Tamworth
V
Wealdstone
Tamworth v Bishop's Stortford
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Tamworth
3-0
Bishop's Stortford
Match Report
On Good Friday, following Tamworth’s live-on-TV 1-1 draw at King’s Lynn seven days prior, and Scunthorpe United’s 1-0 reversal away at Spennymoor Town in midweek, the stage was set for a possible promotion party at The Lamb should results go the right way.
The first requirement was that both Scunthorpe and Chester both did not win their respective fixtures as that would open the door for Andy Peaks’ side to attain an unsurmountable points tally.
And should Tamworth record a home victory over basement club Bishop’s Stortford, on their first ever visit to The Lamb, the second requirement would be fulfilled and a second successive promotion could be celebrated over the four day Bank Holiday weekend.
The visitors arrived with an unforgiving record of having picked up their last league points on 23rd December, a 17-losing-game streak so expectations were high that The Lambs would maintain their side of the bargain with fingers crossed elsewhere.
Andy Peaks made two changes to the side that ran out at The Walks, as Nathan Tshikuna returned to the starting eleven and new loanee signing, Nathaniel Knight-Percival made his debut having joined The Lambs with the help of Teambuilder, in midweek.
First half
Light rain fell as Tamworth kicked the game off towards a packed out Castle End and after a push forward by the visitors, The Lambs had the first chance when Curley smashed the loose ball goalward from 18 yards, but it flashed just wide of the mark.
Acquaye and Wreh combined but the latters shot was cleared by Beadle, and then Sundire forced a corner with a powerful cross which came back off the covering defender.
Milnes corner was headed away for another on the opposite side and Cullinane-Liburd’s header came back off the woodwork and put behind for another, which was put behind for another, 4th corner in quick succession, but Curley’s header went wide of the mark.
There was a length stoppage on 11 when Wreh’s boot became dislodged and had to be attended too, and he received the ball on the left and fired low at Giddens on 15, the keeper taking it at the second attempt.
Intricate interplay between Wreh and Acquaye pushed the visitors back and from a throw on the left Giddens batted the ball away and Knight-Percival was unable to keep his snapshot down, lifting it over the keeper and bar from close range.
On 21, Robbins took the ball down the left and managed to cut it across the box past the Lambs defence who allowed Cosgrave to get the ball at his feet and Singh caught him, resulting in a penalty. The Lamb held it’s collective breath as Foxley stepped up to the spot kick and he planted it to Singh’s left, but the keeper guessed correctly and pushed it away from danger for a corner to keep the scores level.
Acquaye forced another Lambs corner on 23, and Milnes sent it in from the left only for Giddens to bat it away from danger once again as a mix of sunshine and heavy rain .
A foul on Milnes, as he tried to forge a path into the final third, set him up with a deadball on 28 and his effort was on target but Giddens was called upon again to deny, pushing it away from the top corner. Milnes’ resulting flagkick looked destined to curl into the bottom corner but once again the Blues (albeit in their away kit of yellow!) defence dealt with the danger.
Finn worked his way into the right channel on 32 but again found his way blocked as Robbins put a timely boot into the way of his strike, and at the other end Fairlamb tangled with Cosgrave giving the visitors a freekick 25 yards from goal but McGregor’s strike caught the top of the wall and a push as the ball dropped halted the attacking chance as quickly as it had started.
Kassaarate was booked for a foul on Milnes on 42 and from the play Sundire hit a hopeful low effort but it was easy for Giddens to smother.
Four minutes added time was shown at the end of the first half, and Beadle was booked for time wasting a throw by the players tunnel, and then Charles went into the referee’s notebook for a foul on the halfway line.
The Lambs mounted one final push of the first half and a foul set up Finn with the freekick which Beadle headed behind for a corner on the right before the whistle blew on a goalless first half.
HT 0-0
With Chorley in the lead over Darlington at the break, it would take a few goals to change the fortune of the day, and Milnes tried to thread a low shot past Giddens inside the first minute of the second half, but it was easy enough for the visiting captain to protect his cleansheet.
Finn forced a corner on the right which was too long for Cullinane-Liburd to reach and when it came back out to Milnes on 49 he tried another low shot but Giddens took it easily.
The Lambs did take the lead on 52 though when a threaded ball to Wreh found the striker in space in the box and he turned on it and fired it low into the far corner to the delight of the home faithful. (1-0, 52 mins)
Wreh made a foray forward on 54 but dragged his shot from distance well side of the mark and a foul on Tshikuna set up The Lambs with a freekick on 59 but Milnes deadball struck the wall and went out for a corner on the left and although Cullinane-Liburd headed the loose ball home, a foul had already stopped play.
Tshikuna’s run down the left resulted in a corner on 65 but it dropped into the hands of Giddens, and a run by Wreh a minute or so later was halted by Beadle so The Lambs were awarded another freekick, and when it fell to Tshikuna 25 yards out he lofted a shot just over the right corner of bar and post.
But he made no mistake on 70 picking up the ball on the right, before cutting in and past the last defender before rifling his shot into the roof of the net from a few yards out (2-0, 70 mins)
Creaney came on for the goalscorer on 72, but it was Finn who nearly added to the tally rolling a poked shot from the edge of the box under the dive of the advancing Giddens, but also past the right hand post.
Both ides completed their substitutions by the 83rd minute, and the rain came down as the sun shone through the floodlights and a long Tonks throw caused some problems in the Blues defence but he was then booked for a shirt pull.
There was still time for a third goal though, when the Bishops Stortford defence failed to clear the danger from an Enoru ball in from the left and Finn stole in to prod the ball home for his 14th of the season (3-0, 89 mins)
Three minutes added time was shown at the end of the game and the wind swept rain drove down the ground from the Castle End making play difficult but Creaney was able to get a shot away on 92 which went just wide of the mark before the final whistle blew and celebrations were not quite able to start as just one point is now required, from the remaining games to confirm the Lambs title.
Tamworth
Singh (c.), Curley, Finn, Milnes (c.) (Tonks 83), Fairlamb, Acquaye (Enoru 77), Cullinane-Liburd, Tshikuna (Creaney 72), Wreh, Sundire, Knight-Percival
Subs: Gascoigne, Deacon
YC: Tonks 86
Bishop’s Stortford
Giddens (c.), Cosgrave (Greene 66), Kassarate (Lusardi 76), Robbins, Beadle, McGregor, Crichlow (Mupomba 79), Foxley, Thomas, Charles, Alexander
Subs: Akolbire, Harvey
YC: Kassarate 42, Beadle 45+2, Charles 45+3
Referee: Mr. Jake Allsopp
Assistant: Mr. David Hinton, Mr. Keiran Forrest
Att: 2292
MOM: Chosen by match sponsors Gas Services Tamworth: Jordan Cullinane-Liburd
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