Tamworth  v  Brackley Town

Tue 21 Nov - 19:45 National League North

Tamworth

1-0

Brackley Town

Match Report

Andy Peaks’ table topping Lambs returned to The Compare The Build Community Stadium after Saturday’s FA Trophy defeat and the manager made three changes to the side that had faced Billericay as Liam Dolman, Kyle Finn and Tom Tonks came in for Jamie Willets, Callum Reilly and Michael Gyasi.
 

Referee McQuillan, who had taken charge of the Lambs opening game of the season against Scunthorpe, blew his whistle to get the game underway and the visitors kicked back towards their keeper, Lewis, before launching it upfield in search of former Lambs goalscorer Newton.

Finn tested Lewis with a drive from the right inside the second minute and Bates was booked for a late challenge on Tonks as he knocked the ball through on 5. This set Tshikuna up with the deadball but the Saints defended strongly and McHale played it through to Newton but he couldn’t get past Cullinane-Liburd to get his shot away.
Finn was clattered and needed treatment on 18 after McHale had skipped through the Lambs backline but was prevented from progressing any further by the Lambs midfielder’s tackle which earned the Brackley man a talking to from the referee as the players took a quick drinks break while Finn recovered.
Acquaye drilled the ball in from the left after good work from Fairlamb on 23, but Deacon was unable to get to the ball before the defender, and it came back out to Acquaye who tried his luck from the left channel but dragged it wide of the far post.
Tshikuna was denied by a fine diving push away from his right hand post by Lewis on 25 after some quick link up play to set up the chance, and The Lambs kept up the pressure without testing the keeper again.
Curley was booked for denying the run of Lilly out of midfield with a body block on 33 but turned visiting attacking into home attack from the ensuing play and a long Tonks throw fell to Acquaye on the right of the area who struck on the turn over the target.
Skill from Acquaye down the left gave Tonks another long throw opportunity on 41 and Dolman pounced on the loose ball in the box but his shot on the turn was straight at Lewis.
Tshikuna had his name taken for a foul on Gudger on 42, and it incensed The Shed and The Lambs bench too who also got shown a card, and from the resulting play The Lambs broke through Acquaye but his angled finish was denied by the trailing foot of Lewis.
Three minutes added time was shown at the end of the first half and a move involving Jellis down the right, and Curley’s cross looked for the head of Deacon in the box but a push was spotted by the referee which halted the attack.
Curley and Finn then combined and the ball was put out of play for another Tonks throw which was flicked on and Deacon forced Lewis to push it over his bar in the final act of the goalless first half.

HT 0-0

The Lambs got the second period underway attacking the Castle End, and an early foul on the half way line gave Curley the deadball from which Tamworth kept possession and pushed Brackley back into the final third for the first five minutes of the half.
Tonks throw from by the clubhouse was met by Deacon at the far post but his effort went over the keeper and dropped onto the top of the goal, and Tonks did similarly from the other side on 53 with Cullinane-Liburd forcing Lewis to punch it clear. And Dolman’s ball into earned his side a corner on the left as the pressure continued to build.
Tonks’ flagkick came out to Finn and his shot seemed to strike a hand, but there was no penalty despite loud shouts around the ground, and Deacon was booked for his protestations.
Visiting boss Gavin Cowan then made two changes with one time Lamb Turner taking to the field.
A Curley cross from the right channel was nearly headed past his own keeper by McHale but it went wide of the right hand post for a corner which was strongly defended by the Brackley.
Acquaye’s run and cross brought another corner on 63 but Cullinane-Liburd’s header looped over the target and onto the terraces.
Singh needed treatment on 64 giving both sides the chance to refresh their thirsts and tactics at their respective benches, and a clash of heads halted play when Deacon went down after play resumed.
Brackley forced their first corner of the game on 67 via a long deflected throw, and it came to nothing so Tamworth advanced and Curley’s cross was put behind for one for Tamworth which saw Brackley throw everything in the way of as Dolman, Jellis, Acquaye and Finn tried to get a shot away.
Another flagkick was forthcoming and in a crowded box, Dolman nearly connected with it at the far post but couldn’t turn it goalwards past the last defender.
An attack down the middle resulted in a half chance for Finn on 76 but he couldn’t lift his shot over the last defender and keeper so Lewis plucked it out of the air, and from the burst upfield Brackley forced a right sided flagkick, which went long and Curey cleared.
Brogan replaced Tshikuna for the final 15 minutes and he was involved in the move that saw Acquaye’s shot come off a visiting boot for a corner on the left on 80 which nearly but didn’t quite get headed home by Dolman at the near post.
Quick thinking by Finn on the left on 86 saw him whip the ball into the box looking for Jellis’ run but Lewis spotted it and was able to come out of his comfort zone and push it away with one hand before the chance presented itself.

Four minutes added time was show at the end of the second half, and a push on Brogan on the edge of the D set up the same player with the freekick, and he forced Lewis to push it around his post for a corner which was headed home at the far post by Man of the Match Dolman to lift the roof on The Lamb (1-0, 92 mins) and the final whistle blew on three points that ensured Tamworth remained at the top of the league.

Tamworth:
Singh (c.), Curley, Finn, Deacon, Fairlamb, Acquaye (Arlott-John 84), Cullinane-Liburd, Dolman, Tshikuna (Brogan 77), Jellis, Tonks
Subs: Gascoigne, Reilly, Gyasi
YC: Curley 33, Tshikuna 42, Deacon 53

Brackley Town:
Lewis, Carline, Calder, Murombedzi (c.), Gudger, Bates (O’Sullivan 82), Newton, McHale, Armson (Matwas 56), Lilly, Love (Turner 55)
Subs: Roberts, Lyttle
YC: Bates 5, O’Sullivan 86

Att: 848

MOM: Laguna Properties chose Liam Dolman

Referee: Mr. Matthew McQuillan
Assistant Referees: Mr. Alex Perkin, Mr. Jack Nield