Tamworth
V
Wealdstone
Tamworth v Barwell
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Tamworth
4-1
Barwell
Match Report
Table topping Tamworth returned to The Lamb to welcomed 19th placed Barwell for their next Southern Premier League Central fixture and with a number of clubs involved in the FA Cup a home win or a draw would see Andy Peaks side move ahead of second place Nuneaton on points rather than goal difference at the final whistle.
Peaks fielded an unchanged side from midweek, that ran out 3-2 winners away at Mickleover, and former Lambs youth player Max Brogan featured for the visitors.
Keeper, Jas Singh made his 150th appearance for the club in the game and was presented with a bottle of champagne by Bob Andrews, and TeamBuilder held a bucket collection to add funds to Peaks’ playing budget.
The Lambs kicked off proceedings towards the Meadow Street End and Bradley had the first chance of the game firing low from the edge of the box at Wycherley on 4 forcing a corner and Deacon picked it up and forced another on the same, right, side.
The resulting flagkick went long and out for another on the opposite side for Bradley to plant onto the head of Collard but he directed it wide of the far post.
Finn found Deacon who in turn found Fairlamb on the left of the box on 12 but his effort cannoned back off the bar and Finn’s quick snap shot was taken by the keeper.
Nassunculo worked hard in the ensuing play to work the ball down the Singh’s box but he was crowded off the ball and The Lambs regained the initiative with a long throw from Dolman which the keeper just managed to get to before it rolled, from Creaney’s backheel, invitingly for Cockerill-Mollett.
Singh made a smart stop from Barwell’s Deakin on 15, dropping low to his left to deny the angled shot from the edge of the box, and at the other end on 17 A Finn corner caused some problems ending with a powerful but blocked shot from Dolman.
Deacon was booked for a tackle on Edwards on the half way line on 20 and from the freekick Brogan pushed wide in the box and fired but found Dolman in his way.
Play switched to the other end and after good work from Deakin, Fairlamb cut in to the box and fired diagonally into the far right to open the scoring (1-0, 22 mins)
Creaney and Fairlamb combined on the edge of the Barwell box to set up Bradley on the half hour, but he was only able to get a tame curling shot away which Wycherley was equal to, and so was Singh, to Nassunculo’s low drive from the right on 31.
Ten minutes later following another Lambs corner, the home side doubled their lead courtesy of another Dan Creaney goal via his far post header down inside the woodwork with the keeper unable to claw it out (2-0, 41 mins)
Barwell pulled one back when Enoru burst past Cockerill-Mollett down the visitors right and chipped a shot into the box for Deakin to flick over the keeper Singh into the far corner of the net. (2-1, 43 mins)
Brogan sprinted with the ball on the opposite side a minute later and fired into the side netting from 12 yards as the clock ticked down to the half time break.
HT 2-1
Barwell restarted proceedings with Tamworth attacking the away Castle End while the late sun dropped behind the advertising hoardings.
The visitors put The Lambs under pressure but managed the game in the opening exchanges of the half and Finn fired form distance over the target.
Creaney nodded down for Deacon on 49 and his low shot on the turn was taken by Wycherley, then Bradley struck from outside the box but it was blocked and cleared by the Barwell defence.
Bradley then picked up a yellow card for blocking the run of Brogan into midfield on 56.
Fairlamb surged out of the centre circle with just one man in front of him on 62 but by the time he had reached the box there were considerably more bodied around him and he was not able to get his final shot on target, firing just wide of the left hand upright.
Creaney made no mistake though with his second of the afternoon, his ninth goal in six games, with a powerful angled finish on 64 after robbing the covering defender of the ball in the box and beating Wycherley from a tight angle in the left of the box (3-1, 64 mins)
Miles replaced Bradley before play restarted and Barwell attacked with Deakin smashing a seemingly goalbound shot against the right hand post when The Lambs defence were found uncharacteristically wanting on 67.
The Lambs responded though, with Creaney going close to connecting with a couple of teasing crosses, and after Jones replaced Deacon, Milnes fired a freekick wide of the mark on 72.
Brogan’s deep freekick saw Collard head behind for a left sided Barwell corner on 75 and Tamworth broke upfield but Milnes couldn’t quite fund his man, although Fairlamb recovered it and fed Finn who chipped Wycherley as the ball went all the way out for a throw on the right and Finn was replaced by Cater on 77.
Cockerill-Mollett’s low cross was knocked behind for a corner on 78 and Milnes’ ball in was punched away by the Canaries keeper and substitute Kerr was booked for a late challenge on Curley.
Deakin was unable to continue after a bout of cramp on 85 so was replaced for the final five by Master.
Creaney looked for his hat-trick on 89 but his shot ballooned off the covering defender and went out for a corner and when the ball came in it rattled off the bar then dropped for Jones to stab home from close range (4-1, 89 mins)
A pull on the defender in front of him denied Creaney his hattrick finish in added time
Tamworth
Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Mussa, Collard (c.), Dolman, Finn (Cater 77), Bradley (Milnes 66), Creaney, Deacon (Jones 71), Fairlamb
Subs: Hart, George
YC: Deacon 20, Bradley 56
Barwell
Wycherley, Edwards, Burshaj, Lee (Kerr 56), Rowley, Ward, Enoru, Brogan, Deakin (Master 85), Hickey (c.), Nassunclub
Subs: Lawson, Ngoma, Harding
YC: Kerr 79
Referee: Mr. R. Walker
Attendance: 591
MOM: chosen by TeamBuilder -Dan Creaney
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