Tamworth  v  Banbury United

Sat 11 Nov - 15:00 National League North

Tamworth

1-2

Banbury United

Match Report

Tamworth returned to Vanarama National League North action by welcoming the Puritans to the Compare the Build Community Stadium at The Lamb, aiming to get back to winning ways after a couple of league defeats on the road, and Tuesday night’s Birmingham Senior Cup penalty exit at the hands of Hednesford Town.

Prior to the game, Andy Peaks had added to his squad with Michael Gyasi coming in on loan from Boston United, and he made two changes to the side at South Shields seven days previously with Kyle Finn not featuring and Ty Deacon on the bench as Alex Jones and Kai Williams started.

Before kick-off, representative of Tamworth’s Royal British Legion placed a commemorative wreath on the center circle, accompanied by over 30 members of the Lambs Academy sides. Then the Ode of Remembrance was read, and The Last Post was played while the ground was otherwise in silence.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, remembrance weekend is a solemn occasion for all of us when we reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave men and women who serve or have served for our cause. In the presence of the Royal British Legion we commemorate the incredible bravery and strength of those who came before us, those who have served and those who will continue to serve in their wake.

ODE of REMEMBRANCE
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Banbury got the game underway but The Lambs quickly won possession and a foul on Arlott-John inside the second minute allowed Jellis to fire a freekick into the area but Hall was clattered and needed a moment to recover.
Tshikuna got through the back line into a shooting position in the next move but curled his shot over the target and into the segregated Meadow Street terrace. Jones then floated a dangerous cross into the box from the right but his teammates were unable to connect.
Hewitt saw his shot from 25 yards charged down by captain Willets block on 10, and at the other end Williams whipped a cross into the box but Hardin was there before Jones could get a boot on it.
Jellis fired low from the right wing on 15 into the low clutches of the keeper at his near post and try as they might, The Lambs continued to find their path to goal blocked as Jellis again, and then Williams were prevented from striking on target when well positioned by a stubborn Puritans defence and a twice taken corner, by Jelis, dropped agonisingly onto the roof of the net on 19.
Recent Puritans signing Kelly-Evans forced a right sided corner off Fairlamb on 23 and it came out to Charles, but his shot from outside the area rose and struck the advertising hoardings above the Castle End road.
A foul on Arlott-John shortly after earned Maye a booking for his efforts and the Lambs midfielder needed a moment to recover before play could resume.
From the freekick Willets flicked it on and Jones nearly connected but Harding got to it first and the Lambs captain then got in the way of Maye’s speculative but powerful shot which took the wind out of him and although he was able to continue, Jones suffered cramp and had to be replaced by Deacon on 29.
A flowing move down the Banbury left wing on 32 eventually ended when the ball cam back out for Maye to strike from distance again, and although his effort was not quite so wild this time, it too failed to f=trouble Singh.
As United enjoyed more of the game, Reilly was booked for a foul in the centre circle on 38 and as they pushed on Elliot-Wheeler sprinted onto a through ball into the right of the area and drilled it low past Singh to Hewitt, but the speed of the ball was too much for him to control and The Lambs escaped punishment for an uncharacteristic gap at the back.
Charles was given an opportunity of a shot from 20 yards just to the right of the D on 43, but lifted his strike over and out of play, and Tamworth responded with Williams making headway down the left, but his cross was too close to Harding.
Five minutes added time was show at the end of the first half and it ended without further incident

HT 0-0

The Lambs restarted the game and Williams quickly picked his spot from 30 yards but failed to test Harding with his effort as Tamworth looked to get an early advantage.
Tshikuna drove a shot into the Banbury defence from 25 yards on 48 and Arlott-John sent a perfect cross into the area on 50 for Cullinane-Liburd to head but he directed it out, back past the near post and wasn’t afraid to his frustration.
Williams steamed into the area on 54 but was denied a shot by the covering United defence and Harding smothered the loose ball.
Then from a Williams / Reilly move into the right channel on 57 the former saw his goalbound effort deflected and acrobatically pushed away from danger by Harding as the tempo of the game continued to be quicker than prior to the break.
Tshikuna picked his spot on the hour, but his long range effort skimmed the top of the bar and as The Lambs attacked again, Arlott-John’s low shot was denied by the close attentions of Maja-Awesu.
The same players were involved in front of the dougouts on 65 with the Tamworth midfielder coming off worse, and he picked up a booking although the home faithful in the Shed shouted for more.
Both sides made a change before play restarted and Willets got his head onto the deep freekick, but it bounced kindly for Harding to catch.
A dinked ball through to Deacon from Tshikuna saw the striker go down under a challenge, but there was no penalty awarded and Banbury broke quickly to the other end and despite calls for offside against the one time Lambs forward Yussuff, no flag came and he slotted home past the exposed Singh. (0-1, 71 mins)
However, the lead didn’t last long as a foul on Arlott-John on the left set up a freekick which, in a packed area, Cullinane-Liburd headed home past Harding to the delight of the home faithful (1-1, 73 mins)
Then, it looked as though Tamworth had edged in front but the offside flag denied Willets follow up shot after Deacon and Williams had forced Harding to push the ball away from danger from close range.
Arlott-John made a strong run down the left and fired a shot towards the top left corner on 82 forcing Harding to push it away from danger for a corner which fell to Gyasi but he couldn’t get his shot past his markers.
Another freekick for The Lambs nearly resulted in a goal on 85 but Cullinane-Liburd’s far post header was just wide of the mark and Jellis burst onto a Tshikuna through ball down the right channel on 88 but a combination of speed and defensive presence meant his snapshot went wide of the left hand post.
Due to an number of stoppages in the half, seven minutes added time was shown and although Gyasi picked up the loose ball in the area on 92 and appeared to go down under a clumsy challenge, no penalty was awarded.
As Tamworth pushed on again Deacon appeared to be tripped 25 yards out but was booked for simulating a foul and when Banbury advanced to the other end Maye picked up the ball from a left sided cross, in the right of the area and rifled home a low shot into the far corner (1-2, 98 mins)
​There was still time for The Lambs to try one last attack, and Jellis forced a corner in the 100^th minute but it was cleared and Banbury celebrated victory at the final whistle.

Tamworth:
Singh, Curley, Reilly (Brogan 66), Jones (Deacon 29), Fairlamb, Williams (Gyasi 80), Willets (c.), Cullinane-Liburd, Tshikuna, Jellis, Arlott-John
Subs: Gascoigne, Phillips
YC: Reilly 38, Deacon 97

Banbury United:
Harding, Davies, Maye, Fleming, D’Ath (c.) (Barlow 79), Charles, Hewitt (Henderson 90+3), Kelly-Evans, Elliott-Wheeler (Yussuff 67), Hall, Maja-Awesu
Subs: Tapp, Obadeyi
YC: Maye 26, Kelly-Evans 73, Davies 85

Att: 1280

MOM: Chosen by match sponsors Really Awesome Coffee: Jordan Cullinane-Liburd

Referee: Mr. Darren Rogers
Assistant Referees: Mr. Andrew Biggin, Mr. Harley Hetherington