Bishop's Stortford  v  Tamworth

Tue 14 Nov - 15:00 National League North

Bishop's Stortford

1-2

Tamworth

Match Report

Andy Peaks’ side made a chilly and damp midweek trip a new destination for travelling Lambs as the National League TV cameras streamed the footage from Woodside Park to the watching public who had not been able to make the journey to see last season two promoted sides play each other as the visitors, second from top, took on the hosts, second from bottom with Tamworth aware that a win could se them go top.

Peaks’ was forced to make one change to the side that suffered added time defeat at home to Banbury as Alex Jones sat out injured so Ty Deacon returned to the starting line up.
 

On a pitch that had been dried using a rolling sponge during the day due to a downpour of rain, The Lambs got the game underway and there was little to choose between the two in the opening exchanges, the best coming from Tshikuna who robbed Sodje on the right and threaded the ball through for the run of Deacon but home captain and keeper Giddens was there well in advance of any threat.
A long ball out Singh’s hands on 7 then fell invitingly for Jellis, and he tried a cheeky chip of the keeper from 30 yards but was unable to get it on target and it nestled in the travelling fans flags behind the goal.
A corner on the left by McGregor on 8 skipped through to another on the left soon after and Deacon was blocked and then cleared it off the line before Thomas tried his luck from long range only to find Willets in the way an attack by the Blues on 13 nearly got it’s rewards but Alemanji’s far post header bounced in such a manner than it was able to be clawed away by Singh.
Olufemi’s cross from the right was blocked by Arlott-John on 16 for another home corner and it was played out to the right for Foxley to whip a cross in which Singh had to come to parry, but ultimately didn’t touch as Alemanji was late to the half chance.
Alemanji was a threat once again on 18 sliding in to try and reach McGregor’s chipped ball into the right of the box but he failed to connect and if he had, the offside flag would have denied him, but the gaps at the back were worrying for the Lambs.
A Tamworth corner came on 22 after the persistence of Tshikuna, and he took the left sided deadball himself which cannoned off the home defence and went out for another but Willet’s header went high and wide of the terracing and the Andy Barnes stand behind Giddens’ goal.
Williams wriggled his way into the box on 25 and managed to get a shot away at the second attempt but found the way blocked and so Tshikuna tried his luck from a corner on the right and despite Willets header and Deacon’s follow up The Blues survived the close call.
Good work from Curley on the right wing threaded a pass through to Jellis on 28, and he took it past two defenders then struck low for the near post but it curled just wide of the mark with Giddens in full flight and when the home side lost possession Jellis found Deacon through the middle, but the latter’s shot was low and easy for the keeper.
Charles tackle on Williams ankle on the Lambs right wing reverberated around the ground on the half hour and earned him a booking, and Williams a visit from the physio, but Tshikuna’s freekick was headed off target by Reilly.
At the other end, Singh was forced to tip a floated cross-come-shot from Charles over the crossbar on 32, and Arlott-John kept Foxley away from the box forcing him to fired wide from distance.
Giddens was forced to leave his comfort zone and gather, at the second attempt, a difficult low cross from Jellis on 37 as he and Williams combined again.
After a flurry by the home side, penning Tamworth back for a few minutes, Tshikuna spotted Giddens off his line but was unable to guide his shot from 35 yards on target, and Willets was booked for applauding the linesman awarding an offside.
One minute added time was shown at the end of the first half which ended without further incident.

HT 0-0

After the Blues kicked off, The Lambs quickly won possession and went on the attack from the restart and forced an early corner which Tshikuna received back and drilled into the area but neither he, Arlott-John or Jellis could make anything stick.
Playing with increased tenacity and a more direct style, while also keeping the ball low Tamworth kept Bishop's Stortford penned back but the home side broke quickly and Deacon conceded a corner as one of the numerous planes coming into Stanstead rumbled over head but the referee was more interesting in some argee-bargee in the box and had to attend to that before the kick could be taken, which was cleared but then worked back for another on the same, right, side of the pitch. It too was cleared, but the home side kept possession.
Recounting the 1980-90s humorous show of his namesake, Beadle gave the crowd something to chuckle about with a bizarrely taken non-throw on 55, and this allowed The Lambs to get upfield and a corner resulted which Willets stooped low to head down and towards the target, but it was cleared.
Cullinane-Liburd was then shown a yellow card on 57 for a high boot on Charles and Foxley lined the freekick up but struck it at the Lambs keeper, who took it easily.
And then, the home side took the lead, hesitancy at the back allowed Steve Smith’s side to get he ball into the box and a close range sliding finish from Alemanji crossed the line, after McGregor’s possession had not been dealt with and his shot could only be parried by Singh. (1-0, 61 mins)
Tamworth were back on level terms with a few minutes though through another peach from Tshikuna who picked his spot from 25 yards and curled it over the despairing dive of Giddens (1-1, 65 mins)
There was a stoppage in play on 67 when Reilly was sent up and down on the touchline by Charles, but he was Ok to continue and a looping cross from Cullinane-Liburd aiming for Willets from the restart was taken at height by Giddens.
The home side made a change on 69 and Peters nearly made an instant impact but couldn’t keep his right footed volley from distance down to test Singh, and The Lambs them made a change of their own with Gyasi replacing Arlott-John on the left.
Tshikuna corner on the left flicked off the fingers of Giddens on 73 for another on the right, and The Lambs kept possession and as Tshikuna worked the ball into the area a tackle appeared to bring him down but there was no penalty awarded.
Deacon beat the offside trap to advance down the right channel on 77, and he pulled it back for Tshikuna to strike from 18 yards but it didn’t trouble Giddens, however Deacon’s flicked header from Tshikuna’s intelligent cross did force the keeper to protect his goal with a low near post stop on 79.
A foul on Curley on the right wing earned Foxley a booking soon after and the ball slipped through Giddens grasp under close attention from Tshikuna and out for a corner which Olufemi cleared.
Cullinane-Liburd’s long throw then fell to Jellis and with Giddens seemingly stranded at his near post, the Lambs midfielder tried to pick his spot from outside the area but couldn’t get it between the posts.
Williams required treatment in the centre circle with 5 remaining and both sides took an opportunity to get some refreshment for the final minutes, so Tonks made his season debut having signed for the club for the second time in the run up to the game, and Brogan joined proceedings at the same time.
Tonks’ first contribution was his trademark long throw on 88 and it caused problems, as did the resulting ball to Tshikuna but Giddens was not tested and five minutes added time was shown.

In the first minute of added time Olufemi’s throw to Charles resulted in a freekick following afoul on the latter but Foxley’s dead ball was caught by Singh, and Tamworth advanced upfield through Gyasi who found Tshikuna in the box but it was nipped off his toes and the clearance struck the referee so halting play.
From a home attack in the final minute, Tshikuna was pulled back as he tried to break clear and when Singhs’ deep freekick from inside his own half bounced in the area it was prodded past his own keeper by Adebowale, struck the left hand post and rolled over the goalline to the delight of the travelling faithful (1-2, 90+6 mins)
And the final whistle blew, putting The Lambs back at the top of the league ahead of a long trip in the FA Trophy at the weekend.

Bishops Stortford:
Giddens (c.), Sodje, Thomas, Beadle, McGregor (Green 84), Alemanji (Walker 75), Foxley, Olufemi, Adebowale, Charles, Alexander (Peters 69)
Subs: Robbins, Marlow
YC: Charles 30, Foxley 80

Tamworth:
Singh, Curley, Reilly (Tonks 86), Jones, Fairlamb, Williams (Brogan 86), Willets (c.), Cullinane-Liburd, Tshikuna, Jellis, Arlott-John (Gyasi 71)
Subs: Dolman, Phillips
YC: Willets 45, Cullinane-Liburd 57

Att: 387

Referee: Mr. Matthew Norton,
Assistant Referees: Mr. Andrew Tregoning, Mr. Bodgan Khymich