269