Wealdstone 3 – 2 Tamworth

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Man of the Match

Micah Obiero

The Lambs suffer defeat at hands of Stones

Despite Tamworth leading twice, the home side take the points

On a mild March evening, after the two home league wins over Altrincham and Boreham Wood, Andy Peaks’ Lambs played their third away game on the bounce with a midweek visit to the London Borough of Harrow, rearranged from a few weeks previously when a waterlogged pitch postponed the match. The Lambs looking to record a positive result on the road at Grosvenor Vale, the home of Gary Waddock’s ‘Stones’, after away defeats to Yeovil Town and Woking. Wealdstone, in 16th position and 3 points behind The Lambs in the 10th, will face Marine FA Trophy Semi Finals later in the month, who knocked out both The Lambs and The Cards.

Peaks made four of changes to the side that ran out at Kingfield with Matt Curley and Callum Cockerill-Mollett coming into a rejigged back four, while Ben Acquaye and Dan Creaney came in to the side after coming off the bench at the weekend.

Wealdstone got the game underway with The Lambs kicking up the slope in the first half, towards the travelling faithful and a quick counter attack involving Creaney out of midfield to Aqcuaye in the left channel almost saw Mols slide in at the far post but it was inches away from his outstretched boot and went wide of the mark for a goalkick. Former Lamb Tshikuna sent a 5th minute freekick into the area from 25 yards out and it was cleared and allowed The Lambs to break upfield with Kutrtaran finding Acquaye who whipped in a cross from the left for Mols but he couldn’t get his head to it.

However, play stopped as the ball when out of play and Mols needed treatment on the field for a bloody nose and had to leave the field before play could continue.

Hutchinson got the better of Cockerill-Mollett to advance into the right corner on 10 and drilled it across the box but none of his teammates, including Tshikuna, could get a clean strike on it and Tamworth cleared their lines.Tonks was penalised for a pull on Adarkwa on 14 and Tshikuna lined up another freekick which Hollis headed away, and he had another go from slightly further away on 16 which Singh collected at height.

Tonks was given his first chance of a long throw on 20 but he threw it short to Kurtaran and it went out for another, which Tonks sent into the area, Creaney flicked it on and it popped up for Mols to score at the far post with a diving header into the roof of the net to the delight of the fans behind Baptiste’s goal (0-1, 21 mins)

Kurtaran was booked for a shirt pull on Adarkwa as he advanced over the halfway line on 23 but the home side were unable to capitalise from the freekick and when Tamworth advanced Waller played it wide of his own keeper forcing Baptiste to put it out for a throw which Tonks sent in from the right and although Creaney got a shot away it went up and over the target from 12 yards.

The home side were back on level terms on the half hour though when Kadji picked up the ball on the edge of the area and rifled home a powerful right footed strike past Singh who dived but it was travelling so quickly that it past him before he saw it in time to react. (1-1, 30 mins)

Singh had to drop low to his left to smother a rolling shot from Tshikuna on 32 and when Obiero tussled with Hollis as he tried to go into the box on 33 there were shouts for a foul but they were waved away by the official. Kurtaran’s left sided freekick earned a corner on the right a minute later and it came back out to Acquaye on the left of the D just outside the box, and his strike took a slight deflection to take it past Baptise and restore the advantage (1-2, 35 mins)

Singh was forced into a low parry on 39 when Kadji struck on the angle from the right of the penalty spot and Hollis cleared the rebound and when Tshikuna got the better of Bates 20 yards out he picked his spot but fired high over the stand behind the goal.

Mols literally caught Tiensia as he went past him down the left wing on 41 giving Tshikuna another dead ball to strike and Creaney booted it high and away from inside the 6 yards box.

Scores were level again on 44 though, when Hutchinson made headway into the right of the area and cut it back for Adarkwa to redirect 90 degeres past Singh inside the near post. (2-2, 44 mins)

As four added minutes was shown, Curley upended Woodman by the left hand corner flag with a sliding tackle and earned himself a booking.

Tamworth made one last push and Creaney forced a corner late into the half but it was cleared and the whistle blew.

HT: 2-2

Bates got the second half underway and The Lambs attacked immediately down the right but Mols couldn’t get to Kurtaran’s through ball and the home side responded with Hutchinson whipping it into the area for Obiero but he couldn’t get a toe on it as he slid in 6 yards out.

Tamworth escaped going behind on 48 when Obiero beat the Lambs back line to go one on one with Singh and his shot past the keeper came back off the right hand post before rebounding into grateful arms of The Lambs keeper.Tonks sent a right sided throw into the box on 53 and received it back, chipping towards the far post, but Waller went down under pressure from Hollis and play was stopped by the referee as Kurtaran struck the loose ball over the bar from 18 yards.

Adarkwa found himself of acres of space when Waller’s cross came in from the right on 57 but his header was tame and bounced back to Singh, and just short of the hour mark The Lambs keeper collected Kadji’s back flick intended for Hutchinson which was too strong for the latter to get to ahead of the keeper.

Singh was perfectly placed to deny Kadji’s long range drive on 60 and Tshikuna fired wide of the right hand upright a minute later as Wealdstone found space to move the ball around into the final third.

Tamworth then made a change with Milnes replacing Kurtaran on 62 as Singh received treatment and both sets of players had a drinks break before play resumed.Spencer’s foul on Acquaye gave Milnes the deadball in the left channel on 65 and in the end, Hollis dispossessed Tshikuna and it fell to Cockerill-Mollett on the edge of the area but his shot was blocked and a left sided corner resulted.

However, the home side took the lead for the first time in the game on 68 when Singh parried a close range shot from Spencer and it was followed up by Obiero (3-2, 68 mins)

Cockerill-Mollett was booked for a late challenge on McAvoy with 18 remaining and Tshikuna set up Tiensia with a long ball forwards but it was too long for Adarkwa so Singh tried to get things going with a long goal kick however the resulting ball from Mols for Curley was too strong.

Under pressure from Tonks, Hutchinson struck an angled curling shot from 18 yards which Singh took at head height on 76 and the home side maintained their pressure with Obiero’s shot taking a big deflection off Rye for a corner.

In a straight swap at left back Fairlamb replaced Cockerill-Mollett before play resumed and there were three more changes with ten minutes remaining as Peaks’ squad looked to recover at least a point from the game.Tiensia’s strike was blocked and put out for a corner on 84 which Tshuikuna floated across the box with a teammate being able to connect.

Seven added minutes were shown, and Hutchinson’s shot took a touch off Fairlamb for a right sided corner which Creaney headed away from the near post.

At the other end Milnes’s ball over the top was too long and high for Creaney, and a minute later his strike was blocked.

There was time for one final push but Baptiste got to Fairlamb’s ball looking for the run of Creaney and the final whistle blew.

WealdstoneBaptiste, Woodman (c.), Kadji, Obiero, Hutchinson, Tshikuna (Agyemang 90+1), McAvoy, Spencer, Adarkwa (Olomola 88), Tiensa, Waller (Boldewijn 74)Subs: Johnson, Georgiou, Adu-Poku, HinchyYC: (none)RC: (none)

TamworthSingh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett (Fairlamb, 77), Tonks (Lynch 80), Bates, Rye, Mols (Isichei 80), Acquaye (Reindorf 80), Hollis, Creaney, Kurtaran (Milnes 62)Subs: Digie, Cullinane-LiburdYC: Kurtaran 23, Curley 45, Cockerill-Mollett 72RC: (none)

Referee: Isaac Searle Assistants: Stuart Butler, Nicoleta Bria Fourth Official: James Hurst

Attendance: 1032 (approx. 40 from Tamworth)