Tamworth  v  Barwell

Sat 29 Jul - 15:00 Friendly

Tamworth

2-0

Barwell

Match Report

After the midweek 5-0 win over AFC Telford United, The Lambs welcomed The Bucks league-mates Barwell to the Compare The Build stadium.
Andy Peaks used his squad final warm up match to hone his selections for the coming weekend’s National League North opening fixture against Scunthorpe United while The Canaries, who open their season away at AFC Sudbury.

Folllwing a minutes applause remembering the lives of Trevor Francis and Chris Bart Williams, Barwell got the game underway with The Lambs attacking the Meadow Street End in the first half and both goals found themselves in new company as the League sponsors Vanarama signs had been installed during the week.
And the first real chance came on 4 when Curley and Creaney combined to release Tr11 down the left who cut in and rolled the ball to Finn on the right who in turn set up captain Milnes. His shot from the edge of the area on the angle went over the target though.
Barwell’s 11 made a tricky run down the left and cut his cross into the box forcing Singh to parry it away and the 10 was unable to get a control of it as Dolman cleared the danger.
Gascoigne got in the way of a shot on the turn from 8 on 12 for a Barwell corner and 4’s header from past the far post cannoned back off the near post causing a scare for the Tamworth defence.
Tr11 threaded the ball to Milnes and he found Finn in the right but his shot was blocked and went out for a throw which Cullinane-Liburd launched into the area and it dropped over the keeper before bouncing up over the crossbar and out of play (and wouldn’t have counted if it had gone in)!
A deep freekick from Curley on the halfway line found Gascoigne on 20, but he was too deep to get his header anywhere but wide of the mark, and at the other end a strong run from 11 allowed him to drag the back into the box for 8, but once again Gascoigne got in the way of his powerful shot.
The Lambs then enjoyed a spell of possession and moved the ball around with purpose but the final ball from Finn towards the far post was too deep and long.
Dolman then nearly notched his second goal in two games on 33 when the ball fell invitingly in the six yard box. His first strike was blocked but his second bite of the cherry thumped against the cross bar and was cleared out of the crowded area.
A neat 1-2 between Creaney and 11 on the edge of the box allowed the latter a shot on target on 35 but the keeper was perfectly positioned to block the chest high strike.
Finn cut in an tried a cross from the left on 42 but it was blocked and he got the ball back but a leading elbow to his head by 8 sent him crashing to the floor and needing treatment for a couple of minutes before being able to get back on his feet.
Milnes too the freekick in added time at the end of the first half and it was put behind for a corner which the same player planted onto the head of Creaney but he was penalised for climbing in the final action of the half.

HT 0-0

The Lambs, unchanged at the break, restarted the game as the July sun continued to beam down on the pitch and terraces.
Barwell took the game to their hosts in the opening exchanges and forced a corner on the left on 52 which Dolman headed away and then Gascoigne headed a cross from 3 away who received it back again and passed to 7, but his ball into the box was easy for Singh.
At the other end The Lambs nearly too the lead when Creaney turned and set up Curley with an angled shot which deflected and wrong footed the keeper but he was able to get a hand to it before it was cleared from a yard out.
A couple of changes by Peaks allowed a reshuffle of the back four and midfield on 55 and it had a positive impact on play culminating in a shot from 11 on target on the hour that the Barwell keeper was happy to gather under the bar.
A cross from Cockerill-Mollett forced a corner by the clubhouse on 61 but it was cleared at the near post
Tr12 drilled the ball into the area on 64 but it was cleared, and Cockerill-Mollett did similarly from the other side in the next move and a corner resulted which Milnes put onto the head of Creaney but his nod over the keeper came back off the post and went over Cullinane-Liburd following up.
The Lambs did take the lead a minute later though, when the ball came in from the left and Creaney made no mistake with a tidy finish from 12 yards. (1-0, 65 mins)
Jones and Deacon came on for the final 20+ minutes and Barwell found a way through with 11 and 10 combining only to find Dolman in the way who was not impressed with the gaps that had allowed the passage of play.
Tr12 turned the visiting defence inside out on 81and his cross into the box looking for Jones was cut out just as the substitute shaped to shoot, and Tr12 nearly latched onto a low passed through ball on 82, but was it was too quick for him to get to.
In added time at the end of the game the referee had to deal with a poor challenge from 4 on Jones, and booked him for his efforts, setting Milnes up with the deadball 25 yards out and he calmly planted it to the keeper’s left to double the scoreline before the final whistle blew on the game, and pre-season. (2-0, 90+ mins)

Tamworth:
Singh, Cullinane-Liburd, Curley, Meikle, Gascoigne (Cockerill-Mollett 55), Dolman, Finn (Trialist 12, 55), Milnes, Creaney (Jones 68), Trialist, Trialist (Deacon 68)
Subs: Phillips (GK)

Barwell:
No team provided

Att: 400

Referee: Lewis Mountain
Assistant Referees: Ben Cooke, Simon Barrow