Tamworth  v  Alfreton Town

Sat 19 Aug - 15:00 National League North

Tamworth

0-1

Alfreton Town

Match Report

After a profitable week on the road, with 6 points out of a possible 6, The Lambs returned to the Compare the Build Community Stadium to welcome relatively local Derbyshire side Alfreton Town.

Andy Peaks made one change to the side that ran out at the Boston Community Stadium in midweek with Ben Acquaye unavailable, meaning Dempsey Arlott-John came in to the XI.

The visitors got the game underway attacking the Castle End in the first half and Taylor tried an early effort on target at Singh which the keeper was happy to catch at head height.
After that initial flurry, Tamworth regarding possession and a couple of fouls by Alfreton allowed Curley to drop the ball into the box looking for a knock down and a quick breakthrough.
A great pass through to Finn on the right on 6 saw the winger cut in and fire a shot into the area which forced Wills to drop and smother it, and after enjoying the lions share of possession, Creaney shepherded the ball out of play for a corner on the right on 12 which was headed away from under the bar as Cockerill-Mollett looked to pounce, and then a foul on Wills from the return ball in halted play.
A neat one two allowed Thewlis to strike diagonally from the right of the box on 14 and Cantrill worked hard to get a corner on the right on 18 as Alfreton moved the ball around to try and forge a goal for themselves, but this only made The Lambs more determined and they enjoyed a period of keep-ball as Alfreton chased shadows.
Taylor was booked for a leading elbow on Cockerill-Mollet which angered the players and fans on the main stand side of the ground, but play resumed with a freekick which Singh launched upfield.
Arlott-John drilled the ball into the box from the left on 28 but it skipped past everyone and all the way to Jellis on the right, who took his man on and beat him before finding Creaney, but with his back to goal his shot on the turn / angle was a difficult one and he could only get it over the bar rather than test Wills.
Another flowing passing move ended on 31 when Arlott-John was upended on the left of the D and Milnes struck the deadball over the right corner of bar and post but only by a foot or so and on 33, Arlott-John spotted Wills slightly out of position, but couldn’t curl his chip over the keeper into the top right corner.
Creaney took a blow in the back on 35 and there were shouts for a penalty from The Shed, but the referee was having none of it, although it did need the attention of the physio and play restarted with an uncontested Tamworth drop ball on the halfway line.
Cockerill-Mollett got caught with the call between his feet in the Lambs box on 38 and Salmon nearly managed to get it free for a shot, but the Lambs defender made sure he got rid of the danger himself, but he was penalised for a pull on the same player on the edge of the box on 42.
Tshikuna took the ball down off his knee and rolled a half volley towards the far post on 44, but it took a deflection off Taylor for a corner on the right, which Dolman met with his head past the far post, only to see it drop onto the roof of the net.
Four minutes added time were shown at the end of the first half, and when Arlott-John advanced over the halfway line, he was brought down on the left wing by Digie, but no freekick was given and the whistle blew on a good first half for The Lambs, albeit with no goals.

HT 0-0

Jones replaced Creaney before The Lambs kicked off the second half towards the Castle End, and an early mistake nearly saw Singh beaten by a bouncing goalbound effort but he managed to recover, and then a booking for Milnes gave Alfreton the chance to set up from a freekick which visiting captain Brisley headed straight at Singh on 50.
And when the ball played through to Thewlis on 51, he was unable to be stopped by Cockerill-Mollett, cutting back inside the area before firing into the far left corner past Singh. (0-1, 51 mins)
A long throw from Cullinane-Liburd caused Alfreton to defend and when Cockerill-Mollett picked it up on the edge of the box he and Perritt got tangled while in quick motion and both required attention from their respective benches, but when the Lambs player got to his feet he was shown a second yellow card so was sent off for his efforts. Willetts replaced Arlott-John before the game restarted as Peaks reshaped his ten-men Lambs.
Thewlis was not penalised with a card for a challenge on Cullinane-Liburd on the right on 73 and from the freekick Willetts headed down and Jones connected 6 yards out, but couldn’t force it past Wills for the equaliser.
Deacon then replaced Finn to give Tamworth different options going forwards in the final 15 minutes, although Alfreton too made changes and packed out their back line.
On 85 Deacon rifled a shot from the left of the box into the side netting and Wills was booked for timewasting, and Jones cross into the box span off the surface before Deacon could get to it on 86.
Day and Oliver combined to force a corner on the right on 87 which Singh took at height at the far post, seven minutes added time was shown at the end of the half as Tamworth tried to push on for a share of the spoils with ten yellow shirted men in front of them most of the time.
Cullinane-Liburd’s ball into the area from the right was nearly met by Jones on 96, but was just too far in front of the incoming number and as the clocked ticked to 100 Tamworth mounted one final attack but the offside flag halted play

Tamworth:
Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Finn (Deacon 70), Milnes (c.), Cullinane-Liburd, Dolman, Tshikuna, Jellis, Creaney (Jones HT), Arlott-John (Willets 57)
Subs: Reilly, Phillips
YC: Cockerill-Mollett 42 + 56, Milnes 50
RC: Cockerill-Mollett 56

Alfreton Town
Wills, Clackstone, Lund (Wiley 70), Digie, Thewlis (Oliver 83), Cantrill, Waldock, Salmon, Perritt, Brisley (c.), Taylor (Day 66)
Subs: Askew, Howe
YC: Taylor 24, Wills 85

Att: 1009

Referee: Luis Griffiths
Assistant Referees: Craig Thompson and Brandon Scaife