Tamworth  v  Gloucester City

Tue 24 Oct - 19:45 National League North

Tamworth

1-0

Gloucester City

Match Report

After the last minute winner away at Blyth Spartans on Saturday, The Lambs returned to the Compare The Build Community Stadium and welcomed Gloucester City for the next Vanarama National League encounter, with Andy Peaks’ side looking to keep the league momentum going at the top of the table and in front of the National League TV cameras’ as The Lambs Media provided commentary for the live coverage.

Peaks made no changes to the side that ran out at Croft Park while the visitors featured three players that were once Lambs, Ben Richards-Everton, Wahib Tahra and Eliott Durrell.

A minute’s applause was held prior to kick off remembering the life and contribution of John ‘Donkey’ Bayliss, and with the silvery moon rising high about The Shed in a crisp clear sky the visitors got the game underway.
The Lambs attacked the Meadow Street end in the first half and worked the ball into the final third early on, forcing a corner from a long Cullinane-Liburd throw on 4 which Finn planted into the box, but on loan Birminghm City goalkeeper Jeacock, in his almost colour clashing orange and red kit, collected it and released Durrell who had a shot from distance and it deflected off Willets back for Singh’s first touch.
Arlott-John, Finn and Jellis all tried to get the ball into the danger area as the minutes ticked by, with a couple of Cullinane-Liburd throws causing problems and a corner dropping dangerously, but Jeacock remained relatively untested.
Jellis fired wide of the left hand upright on 14 and Arlott-John repeated the shot almost exactly on 16 as the target came slowly into view with each move, but the balls to Deacon and crosses into the box had not joined the attacking dots despite The Lambs best efforts.
Tshikuna found space on the edge of the box on 25 to fire a low shot towards the bottom right corner, but a touch from Jeacock denied him and a corner resulted which came to nothing as the green shirts of Gloucester packed out the box.
Durrell was booked on 31 for brining Jellis down as he advanced towards the box in the right channel, and Milnes forced Jeacock to push his on target strike around the post for a corner.
A handball midway down the right wing against City’s Reckord saw Finn send a deep swirling ball into the box on 32, but again Jeacock was there before Deacon,
There was so little play in the Tamworth left back area of the field that the cold mist hung around the corner flag as the first half continued, with players’ breaths visible all over the field in the cold air and although The Lambs were moving the ball around crisply and cleanly too, the City defence continued to frustrate by denying the final balls into the box.
A misplaced 9pass by Duffus allowed Milnes to burst onto the loose ball on 43 but his cross was blocked for another flagkick and despite some best efforts to connect, Richards-Everton cleared the threat.
In added time Curley was upended by Hanks on the half way line and he was booked, but nothing came from the freekick and halftime whistle blew.

HT 0-0

The Lambs restarted proceedings and the first chance of the half came on 53 when Durrell hit right footed shot on the bounce from 18 yards which went out pas the left hand post and Gloucester made their first change shortly after when Emmett, who had taken the brunt of a challenge shortly after the restart, was unable to continue so on-loan Bristol City defender Leeson replaced him.
Arlott-John picked up a yellow card but the reason was not clear for those on the press bench and when play resumed Tshikuna chased down the ball as it zipped into towards the box and forced Jeacock to leave his area and try and clear it, but his clearance rebounded off the Lambs player and forced Richards-Everton to recover as it bounced into the area but was not ‘on target’.
A Finn cross, and then a Jellis shot brought two corners in quick succession on 59 and Arlott-John made a run down the left and dug a shot-come-cross which Jeacock got to just before Deacon but Arlott-John was unable to continue so Williams replaced him on 62.
As in the first half, The Lambs left back area of the field started to fog over as the half progressed giving the Cross Street entrance an ethereal feel under the floodlights and play out from the back saw Tshikuna thread the ball to Jellis who jinked into the area and went down but there was no real shout for a penalty.
The reaction of Cullinane-Liburd to Santos’ challenge could be heard around the ground though on 67 and a yellow card was the punishment for the City man.
A golden chance fell for Tamworth on 70 when Finn beat his man and drilled the ball into the box but Cockerill-Mollet was unable to direct his left footed finish on target and it span up and left away and over the frame of the goal.
Durrell managed to wriggle away from his markers on 76 and Singh had to parry his on target strike from 20 yards and then drop quickly to smother it before Williams could pick up the scraps.
Finn scrambled the ball home on 81 from a shot fumbled by Jeacocks from Deacon on 82 but the offside flag denied him and play had continued while Cockerill-Mollett had been awaiting treatment following a clash, so when play stopped he was attended to and had to be carried from the field before Fairlamb could replace him for the last 10 minutes or so.
As the temperature and mist continued to drop on The Lamb, Tamworth forced another corner and from the ensuing play Tshikuna whipped the ball in from the left but no one could get a touch on it.
Play entered added time at the end of the game and when the ball was lifted over the top and bounced for Williams to run onto he lifted it over the advancing Jeacock but it there was still work to do and Deacon got past his man to head home from 6 yards to the delight of the home faithful. (1-0, 90 mins)
After recovering from the shock of the goal, the visitors moved upfield one final time and a freekick was awarded for a foul on the right which Durrell lined up and Willets dealt with and after seven minutes added time the finally whistle finally blew on another three points to put The Lambs four points clear with a game in hand.

Tamworth:
Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett (Fairlamb 84), Finn, Milnes (c.) (Meikle 72), Deacon, Willets, Cullinane-Liburd, Tshikuna, Jellis, Arlott-John (Williams 62)
Subs: Gascoigne, Reilly
YC: Arlott-John 56, Meikle 96

Gloucester City:
Jeacock, Ram, Reckord, Duffus, Durrell, McGrory (Dawkins 73), Williams, Hanks (c.), Richards-Everton, Santos, Emmett (Leeson 54)
Subs: Armstrong, McDonald, Tahra
YC: Durrell 31, Hanks 45, Santos 67

MOM: Kyle Finn

Att: 904

Referee: Mr. Declan Brown
Assistant Referees: Mr. Craig Thompson, Mr. Jordan Griffiths