Tamworth
V
Wealdstone
Mickleover v Tamworth
Mickleover
2-3
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Tamworth
Match Report
Matchday 11:
The Lambs made the short journey into Derbyshire for their next Southern League Premier Central outing, on the back of the 3-0 win over Kings Langley took them to the top of the league.
Andy Peaks made one change to the starting eleven with Ty Deacon replacing Alex Jones at number 10 and a ate change saw James Hurst, originally named in the starting eleven, replaced by Alex Bradley while Mickleover boss, and one-time Lamb John McGrath had former Tamworth goalkeeper Jonathan Hedge his side.
With light raining falling Mickleover kicked off proceedings away from the clubhouse end of the once season old 3G surface in the first half and kept possession in the opening exchanges but it was The Lambs who took the initiative and the lead on 5 minutes. After a surging run from Bradley he fed it through to Finn and his shot from the edge of the area was only parried by Hedge into the path of Deacon who slammed it home from 6 yards out (0-1, 5 mins)
A shot from Dolan on 10 defected high and wide for a right sided corner and it was headed over the corner of bar and post.
Fairlamb was bundled over in the left corner and Bradley lined p the deadball which was headed away and cleared long.
Milner prodded a low shot at Singh from the right of the area on 14 and then Creaney nearly doubled the advantage sneaking in behind the defence but firing over the bar from 18 yards.
The equaliser came on 15 though, a chipped ball over The Lambs defence allowed Reeves to run through and lob it over Singh, with the ball bouncing before dropping into the back of the net (1-1, 15 mins)
Beavon had two bites at the cherry on 20 with a close range chance from the right of the area but both were blocked by a combination of Singh and the covering defenders as the home side came into the game a little more.
As the half hour mark came into view Mickleover pressed but when Tamworth cleared the ball was played towards their back line and the home defence allowed Creaney to break down the left and he looked up from fully 25 yards on the angle on the left and picked his spot, and his on target powerful shot had Hedge to thank for allowing the ball to slip through his grasp and his legs into the far corner (1-2, 27 mins)
Mickleover then self destructed with a disastrous midfield into defence mix up that allowed Deacon to head into the box and he was tripped for a penalty which Creaney duly dispatched (1-3, 31 mins)
The home side pushed from the restarted and it took a slide from FairLamb to deny a ball from Dolan causing problems and The Lambs broke forwards through Finn who tried a shot from distance which deflected over the bar for a left sided flagkick on 36.
Finn showed great vision to chip through for Deacon to run onto on 38 but he couldn’t quite get his foot around the chance and on 42 Bradley threaded it through for Fairlamb who saw his cross form the left blocked for a corner which Hedge caught in amongst a crowd of players.
As the first half went into added time a through ball to Warren saw him in space on the left of the box and he crashed his shot against the outside of the left hand post from a tight angle and it rebounded out to safety before the half time whistle blew.
HT 1-3
As the September rain continued to fall, Tamworth restarted proceedings and quickly forced a throw down by the right corner flag, which came back to Dolman and his deep cross forced Hedge into a simple early stop.
There were loud shouts for a penalty on 49 when Collard strongly tackled in the area but the referee was not swayed and his assistant did not finch.
Warren then struck from the left of the area into the side netting via a deflection and from the corner the home side kept up the pace but the move broke down.
The home side continued to have the majority of the play and on 64 a foul handed Mickleover a freekick on the left which ultimately came to nothing however Fairlamb locked and fell with Bennet as they advanced into the area on 65 and the referee judged him to have been brought down intentionally so Warren powered home the penalty past Singh (2-3, 66 mins)
Play was halted for a period when Cockerill-Mollett got a knock to the head and he came back onto the field after a visit from the Lambs physio.
A high ball into the box fell inviting for Fairlamb on 74 although he was too far past the left hand upright to get a shot on target and his ball into the area skipped past Hedge but was cleared.
At the other end it took Cockerill-Mollett to clear the ball away after a game of pinball in the area as the home side threatened once again.
Hedge was booked for taking too long to take a freekick on 84, but from the ensuing play Mickleover flashed a cross just over the bar.
Singh needed treatment for cramp as the minutes ticked down and it allowed The Lambs to take stock before play resumed, and Clement replaced Deacon with three to go.
Bradley spotted an opening from distance as five minutes added time was shown, and Hedge spilled the ball but no one could get there quick enough to convert the half chance, as Mickleover forced a corner in the next move, from a deep freekick.
Finn was taken down as he tried to advance away from the Lambs final third, but no freekick was given so after treatment from the physio, and some discussion with the referee play resumed and the home side tried their hardest to keep Tamworth pinned back.
Singh plucked a couple of hopeful crosses out of the air at his near post before a 96th minute change saw Cater replace Fairlamb and the final few seconds seemed to take an age to tick by before the final whistle blew on another table topping three points.
Mickleover
Hedge, Bennett, Dolan, Bateman, Butler, Watt (c.), Milner (Wilson 82), Warren, Reeves, Beavon, Dales
Subs: Davidson-Miller, Mann, Marshall, Fankwe
YC: Hedge 82
Tamworth
Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Mussa, Collard (c.), Dolman, Finn, Bradley, Creaney, Deacon (Clement 87), Fairlamb (Cater 90+6)
Subs: Yeomans, Fallows, George
Referee: Mr. Tyres
Attendance: 320
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