Tamworth  v  Scunthorpe

Sat 5 Aug - 15:00 National League North

Tamworth

1-2

Scunthorpe

Match Report

And so, with Preseason complete, The Lambs welcomed The Iron to the Compare the Build Community Stadium to kick off the National League North campaign for 2023-24 with a bumper crowd expected.

Andy Peaks took charge of his first ever match in Non League’s second tier, as The Lambs returned to the NLN after a five year hiatus, while Scunthorpe looked forward their first season at this level of non-league football having once hit the heights of the Football League’s Championship division in 2008-09 and had enjoyed a couple of appearances at Wembley, one in the Football League Trophy final , the other in League One Play offs before the slow slide down the divisions.

Peaks made his team selection, and there were no real surprises although he was unable to include Jamie Willets and Callum Cockerill-Mollett due to them being unavailable on the opening weekend.

In unexpected August rain, After a minute’s silence for John Moules, the former National League Chief Executive Scunthorpe kicked off proceedings.

1st half

Honours were even in the opening exchanges and there was an early booking for Creaney who booted the ball goalwards from the halfway line after the referee’s whistle had blown.
A couple of long throws, one at either end of the pitch found the head of their intended targets, but neither Ogle, nor Cullinane-Liburd could get the direction they wanted to test the keeper.
Scunthorpe were working their hosts hard too, moving around quickly off the ball to keep The Lambs on their toes and maintaining a high momentum but Peaks’ side were happy to respond without too much complaint although a couple of nudges on the Shed side of the ground did bring the home faithful into voice.
And so when Creaney was brought down on 12 Finn stepped up but the freekick was blocked.
Acquaye was threaded a pass from Tshikuna on 16 but the final ball was cut out on the edge of the area and in the next move the later saw his angled shot blocked by Wilson and when the ball ricocheted around the area, Finn went down but was booked for diving.
Finn then powered a shot from 18 yards which Fitzsimons was able to bat away from danger.
In the ensuing play Jellis was brought down and the referee booked Acquaye and Cullinane-Liburd Scunthorpe for the aftermath.
Curley put in a necessary tackle to deny the advance of Clunan on 21 an conceded a corner but the visitors were unable to make anything from it, and Scales was booked for a trip on Cullinane-Liburd as the defender made headway out of the area.
The ball rebounded into the path of Creaney 25 yards out but his shot was charged down and he was a whisker away from connecting his head to Curley’s cross on 25 as The Lambs continued to show no fear.
Ogle managed to nip it off the toes of Acquaye from a Tshikuna low cross from the right on 28, for a left sided corner, and Milnes received it back and Acquaye picked it up on the left of the area before powering home the opening goal of the season past Fitzsimons, in front of the visiting fans. (1-0, 29 mins)
Creaney spotted Fitzsimons off his line on 33 but was unable to get his long range effort on target and it forced Scunthorpe to defend strongly as The Lambs pushed forward and penned them back.
Wilson was booked on 38 for a foul in the middle of the park as frustration began to show amongst the side in white and black, and only the offside flag denied Dolman a strike inside the 6 yard box.
Acquaye then burst through and found Creaney but he too was a yard off, and his shot went wide as the whistle and flag halted play.
Tshikuna capitalised on a slip in the middle of the park to advance on goal in added the first of five minutes added time at the end of the first half but his shot was blocked for a corner on the right and Creaney’s far post header went just wide of the mark.
A foul on Scales in the right channel 25 yards from goal gave Clunan a sight on goal, but his effort was high and wide of Singh, in his new blue kit.
But when a long throw from Denton came in from the left it saw Curley go for the header and it rebounded unkindly over the top of Singh and into the back of the net to leave it all square at the break. (1-1, 45+5 mins)

HT 1-1

The Lambs restarted proceedings and Finn quickly showed the attacking intention with a low drive which went just wide of the right hand post inside the first 20 seconds.
Tshikuna then tried his luck with a right footed strike from 20 yards, but clear the target at the Castle End, while Acquaye dragged a similar shot wide of the mark on 48.
A long throw from Cullinane-Liburd on 54 was booted away by Beestin and he dealt with the return ball back at him allowing Scunthorpe to work on building an attack, but Milnes tracked back and cleare the danger.
Creaney then whipped the ball in from the left and Finn got a touch but not enough to divert it inside the far post, and as the rain continued to fall Creaney was upended 35 yards out on 59 so Milnes lined it up and got it over the wall but could only get it to dip and strike the post holding the nets up behind the goal.
Tshikuna then beat the offside trap but was too near the touch line to get a shot on target and at the other end Scales cut into the box and fired low forcing Singh to drop and smother his effort on 64.
Creaney picked his spot from the edge of the D on 65 only to see a deflection lift it over the crossbar for a right sided corner which Dolman headed down and wide past the far post.
The visitors took lead on 71 though, when a dangerous ball from the right was not cleared effectively by the Lambs defence, and substitute Whitehall acrobatically forced it home in mid air with his right boot (1-2, 71 mins)
Gascoigne needed treatment on the field on 76 when he took the weight of a challenge on his ankle and returned to the play but in obvious discomfort until he was able to run it off.
Creaney and Tshikuna made way for Deacon and Jones for the final few minutes of the game and a pull on Deacon on the right by Kouogan gave Milnes the deadball on the left wing on 86 but Cullinane-Liburd was unable to get his head to it fully at the far post.
Nine minutes added time was shown at the end of the game and Deacon nearly levelled things with a glancing header which Fitzsimons was able to smother.
A corner caused problems from The Iron’s defence on 94 and at the other end Butterfield’s drive from 18 yards was deflected for a corner which The Lambs defended.
However, when Dolman and Gascoigne were unable to get rid of the danger, the latter put a challenge in on Beestin and the referee deemed it dangerous so showed the Lambs defender a straight red card.
Butterfield stepped up to take the freekick which came to nothing and the final whistle blew on the first, and eventful, match of the 2023-24 season.

Tamworth:
Singh, Curley, Gascoigne, Finn, Milnes, Acquaye (Arlott-John 72), Cullinane-Liburd, Dolman, Tshikuna (Jones 84), Jellis, Creaney (Deacon 84)
Subs: Meikle, Phillips (GK),
YC: Creaney 5, Finn 16, Acquaye 19, Cullinane-Liburd 19, Curley 70
RC: Gascoigne 90+

Scunthorpe United:
Fitzsimons, Ogle, Kouogun, Evans, Clunan, Bestin, Elliot (Butterfield 57), Wilson (Shrimpton 73), Scales, Law (Whitehall 57), Denton
Subs: Kelly, Boyce
YC: Scales 22, Wilson 38

MOM: Chosen by Laguna properties and Compare The Build: Jellis and Creaney
Att: 2063

Referee: Matthew McQuillan
Assistant Referees: Alexander Perkin, Jordan Griffiths