South Shields  v  Tamworth

Sat 4 Nov - 15:00 National League North

South Shields

1-0

Tamworth

Match Report

The Lambs unbeaten run of form came to an end at Buxton in midweek, however Andy Peaks part time side remained top of the Vanarama National League North, clear of four points from Scunthorpe (whose game at Blyth was postponed), and five points of their third placed hosts, South Shields.
It was The Lambs first ever visit to the Shaftesbury Avenue ground, and they were looking to return to form against their full time opponents, who had just put the club up for sale.

Peaks made two enforced changes to the side that ran out at Silverlands in midweek, with Ben Milnes and Brad Gascoigne both out as Jamie Willets and Callum Reilly came in.

The home side got the game underway, with The Lambs attacking the non 3G pitch end of the ground a Mariners forced a freekick on the left of the box off the run of Mongoy via Cullinane-Liburd tackle, on 4 but his deadball into the area was too long.
Jellis and Arlott-John combined down the left wing on 7, but the latter’s ball into the area was also too much to be dealt with by teammate, and conversely Abbey released Heaney in the next move as South Shields pushed up, but Cullinane-Liburd was equal to his cross.
Home keeper Boney, in his luminous green shirt, played in right back for a moment as has defence played across the back to slow things down but Arlott-John’s whipped in cross on 10 was met by Jellis’ head although he couldn’t get direction on it.
Tshikuna took a knock in the middle of the park on 12 and seemed to need treatment but when the ball came through midfield again and he was the last man, on side, he tried his luck with a quick 50 yard lob of Boney which the keeper mistimed and saw it roll behind him towards goal, but it was never going in and easy to recover for the keeper.
A strong run from Arlott-John from the left into the middle gave him time and space to try a shot from 25 yards on 17, but he fired wide of the left hand post, and from the restart Finn picked up the ball in the right channel and tried a snap shot himself but it drifted well wide of Boney’s goal.
Finn lofted a left sided shot onto the roof of the net on 22, and Abbey looked for an opening on 24 but dragged his shot through a crowded box wide of the mark.
The closest either team had come ended with the woodwork being struck on 27 though as Blacket got the better of the Lambs defence in the left of the box and a rolled his shot goalward past Singh, but it came back off the face of the post and the home crowd were forced to quell their celebrations.
Another Tamworth attack on 31 ended with a foul on Jellis on the right of the area so Tshikuna lined up the deadball and Adams got their before Willets so Jellis’ corner had to be dealt with.
Woods appeared to have skipped through the Lambs backline on 35, but play was quickly halted for a foul in the build up to the annoyance of the Mariners and from the freekick Arlott-John’s goalbound free strike, set up by Reilly, deflected high and wide for a corner on the right. Finn got two attempts to load his ball into the box and the second was put behind for a flagkick on the left and the home side dealt with the pressure before clearing it down field.
Another attempt on goal from Finn struck a defender to take it looping wide of the far post on 39 and from the ensuing play Tshikuna was able to drive a right footed shot on target but also straight at Boney who took it low, easily on his line.
Good interplay between Arlott-John, Jellis and Finn ended with a Finn ball square into the left of thebox being put behind for another Lambs corner on 44 which was cleared but Tamworth kept the momentum and when Willets headed back into the box on 45 Cullinane-Liburd attempted an overhead kick which forced the keeper to push the goalbound strike away from danger in the final act of the goalless first half.

HT 0-0

Tamworth restarted proceedings but Blackett intercepted a ball in midfield and fed Mongoy who raced through with just one Lambs defender around him but saw his strike on goal denied by the acrobatic save of Singh.
Cullinane-Liburd launched one of his long throws into the area on 56 and got a couple of other attempts to load a cross from half clearances by the home side, but nothing came of the pressure, and then at the other end Blackett went toe to toe with Willets who held strong to force him wide in the right of the box and the resulting shot was high and off target.
But there was no stopping the downward header of Mongoy on 58 when he connected with Heaney’s right sided cross to the far post, and Singh was unable to prevent the ball going in (1-0, 58 mins)
Willets was incessant with the dive of Blackett under pressure from the Lambs defender on 64 when he went down in the area as both chased the same ball, and the referee was also having none of it, immediately waving away any claims for a penalty despite the increase in volume from the home faithful and then Abbey nearly connected with a whipped in right sided cross on 66 and had it not been for the full length dive from Curley perhaps would have.
Arlott-John’s tricky run into the area on 67 earned a corner, and also a booking for Broadbent’s protests against the decision but the flagkick came to nothing, and allowed both sides to make a change, as Williams replaced Finn.
At the other end, Arlott-John denied Blackett’s cross giving the Mariners a corner on the left on 72 and Jellis was well positioned to head the danger away but on 73, when Arlott-John was tripped in the middle of the park he needed treatment before play could resume.
Jones replaced Reilly with 15 to go, but it was Deacon who nearly, but couldn’t quiet, get the better of his marker to head home an Arlott-John dinked centre on 76 and Boney was booked from the restart for time wasting.
A Lambs corner from Jellis on 79 caused problems and Tshikuna’s low shot was booted away by Broadbent as the home defended in numbers under the floodlights.
Abbey picked up his side’s third yellow card after felling Jellis as the midfielder advanced midway into the South Shields half on 81, and before the freekick could be taken the referee had to speak with The Lambs advanced wall, cited in front of the keeper, but Tshikuna’s strike dropped over the bar and into the terrace behind the goal.
As the minutes ticked down Cullinane-Liburd and Blackett clashed on the sidelines, resulting in a booking for the Lambs man and a further booking was handed out to Fairlamb for a challenge in the corner in added time.
A last ditch attack from Tshikuna through to Cullinane-Liburd saw his centre headed towards, but wide of the target by Williams and a clash of heads between Willets and Martin halted the match and required the attention of both physios, and when play resumed Curley work the ball forwards and back to Cullinane-Liburd, but his cross form the right was taken at height by Boney and everyone bar Singh and Fairlamb went forward for a Cullinane-Liburd throw but the flag was raised and play halted.
And despite one last push upfield the referee blew the whistle with 99 minutes on the clock, and a long trip back home for the travelling faithful who didn’t stop singing throughout the game.

South Shields:
Boney, Clarke, Adams (c.), Liddle, Broadbent, Smith, Woods (Hasani 51), Abbey, Blackett (Morse 90+2), Heaney, Mongoy (Martin 68)
Subs: Seymour, Briggs
YC: Broadbent 67, Boney 77, Abbey 81

Tamworth:
Singh, Curley, Fairlamb, Willets (c.), Cullinane-Liburd, Jellis, Reilly (Jones 75), Tshikuna, Finn (Williams 69), Deacon, Arlott-John (Gascoigne 85)
Subs: Griffin, Hitchman
YC : Cullinane-Liburd 90, Fairlamb 90+1

Att: 2309

Referee: Mr. W. Davis
Assistant Referees: Mr. S Birket, Mr. J. Gill