Tamworth  v  Warrington Town

Sat 6 Apr - 15:00 National League North

Tamworth

1-1

Warrington Town

Match Report

Tamworth responded in near perfect fashion after the disappointing 3-0 reversal at Brackley Town on Easter Monday, Andy Peaks top of the table Lambs returned to the Compare The Build Community Stadium knowing that just one point from their final three games, or for Chorley not to win on of their final four as they lifted the Vanarama National League North trophy after the final whistle blew.

However, it wasn't cut and dried before kick off and while The Magpies travelled to Derbyshire to take on Buxton, The Lambs welcomed 12^th placed Warrington Town, who had a mathematical but realistically unlikely chance of making the playoffs if they picked up 9 points from their last three games.

On a sunny but blustery after and with the Lamb packed on three sides, Warrington kicked off the game with The Lambs attacking the Meadow Street end, largely populated with visiting fans, in the first half.
And a long Tonks throw inside the second minute took a deflection for a corner on the left which Milnes planted a little too long for Wreh at the back of the box.
Tshikuna hit a hopeful effort from 25 yards on 4 but it was simple enough for Atherton, and Wreh forced his marker to concede a throw on the left on 8 which held up in the win and eventually fell to Milnes, but he couldn’t get his shot throw the crowded box.
Acquaye made a mazy run past two defender into the box and despite going down under pressure he managed to get back to his feet and the ball went out to Wreh but his snap shot cannoned back.
Acquaye then forced Atherton into a low stop at his left hand post putting the ball behind for a corner which Finn sent in looking for Cullinane-Liburd, but it was glanced away from him.
A fine through flick to Curley form Tshikuna on 15 saw the ball whipped in and headed behind for a corner but Atherton, ultimately, was equal to Tshikuna’s low cross.
Fine interplay to allow Finn a shooting chance on 17 nearly saw Atherton beaten, but his curling shot from the left of the D went a yard past the far post with The Lamb ready to erupt.
A foul midway into the Lambs half set the visitors with a chance of a sight on goal, and Woods struck on target with Singh happy to allow it to bounce to him before releasing it. And it skipped through to Wreh who forced Atherton into an advancing block as the striker tried to squeeze it home from 18 yards.
Mines struck a powerful shot from 20 yards on 20 which Atherton pushed away and it was picked up by Finn who took a step into the area and appeared to be tripped on route, but the referee awarded a freekick the other way and booked the Lambs player for his ‘dive’.
The pressure continued as Acquaye and Wreh combined on 23, with the latter turning on the edge of the area before hitting a shot on target which Atherton collected.
Milnes low powerful strike on 26 ricocheted off a defender for a right sided corner, which Atherton punched away under pressure and Acquaye was upended on the right giving Finn the deadball but he aimed straight at the keeper.
Acquaye forced another corner, on 30, and when it came to Tshikuna 18 yards out he struck low and a deflection off the last defender took it past Atherton and set the celebrations off (1-0, 30 mins)
Milnes was forced to put a strong tackle in to deny the run of Buckley-Ricketts on 34 and from the throw McDonald picked up the ball and struck Cullinane-Liburd square in the head who needed treatment and a a short time to recover from the impact.
Mines flicked the ball through to Tshikuna who flashed a shot at the keeper, but from the break downfield Acquaye was booked for a foul on Woods, which was hotly disputed.
News filtered through that Chorley were a goal down, adding to the celebratory atmosphere, and despite a push upfield, Wreh couldn’t get any power on his shot from the left.
Tonks was booked while Woods was on the floor needing treatment and play had stopped, and after much confusion the visitors made two changes in the second minute of added time.
Fairlamb hooked the ball upfield and the ball caught substitute Eze so he needed treatment off the field, and in the 5x minute of the first half the whistle blew, with The Lamb hopeful of a similar second half in terms of result.

HT 1-0

Warrington restarted the game at 16:07 almost exactly when the Buston game got back underway, and Tamworth looked for a second in the early exchanges.
Tonks was unable to get a clear sight of goal on 47 so threaded it to Acquaye and his shot went for a corner on the left but Finn’s volley ballooned up and over into the terrace.
Milnes found Finn on the right of the box on 50 and he prodded it past Atherton but the flag went up as it struck the post and Atherton pulled off a superb on handed parry to deny Wreh’s close range half volley a minute later.
The visitors made it all square on 52 when Eze angled a shot from the right of the box past Singh and into the far corner, and although Finn had gone down under a challenge on the hallway line in the build up play had been allowed to continue, resulting in the goal (1-1, 52 mins)
A foul against the same Lambs player on 55 on the right corner of the box was given and Finn fired straight at Atherton.
Buxton doubled their tally easing the nerves a little, and Amis was booked for a double foul in eth centre circle on the hour with Finn and Milnes both needing treatment before Curley could get the game back underway.
As the minutes ticked down, the record home crowd at both Step 1 and 2 of the Non League Pyramid sang their heroes on, but Warrington were not phased and worked the ball forwards when they could with Eze and Amis looking for openings, however, for the most part the stubborn Lambs defence performed as they had done all season and shut the door on their visitors.
Creaney replaced the hardworking Wreh for the final 15 minutes, and Milnes needed treatment after overstretching for the loose ball on the halfway line on 78 minutes but he was unable to continue and Sundire replaced him.
Inside the final ten minutes, The Lambs turned up the heat to try and bag a second goal, and Sundire found himself with a free header at the far post from a Tonks throw, but a push ruled out his effort, which drifted over the bar anyway.
Amis upended Cullinane-Liburd with a clattering challenge on 88, but escaped a second booking, and Tamworth responded with Tshikuna driving a low ball into the box which had to be booted away. It therefore fell to Tonks to throw it into the box but no one could get onto the end of it.
Five minutes added time was shown at the end of the second half and McDonald struck from distance bringing Singh into action to push it away for a corner on 94 shortly before the final whistle blew and the celebrations of a second successive promotion began in earnest.

Teams

Tamworth
Singh (c.), Curley, Finn, Milnes (c.) (Sundire 78), Fairlamb, Acquaye (Enoru 64), Cullinane-Liburd, Tshikuna, Tonks, Wreh (Creaney 75), Knight-Percival
Subs: Gascoigne, Deacon
YC: Finn 21, Acquaye 38, Tonks 44

Warrington Town
Atherton, Walker (Eze 47), Hannigan, Gumbs, Woods (Amis 47), Williams (c.), McDonald, Pasiek, Buckley-Ricketts, Grivosti, Clarke
Subs: Goudie, Brooks, Gill
YC: Amis 60

Referee: Mr. Robert Ablitt
Assistant: Mr. Criag Thompson, Mr. Joseph Larkin

Att: 2938

MOM: Chosen by match sponsors Euroteck Systems Ltd: Nathan Tshikuna
Chosen by match sponsors Ideal Surfaces: Matt Curley