Tamworth
V
Newcastle Utd PL2
Tamworth
3-0
Royston Town
Matchday 17:
After Saturday’s 2-1 win over The Canaries, The Lambs were back in action quickly, welcoming Steve Castle’s midtable and aquamarine ‘Crows’ to the CR MOT Community Stadium. Andy Peaks’ side sat eight points clear at the top of the Southern League Premier Central Division going into the game on the back of winning eight league games in a row and a winning streak of seven games in all competitions ahead a trip to Liversedge in the 1st Round of the FA Trophy on Saturday.
Peaks made one change to the starting eleven that lined up versus Hitchin Town with Cameron Howkins starting in place of Liam Dolman, who he had replaced early into the tie on Saturday.
Royston started the game aytacking the Castle End in the first half and Singh got an early touch from a downward header from Robson which The Lambs keeper did very well to get down to and smother.
A flowing move through the middle on 5 nearly set George one on one with Kryiatzis but the offside flag halted progress and in the next move Creaney was upended and Finn’s deadball for the right wing was taken at height by the keeper.
And on 9 minutes The Lambs took the lead following a fine run down the left by Bradley saw him flick it into the path of Creaney with the outside of his boot and the Lambs number nine struck his 20th of the season with a deft knock over the floored keeper to open the scoring (1-0, 9 mins)
The lead doubled on 13 through Kyle Finn after good work from Creaney to set George free in the left of the box to drill it across for a close range far post finish (2-0, 13 mins)
Creaney pulled the ball into the box with a low cross on 20 but Deacon was unable to turn on the 6 yards box and shoot before it was nipped off his toes.
At the other end Collard got into the way of a powerful placed shot from Furlong on 22 and there was a booking for Bell-Toxtle on 25 when he brought Finn down with a trailing leg in front of the away dugout.
Creaney let fly with a right footed drive on 29 which only just went over the bar from 25 yards and Finn was unselfish with a ball to Creaney in the box on 32 but it was cut out.
Curley ventured forwards on 35 and sent the ball into the danger area from the right but that too was cut out by the Crows defence, and on 38 Deacon got round his marker in the right of the box and beat the keeper with his shot, but fired inches out past the far post.
On 40 Bradley went for goal from 25 yards and his rising shot struck a defender and went out for a corner on the left but his flagkick swung in onto the top of the bar.
And after minutes added time, the whistle blew on a solid first half performance from The Lambs.
The Lambs restarted proceedings attacking the Castle End and after riding some disruptive play for the first 5 minutes of the half, Creaney, George and Bradley tried their luck in quick succession but were unable tot find a way through with the latter shooting over the bar from 20 yards.
Finn tricked his way into the box with a cushioned knock over Williams before his shot was blocked, and in the next move Finn curled a shot from the right channel just wide of the left hand upright with Kyriatzis in full flight.
Royston made a double change on 53 in a bid to get fresh legs firing a way back into the game, but it was Tamworth who nearly struck first when Bradley shot low and forced the keeper to parry the goalbound shot away from his right hand post.
Finn replicated his effort with a similar result on 58 and on 60 his ball into the area was headed over by Creaney.
Then on 62 George appeared to be upended but no penalty was given, and the follow up from Creaney deflected off the bar for a corner, which was put behind for another on the left which came off Collard but didn’t hit the target.
There was no question about the outcome on 64 though when George burst onto the loose ball in midfield and played it through for Creaney to run onto and with just the keeper to beat cut slightly left and chipped home into the far right corner to the delight of the home faithful, and in the process equal the club goal scoring records of Billy Goffin and George Burton (55 in total) to put him join 26th in the all time charts (3-0, 64 mins)
Finn nearly added a fourth on 72, latching onto the ball in the area but he was unable to angle his shot past the dive of the keeper and on 78 Curley moved upfield and fed Finn who found George on the left of the area but his shot was blocked for a corner.
The Lambs made a double change with ten remaining via two straight swaps and a final one on 85 and Mentos was booked for a hefty challenge on Deacon in the centre circle before Jones went through and forced Kryiatzis into a low save at the second attempt and Whittingham was called offside when one on one with the keeper on 89.
Jones was booked for a foul in the center circle in added time which resulted in a bout of handbags between both sides and a booking for Tshikuna too.
Deep into added time Finn went through but was unable to bag his second and the fourth of the evening, firing wide of the mark before the final whistle blew, and The Lambs 10 points clear at the top.
Tamworth
Singh, Curley, Fairlamb, Mussa, Collard, Howkins, Finn, Bradley (Clement 80), Creaney (Jones 80), Deacon, George (Whittingham 85)
Subs: Hart, Griffin
YC: Jones 90
Royston Town
Kryiatzis, Keane (Harness 53), Williams (Nakatani-Brown 53), Mentis, Robson (Bustamante Macaire 75), Mentis, Bell-Toxtle, Tshikuna, Bateman, Dasilva, Furlong
Subs: Crowther, Osei-Bonsu
YC: Bell-Toxtle 25, Mentos 86, Tshikuna 90
Referee: Mr. S. Wesson
Attendance: 705
MOM: Chosen by Devlin Carpets: Kyle Finn