Tamworth
V
Newcastle Utd PL2
Tamworth
0-0
Redditch United
Matchday 19:
On the back of nine league wins, and nine consecutive wins in all competitions too, Andy Peaks’ top of the table Lambs welcomed The Reds from The Valley for the 100th competitive meeting between the two sides in an early Guy Fawkes Day kick off.
Peaks was without the suspended (for one match) midfielder Gift Mussa and brought Jamie Jellis in on a shot term load from Kings Langley. And so there was just one change to the starting XI that defeated Liversedge seven days prior as Jordan Clement, himself once at United, coming in for Mussa, with Jellis on the bench.
As the rain fell on The Lamb, this was to be no easy test, as 4th placed United kicked off proceedings attacking the Castle End and on 4 a cross from Mensah Jnr forced a corner, and when it was half headed away by Howkins, the same player headed at Singh from 6 yards.
At the other end, Creaney got the ball to his feet from a flick on in the box, but under close attention from the Redditch defence United keeper Boucher was able to smother it and the striker needed attention by the Lambs physio before play could resume.
Deacon went close at the near post but ultimately wide of the mark on 14 and on 16 Curley burst past him larker down the right and whipped it in for Creaney but his angled shot went just wide of the near post.
Osadchyi caught George as he tried to go past him into the left of the rea on 18 and Bradley lined up the flagkick but could only find the away terracing roof with his powerful but off target strike. Collard took a knock in the play though and needed to get treatment before returning to the field.
George then got caught in midfield on 21 but found Finn and he tried his luck with a low shot from the right but was unable to really test Boucher.
A long clearance from Singh was headed on by Creaney on 26 into the path of George, but his right footed strike curled well wide of the mark.
Howkins was then caught by a United player on 27 and needed treatment, being in obvious pain, but was able to rejoin the action three minutes later.
Bradley fouled Sheaf on 31 setting up R. Flanagan and the ball was worked into the area with Howkins doing his best to clear the danger with a half volley in mid-air, but when he landed it was clear he couldn’t continue and so Hart came on in a straight swap at the back when the ball went out of play.
A spell of more intense Lambs pressure forced a corner on 40 through a deflected Clement shot, and Boucher tipped Finn’s flagkick behind for another on the opposite side but the keeper was equal to Bradley’s kick.
Singh made his first real stop of the game on 42 when King fired low from the left of the area but play had to stop again when Collard needed the attention of the physio on 43 and had to be replaced by Dolman shortly after.
Deep into added tie Finn forced a left sided corner with a blocked shot, and Bradley floated the ball in, but Boucher collected as George took a blow to the back of the head and took a minute to get himself together.
With all the stoppages and perhaps excessive time taken for visitors goalkicks added together, the half ended goalless after 56 minutes on the clock.
Redditch finally appeared for the second half and Tamworth restarted the game quickly advancing down the clubhouse side of The Lamb although Redditch got possession and a shirt pull by Bradley set up Sheaf with a 30 yard freekick on 47 which got back to Singh.
Tamworth responded with Curley planting the ball into the box for Finn on 48 and it then fell to George whose shot caught Redditch defender Osadchyi and he needed lengthy treatment before he could be replaced on 51.
A powerful freekick from Reece Flanagan on 53 was headed up and behind for a corner by Collard, and Singh batted it away from danger.
There was another break in play on the hour when Mensah Jnr took a blow to the head and it brought the visiting physio onto the pitch again.
Redditch forced another corner on the left on 64 which Dloman and Braldey headed away to the halfway line but the visitors continued to press and Bunn whipped in a low cross which Hart dealt with via a hefty boot.
Another United corner kept The Lambs back on 69 and King played it to Sheaf who went through into the box but prodded it wide of the mark.
King and Bunn combined down the right wing on 73 and the latter sent a cross into the box but it drifted just over Singh’s bar and there was a stoppage on 75 as Bradley was unable to continue bringing Jellis on for his debut.
Tamworth pushed forward but Clement’s strike on the turn went over the target and play switched to the other end resulting in a corner off Fairlamb’s block.
Boothe forced Singh to drop and smother a tame but on target effort from 18 yards on 83 and it looked increasingly likely that neither side would be able to forge a definitive advantage as the minutes ticked by.
George was tumbled down by Wollacott by the clubhouse corner flag on 88 and Jellis forced Bunn to turn it behind for a corner on the right which Finn sent in and a foul in the ensuing play gave Tamworth a freekick on the edge of the area to the left of the D which Jellis lined up but fired a yard over the target with Boucher in full flight.
As the clock struck 4pm and with all other games in the league just restarting their second halves, , five minutes added tie was shown at the end of the game.
Byrne went down and needed a bandage around his head before play could resume and George worked hard to force a left sided corner on 95, which was put behind for a second attempt which came to nothing,
A quick break by the visitors ended with Sellars firing diagonally wide of the far post on 98 and despite a final push from Tamworth the final whistle blew in the 99th minute making it 10 unbeaten for Andy Peaks’ side.
Tamworth
Singh, Curley, Fairlamb, Clement, Collard (c.) (Dolman 44), Howkins (Hart 32), Finn, Bradley (Jellis 76), Creaney, Deacon, George
Subs: Jones, McKeown
Redditch United
Boucher, Osadchyi (Culkin 51), Hudson, Byrne (c.), C. Flanagan, Wollacott, R. Flanagan (Sellars 80), Bunn, King, Mensah Jnr (Boothe 70), Sheaf
Subs: Hanson, Rowbottom
YC: Boothe 90+9
Referee: Mr. L. Scott
Attendance: 904
MOM: Jump Extreme chose Luke Fairlamb