Tamworth
V
Wealdstone
Tamworth v Hereford
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Tamworth
4-0
Hereford
Match Report
After the deserved, but late, point at Farsley on Saturday, Andy Peaks Lambs returned to the Compare The Build Community Stadium and welcomed Paul Caddis’ Bulls of Hereford with a bumper crowd expected for the segregated National League North fixture which was also being streamed live on National League’s online TV channel.
Peaks made two changes to the side with Jas Singh coming back in goal, and Cockerill-Mollett replacing Dolman in a rejigged back line.
Tamworth kicked off the game, attacking the Meadow Street end in the first half, but it was a foul on Arthur by Jellis that gave Cranston a freekick on the edge of the D in the 4th minute which he curled over the corner of bar and post.
When Tshikuna robbed the ball from the Bulls midfield in the play after, he advanced on goal and passed low for Creaney but under pressure on the edge of the area he couldn’t get power on his strike and Pond took it easily.
Then on 7, The Lambs took the lead through Cullinane-Liburd’s close range strike after a flick on evaded the outstretched boot of Creaney, and the defender powered home to set the Shed replicating the tannoy’s ‘Come On Feel The Noise’. (1-0, 7 mins)
Arlott-John forced a corner on the left on 11 which allowed The Lambs to keep the pressure on the visitors, and a long throw from the left took a touch for a corner on the right on 13 and the ball remained in the final third.
Then, an interception on the half way line allowed Milnes to burst through via a blocking tackle with Creaney ahead of him, and although Creaney did not touch the ball and Milnes fired it home past Pond, the goal was chalked off by the referee after consultation with his assistant and her raised flag.
A low driven cross from Arlott-John was met by Creaney at the near post on 24 but it was deflected wide for a corner on the left and Pond punched it away from the head of one time Bull, Willets, and the visiting keeper was happy to let a shot from another former Bull, Finn, go wide of the near post on 27.
Jellis and Cockerill-Mollett combined to whip a low cross in on 28 which was put behind before Creaney could connect and when the latter went through with a couple of defenders around him he was sandwiched out and hit the ground. A booking for Southern’s protests followed, and Milnes set up the freekick from 25 yards out but the wall did it’s job and another corner resulted.
Finn’s flagkick whipped across the face of goal and Tshikuna was unable to get a clear header on it but Tamworth did not relent and when the ball came back into the area Creaney was on hand to finish from close range and this time it counted, and the home fans erupted (2-0, 33 mins)
Finn looked to be forging a path toward goal on 35 but was upended by Cranston 25 yards out and he picked up a booking for his efforts, as did WiIlet’s for his comments, before Milnes’ freekick went just over the target.
Tshikuna threaded a pass to Arlott-John down the left channel on 41 and he managed to get a shot at Pond from the edge of the area which the keeper was happy to catch at chest height.
At the other end Skinner crossed into the box from the right and it was met at speed by Obinna who couldn’t do more than put it over the bar from 12 yards out as five minutes added time was shown at the end of a deservedly fruitful first half for Tamworth.
HT 2-0
Hereford restarted the game and both sides struggled to get into a rhythm in the opening exchanges, and frustration resulted in a booking for Creaney and Cameron on 58 following an off the ball disagreement between the two.
Creaney then fed Tshikuna into the right channel and the latter saw his goalbound shot from just inside the area, blocked.
A long Cullinane-Liburd throw was met by the head of Willets on 63 and it looked like it may sneak down and bounce in but again Hereford managed to defend effectively and Cameron got to a dangerous ball from the left before Creaney for another a left sided corner on 67. Shen the ball came back into the box Finn rifled home a powerful volley from 12 yards to extend the lead and set the crowd into rapturous celebrations once again (3-0, 67 mins)
Singh made a superb one handed save to deny an downward header from Arthur sneaking inside the far post, although Cockerill-Mollett came off worse in the required clearance as he and the incoming Hereford player and required treatment off the field. He was OK to continue, but the stoppage allowed Peaks to make his final two changes bringing fresh legs on the final 15 minutes.
And from a long Cullinane-Liburd throw, Tamworth further extended their lead through Finn’s second of the afternoon and although not quite as spectacular as his first, his low drive from the left of the D nestled in the bottom right with Pond left flatfooted and unable to respond. (4-0, 78 mins)
Finn nearly bagged his hat-trick on 88 cutting in from the right channel after a neat one two with Man of the Match Tshikuna, but his shot took a deflection to take it just off target as seven minutes added time was shown.
There were two good chances for the visitors as the clock ticked down with Livingstone and Skinner both attempting volley’s from opposite sides of Singh’s goal, but neither managed to get their shots on target and a last minute corner gave the travelling fans hope of a consolation goal but it didn’t come and the final whistle blew on another solid Lambs display and three well earned points.
Tamworth:
Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Finn, Milnes (c.) (Reilly 75), Willets, Cullinane-Liburd, Tshikuna, Jellis, Creaney (Deacon 67), Arlott-John (Williams 75)
Subs: Gascoigne, Jones
YC: Willets 35, Creaney 58, Jellis 76, Cockerill-Mollett 83
Hereford:
Pond, Skinner, Teixeira, Barkers, Obinna (Hewlett 66) , Babol, Cranston, Mendes, Arthur, Cameron (c.), Howkins (Southern 22)
Subs: Livingstone, Stanley, Rooney
YC: Southern 30, Cranston 36, Cameron 58
MOM: Chosen by Local Roofing Supplies: Nathan Tshikuna
Att: 1809
Referee: Harry Jones
Assistant Referees: Thomas Durno and Ceri Thomas
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