Gloucester City  v  Tamworth

Tue 12 Mar - 19:45 National League North

Gloucester City

1-2

Tamworth

Match Report

After travelling to the North East on Saturday, the Lambs travelled down the M5 to make their debut appearance at The Tigers ‘new’ home some 25 years since their last visit to the ground located off Sudmeadow Road.
Now some 3.5 meters higher than before (to avoid a repeat of flooding in 2007 – checkout footage of the old ground on youtube etc.), everso slightly further North (by a matter of 10s of meters) and 3G instead of grass, the Tigerturf Stadium offered a warm welcome to Andy Peaks table toppers.

The home side had suffered a 7-3 home defeat to Boston United at the weekend, while The Lambs were still pushing to get points on the board and had secured all three in a 1-0 win at Scarborough Athletic at the weekend.

Jas Singh returned to a previous home, on his 34^th birthday, and Kyle Finn made his 100^th appearance as Peaks made one change to the weekends starting eleven with Tom Tonks coming in for Munashe Sundire.

In the white and blue away kit, City got the game underway attacking the T-end of the ground but it was The Lambs who had the first real chance from a long Tonks throw on 4 which bounced through the box and despite claims it took a touch from a Gloucester defender, no corner was awarded.
Creaney received the ball on the edge of the box on 5 and set himself up to strike on his less favoured left foot, sending the shot high and wide of the mark.
Another Tonks throw brought Dennis into action on 10, punching the ball away and he sent another in from the opposite side within the minute which forced City to defend and put it away for another on the left again. This time it fell to Cockerill-Mollett at the far post but his goalbound shot was cleared off the line for a corner which went too long to pose a threat.
On 13, a mix up at the back between Singh and the Lambs defence allowed Wright to bundle the loose ball home from 12 yards out, but it was ruled out as the referee had spotted a handball to help Wright put the ball at his feet, it at the second attempt before he rolled it home.
Milnes blocked the run of Rowe down the City left on 18 giving the home side a freekick in a dangerous position which Pinchard whipped in and Cullinane-Liburd had to head it away from the jump of Mbayo, conceding a corner in the process which was dealt with effectively by the Tamworth defence.
Singh raced out to boot the ball away from the run of Robinson on 20 and may have tested Dennis if his clearance hadn’t bounced wide of the mark.
Tonks picked up a yellow card on 22 for a high boot on the halfway line which left Duffus needing treatment on the field and once he had recovered, play continued and Finn struck a low shot at Dennis on 25 which was easy for him to gather.
Finn was then upended by Rowe on 26 and booked for his efforts.
With Gloucester putting ten men behind the ball and leaving just Wright up front, whenever The Lambs attacked chances came at a premium so double of Tonks throws, on 29, helped put pressure on but they home defence held strong and cleared the effort by Finn.
Creaney was set free over the halfway line on 35 and made his way towards the right corner of the box only to be brought down by Mbayo right on the edge of the area. The City player was booked, and Finn lined up the freekick.
He curled it on target, but also straight into the hands of Dennis who took his catch at the second attempt.
Willets felt his hamstring tighten and was unable to continue with five first half minutes remaining, so Dolman came on and in the next move Curley was allowed time and space to fire from distance, forcing Dennis into a low stop which he pushed away for a throw on the right. Tonks received the ball back and chipped it towards the far post for Cullinane-Liburd but his header went wide of the mark.
Dolman was called upon to clear away from Robinson on 42 and City took a rare corner which went low and found Smalley 12 yards out but his shot rebounded off the covering Tonks and The Lambs broke but Williams was penalised with a booking for a clumsy challenge on Laird as they went for the same ball on the halfway line.
As the clock ticked into four minutes of first half added time, Cockerill-Mollett was upended on the left and Tamworth kept pressure on the final third but were unable to test the home keeper before the whistle sent both sides back into the changing rooms.

HT 0-0

The Lambs started the second half, attacking the home fan only T-end terracing, and Tonks launched a throw deep into the box but neither Cullinane-Liburd, Creaney nor Dolman could get a header past the City defence and over the line.
Robinson made headway down the left and forced a corner on 51 which Wright flicked behind the near post.
From another Lambs attach on 57, which ended when Tonks was unable to find his way past three tracking back defenders, Gloucester sent the ball down field with Wright chasing it down and although Singh managed to get a head to the it outside the area it fell kindly for the number 9 who turned on the chance and lifted it over the stranded keeper (1-0, 58 mins)
Tamworth responded with Wreh’s shot from 18 yards deflecting behind for a corner but the home side made things difficult once again, packing out the back line.
Creaney pulled it back for Cockerill-Mollet on the hour but his shot was also blocked and cleared.
At the other end of the pitch, on 62 Pinchard took it past Cullinane-Liburd down the left and drove the ball into the box for Wright who saw his first time strike come back off the underside of the crossbar before being cleared.
There was then a chance for Robinson who capitalised on a through ball to fire from 25 yards, only missing the target by a few feet and Cockerill-Mollett was brought down by Smalley who was booked for his efforts.
Finn’s run ensured that City put the ball behind for a corner on the right on 71 but shirt pulling in the box halted play, and Finn was nearly on the end of a Curley cross on 72, but once again City got a body in the way.
Milnes corner was flicked back in by Cockerill-Mollett but then over the bar by Dolman, and a goal finally came on 75 when Mines picked up the ball on the edge of the box, cut to his right and fired low inside the left hand upright past the dive of Dennis to the delight of the travelling faithful (1-1, 75 mins)
Acquaye replaced Finn with 13 remaining, moving Williams to the right wing and he set up Cockerill-Mollett with a volley from 18 yards on 81, but he struck it over the T-End terrace and it dropped onto the old Meadow Park terracing, still evident behind the new ground.
McGory went down with cramp on 86 and after lengthy treatment was replaced for the final few minutes, and on 88 Duffus tripped Wreh as he tried to get down the left so Milnes put the freekick into the box and Creaney’s header forced Dennis to push it around the post for a corner on the left.
Milnes corner was inch perfect for Creaney who rose and powered his header into the back of the net from a yard out to send the Lambs fans on both sides of the six yard box into delight (1-2, 89 mins)
Four minutes added time was shown at the end of the half and the home side pushed for an equaliser, with Smalley’s effort flashing well wide of the mark.
After feeling cramp, Milnes was replaced by Tshiukuna as the clock ran down and the final whistle blew on another three points to extend the lead to 15 points at the summit.

TEAMS

Gloucester City AFC
Dennis, McGory (Brain 86), Mbayo, Duffus, Laird, Pinchard, Hanks (c.), Rowe, Robinson (Beresford 89), Smalley, Wright
Subs: Thompson, Smile, Edwards
YC: Rowe 26, Mbayo 36, Smalley 67

Tamworth
Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Finn (Acquaye 77), Milnes (c.) (Tshikuna 90+3), Williams, Willets (Dolman 39), Cullinane-Liburd, Creaney, Wreh, Tonks
Subs:Deacon, Enoru
YC: Tonks 22, Williams 43

Referee: Mr. Matthew Scholes
Assistant: Mr. Lewis Mountain, Mr. Andrew Biggin

Att: 564