Tamworth
V
Wealdstone
Leiston v Tamworth
Leiston
2-1
.jpg)
Tamworth
Match Report
Matchday 21:
Following just the second defeat of the season away at Needham Market in midweek, Andy Peaks’ squad travelled the longer distance to Victory Road on a very mild November afternoon with a fair amount of blue sky and sunshine greeting players and fans, to face third placed Leiston who were enjoying a 10 match unbeaten run.
Peaks made an unprecedented six changes to the side that fell 3-2 to The Marketmen, against the Blues with Jas Singh, Dan Creaney and Ty Deacon unavailable and Alex Bradley, AJ George, and Ben Hart on the bench Matthew Sargeant made his debut between the sticks, while Callum Cockerill-Mollett Alex Collard, Eoin McKeown, Jamie Jelis,and Alex Jones came into the eleven, while recent re-signing Ben Bailey took the final spot on the bench. It was the first league game that Jas Singh had missed since 26 Jan 2019 v Bedworth (H).
After an impeccably observed poignant minute of remembrance with The Last Post being played The Lambs got the game underway, but an early foul saw the home side launch a freekick into the danger area which Collard headed away strongly.
On 6 Jones unleashed a powerful shot from 20 yards but it was straight at Donkin and the keeper batted it away and both sides continued to work to try and take some control of proceedings, but it was proving difficult for both teams.
The Lambs did exert some pressure around the 15 minute mark, culminating in a deep freekick from the left but a foul on Donkin halted proceedings.
A foul by Jellis on 21 gave the home side a freekick inside the Lambs half which was dealt with effectively and spurred Tamworth on down field resulting in a right sided corner from Curley’s blocked cross.
And from the flag kick Collard’s header from the back of the box fell onto the head of McKeown, positioned near the opposite one, and he nodded it into the back of the net to give the travelling faithful a reason to celebrate and lift the roof off the stand behind Donkin’s goal. (0-1, 24 mins)
Despite their foray’s forwards The Lambs back line seemed to be content to deal with most of the threat, and when Jellis threaded the ball through to Mussa a freekick on 29, was awarded but the deadball came to nothing,
Cockerill-Mollett denied a Leiston attack with a perfectly timed challenge on 34 as The Blue enjoyed a spell pushing Tamworth again but once again The Lambs battled for possession none moreseo with Mussa and Jellis in midfield which bore fruit when McKeown made headway down the right on 39 and whipped a low ball into the box looking for Jones but he was beaten to by the covering defender.
At the other end, Dolman had to be on point to deny Fowkes’ close range turn and shot which when out for a corner on the left on 40 which was played short and chipped back in for Sargeant to pluck out of the air.
Curley needed treatment after getting a knock on 42, but seemed happy to continue as the first half minutes ticked by and sent a freekick into the Leiston area on 44 but Marsden was fouled and the Lambs attack halted.
Leiston forced a left sided corner on 45 which Ryan Jarvis stopped low to glance goalward and it skipped off the surface and into the back of the net to level the tie (1-1, 45 mins) as 2 minutes added time was shown.
Mussa smashed a 35 yard shot on target in added time and it forced keeper Donkin into a flying save to push it away for a corner, but a handball from the flagkick stopped play continuing before the half time whistle blew.
HT 1-1
Although the floodlights had been on during the first half, they were definitely required when Leiston restarted the game and within 30 seconds the home side had taken the lead with a powerful shot from Marsden who curled the ball around Curley and past Sargeant into the back of the net (2-1, 46 mins)
A foul on Mussa on the right set up Finn with the dead ball and McKeown got his head to the ball but it took a slight deflection to take it away from the target, and from the corner the ball was scrambled away off the line by the home defence.
Finn, Jones and McKeown combined on 53 with the latter forcing Donkin into a sliding block, although the flag was quickly raised, and Tamworth continued to press.
Jellis and Jones worked the ball down the left on 54 but the resulting cross was cut out by Donkin, and then Jellis struck from 25 yards forcing Donkin to save the ball with his knees but there was no one on hand to do anything with the ball when it rebounded out.
The Lambs continued to push and McKeown rifled a cross in the danger area and it caused problems in the box and the consistent and persistent pressure continued with a couple of corners and dangerous crosses from Jellis, Finn and Curley as everyone from both sides, bar Sargeant and Fairlamb camped in the Leiston final third.
Fairlamb made a strong run into the box down the left wing on 68 and pulled it back for Jones, but his route was blocked, allowing the home side to travel down field with Fowkes going toe to toe with Jellis, resulting in a Lambs goalkick.
Hutchings was booked for a challenge on Jones on 73 on the halfway line, and the deep freekick went towards Collard who appeared to be sandwiched to the floor but no penalty was given and a corner resulted. From the flagkick, Jellis and Saunders clashed heads in midair and both fell with a thump requiring immediate attention from their respective physios.
Thankfully both were able to continue however, it did allow Peaks to make a change with George coming on for McKeown on 76.
Fairlamb and Jones linked into the box on 83 but the final ball was easy for Leiston to clear.
Despite well exerted pressure the ball just failed to drop to Jones, and then in the next move to Cockerill-Mollett, and then the same player headed just wide of the mark from a perfect cross from George on the right and Jones then threaded it to Fairlamb on 87 and his low shot was blocked by a sliding defender.
Davies was booked on 89 for a challenge on Mussa and Curley’s deadball saw all but Sargeant upfield. The ball eventually fell to Dolman, but his effort curled well wide of the mark.
Four minutes added time was shown at the end of the game and Tamworth continued to push The Blues back and when the ball came into the box Collard felt he had been pushed down on the way to trying to connect, but was ultimately booked for his protesting the lack of a decision in his favour by the referee.
Jellis tried his luck from distance but wasn’t able to find the target and after Quantrell hoofed the ball away it heralded the end of the game and a second successive defeat for The Lambs, and a possible nine point advantage was cut to four by virtue of other results at the top of the table.
Leiston
Donkin, Hill, Dunbar (c.), Saunders, Hutchings, Ryan Jarvis, Marsden (Barnes 72), Rossi Jarvis, Davies, Quantrell, Fowkes (Bailey-Dennis 84)
Subs (4 only): Spooner, Eaton-Collins
YC: Hutchings 73, Davies 89
Tamworth
Sargeant, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Mussa, Collard, Dolman, McKeown (George 76), Jellis, Jones, Finn (Bailey 85), Fairlamb
Subs: Bradley, Hart, Whittingham
YC: Collard 90+3
Referee: Mr. B. Mingay
Attendance: 301
.jpg)
