Tamworth
V
Macclesfield
AFC Fylde v Tamworth
AFC Fylde
1-2
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Tamworth
Match Report
After Saturday’s last-minute winner at Braintree Town, which quickly became a social media and regional TV sensation for Andy Peaks’ side and even moreso for audacious goalscorer Tom Tonks, The Lambs travelled to Mill Farm for their 10th Vanarama National League fixture of the season.
The two sides had met 6 times prior to this fixture all in the National League North between 2014-15 and 2016-17 under Andy Morrell, with an overall record of W2, D2, L2.
In amongst a packed Tuesday night schedule, a win over the home side could see Tamworth leapfrog towards the top half of the table although managerless Fylde, in 20th place, were on a similar quest for points, two places and two points behind The Lambs before kick off.
With Jordan Cullinane-Liburd suspended, and Ben Acquaye unavailable, Peaks made two changes to the side that returned victorious from Essex, as Kennedy Digie made his first appearance of the season, and Kai Williams came to the eleven for the first time in the campaign.
KICK OFF
The Coasters got the game underway, attacking the away end housing the travelling Lambs fans who made more noise than the rest of the ground combined in the opening couple of minutes.
While the Tamworth fans back in the clubhouse at The Lamb settled to watch the game on DAZN, in the opening exchanges, Fylde tried to advance down the right wing through Jolley but he was prevented getting crosses in by Fairlamb and captain Milnes mopped up the loose ends.
Haughton made a strong run to the edge of the D on 6 but saw his strike deflect of Hollis and go for the first corner which as played short and wasted.
A great run from Sundire out of the right of midfield and into the middle set up Milnes with The Lambs first chance on 11, but he lifted his strike from 18 yards over the target and into the home fans, but didn’t manage to disrupt the drummers rhythm.
A foul by Morrison on Jolley as he tried to forge a path into the final third, gave Haughton the freekick which was easily dealt with by Hollis who was then well positioned to deny Jolley’s right wing cross with a near post header clear on 14.
McGlinchey was booked for tripping Ormerod as he went down the left wing on 15, but the home side couldn’t build from the deadball, although they did regain possession and move it around midfield without too much product.
Williams stole the ball off a Fylde move in midfield and advanced towards the box on 18 only to find his way blocked by Coaster captain Whelan’s outstretched boot, earning him a booking, and setting up Tshikuna with the freekick which he drove towards goal, but it bounced past the left hand post with Winterbottom diving the right way.
Fairlamb made a foray down the left on 23 but slipped on the damp surface as he shaped to cross into a crowded area, so Sundire launched a throw from the left instead and Hollis flicked it on but Wreh was unable to get enough on his glancing header to divert it on target and it skipped past the upright.
Williams was booked for a blocking tackle against Jolley on 34 on the edge of Singh’s area and Haughton thumped the deadball straight into the wall, and more precisely Hollis who took the brunt of the strike and went down to the ground, needing treatment and play was halted to allow it. He returned to the field a minute or so later, and Ormerod was booked for impeding Singh as he tried to kick the ball out.
A Sundire throw was turned behind for Milnes corner on the left on 40 which Winterbottom punched away and Hollis was caught offside from the return ball into the area.
McGlinchey and Sundire combined out of the middle of the park with the former inches away from a finish from the return ball on 42 and from the resulting Milnes corner, another on the opposite side was awarded.
It came out to Tshikuna who teed himself up for a half volley which forced the keeper to push his on target effort around the post and Hollis’ glancing header had to be dealt with as the light rain persisted and gained weight as two minutes added time was shown at the end of the first half.
Williams was then tripped as he made headway into the home half and The Lambs forced a corner on the right but couldn’t test Winterbottom before the whistle blew.
HT 0-0
The Lambs restarted proceedings after Fylde had made a change and with less than three second half minutes on the clock McGlinchey picked up the ball in the box and fired from the left of the box into the far corner past the despairing dive of the home keeper, for his first of the season, to the obvious enjoyment of the Lambs fans behind him. (0-1, 48 mins)
Williams forced Winterbottom to protect his area from a low cross on 50 while at the other end Hollis was well positioned to deny O’Kane’s low shot and Ormerod fired wide in the next move.
Fairlamb dragged the ball back into the box from the left on 54 and it fell to Williams who forced Winterbottom to make a good stop for a Milnes corner, but Digie’s glancing header didn’t bother the keeper.
Despite the best intentions of Sundire on 57, Jolley got past him, this time on the left, and his snap cross rebounded off the near post and out.
With 25 remaining though, Ormerod was pulled down by Fairlamb as he tried to get past him into the area giving the referee no choice but to award a penalty kick which Haughton fired to Singh’s right with the keeper going the opposite way (1-1, 66 mins)
From the restart Fairlamb found Fairlamb 30 yards out and he went for goal with a low strike which was wide of the left hand post.
Ormerod took a tumble into the pitch side hoardings and was unable to continue forcing The Coasters fourth change of the game, and his replacement Roberts nearly found Ustabasi with his first touch but Fairlamb got his head to the cross first.
Another strong run from Williams ended with a low strike at Winterbottom on 72 and Peaks made his first change with Creaney coming on for Wreh, before the home side took a right sided corner which Roberts dragged past the far post.
Tshikuna threaded the ball through for Williams to run on to, but Winterbottom was quicker to it and when Fairlamb was upended on the left the freekick was headed on by Creaney and Digie but it went to the keeper.
After good play from Williams on the left, Sundire received the ball on the right and curled a shot towards the top left corner forcing Winterbottom to push it away for a corner and although nothing came of it, Sundire forced another from Morrison’s through ball on 80.
As the rain continued to blow down the ground towards the Lambs fans, Haughton was brought down by Milnes in the centre circle, earning him a booking and the terrace spotted Tonks warming up as Williams found McGlinchey in the area, but his touch was blocked for a corner. Creaney’s powerful header was diverted away from the target by the home defence allowing Tonks to come on for a throw and despite loud shouts the linesmen ruled out shouts that Winterbottom had taken the ball over the line.
Morrison was booked for a foul from the ensuing break downfield and Singh punched the resulting dangerous cross away before it fell to Haughton who put his shot into the home fans behind the goal.
A quickly taken freekick out of midfield was blocked bravely by Fairlamb and as four minutes added time was shown, Roberts was booked for diving in a crowded Lambs area looking for a last minute penalty.
A foul by Creaney on Ustabasi 25 yards out in the left channel gave Haughton the freekick on 92 and the wall did it’s job but Riley’s follow up from a similar position went just a few inches wide of the left hand post.
Lissimore took a tumble in added time meaning a late appearance for Okafor and from Tonks's throw, Creaney rose highest to power home a header and send the travelling fans wild with celebration. (1-2, 90+6 mins)
TEAMS
AFC Fylde
Winterbottom, Evans, Jolley (Zanzala 64), Mitchell, Haughton, Whelan (c.), Massey (Ustabasi HT), Hosannah, Ormerod (Roberts 68), O’Kane (Riley 64)
Subs: Richardson, Hailwood, Obi
YC: Whelan 18, Ormerod 38, Roberts 91
Tamworth
Singh, Digie, Milnes (c.) (Tonks 85), Fairlamb, Wreh (Creaney 73), Williams, Morrison, McGlinchey, Tshikuna (Lissimore 77), Hollis, Sundire
Subs: Curley, Phillips, Enoru, Okafor
YC: Williams 34, Milnes 83, Morrison 86, Creaney 90+6
Referee: Mr. Steven Copeland
Assistant: Mr. Scott Henry, & Mr. Curtis Wood
4th Official: Mr. Kavan Hurn
Att: 942 (approx. 75 from Tamworth)
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