Tamworth 3 Stockport County 1 ( Vanarama National League- North) 28 August 2017
County
flattered to deceive at the Lamb today, taking an early lead through Sam Minihan, before surrendering
same seven minutes later, and then the game in a second half best
forgotten.
Minihan, good goal ( Andrew Machin ) |
Despite
County’s early dominance, and the shock of seeing the lead slip away, 1-1 at
half time, with County playing towards their vocal support , looked to maybe be a reasonable platform
from which to sneak 3 points in the second half, but it was not to be.
Andrew Machins pic of the Away Terrace. |
Ostensively this was down to Reece Styche who capped an all action second half
display with 2 goals, but County’s inability to impose their game on their
hosts was also a cogent factor in my view.
Styche- all action performance ! |
One of the
Styche strikes came via the penalty spot, but by that time, although we were
building up some momentum, there was always room for Tamworth to believe they
would get another. For a time though, it appeared that Ben Hinchliffe would
keep County’s ship afloat as a string of saves from him kept Styche and company
at bay.
Andrew Machin catches Hinchliffe- my County M.O.M- catching the ball. |
As I say however…..it was not to be, and in the end you would be hard
pressed to argue that our hosts did not deserve the points.
County
opened in a blizzard of attacking moves, but after Hampson’s early effort had
been deflected for a corner, which was headed over the bar, it was 3 minutes
before anything further of note emerged from either side.
Hampson on the charge ( Andrew Machin ) |
The
instigator was Duxbury who gave every indication of continuing where he left
off on Saturday, pushing the home side back with a series of neat runs.
Duxbury puts pressure on.... |
The
latest of these saw him lift a cross to the back of the box, where it was
played back to Minihan who was surging at speed into the box. In an instant it
was 1-0 to County as Minihan hurried the ball into the net to the consternation
of the locals.
Minihan darts in to score. |
Nothing
untoward happened next- it might have…but Smalley was alert enough to block
Bradley Reid as he sped clear.
At the other
end meanwhile, Warburton and Stephenson exchanged passes sending the latter
clear, but a not unreasonable offside flag did for that effort.
Deeney trails Warburton & Stephenson. |
Twelve
minutes had gone, and County were maintaining their control, but they allowed
Ellis Deeney ( a decent performer for Tamworth)to sling over an impudent long
ball from wide left. This took out 3 maybe 4 County men, landing at the feet of
Reid, who rounded Hinchliffe to make it 1-1.
That was a
shock, and another almost followed, just 3 minutes later, and a sense of deja
vu reigned as Deeney again pinged one over from wide left. Again the delivery
was excellent, but to the back post this time, and Styche seemed to have the
easiest of jobs to head home and make it 1-2, but instead he planted his header
wide!
County under pressure. |
It must be
said that despite enjoying the majority of possession, County might easily have
been one down- a worrying thought!
I worried
again to see Stephen Morley test Hinchliffe with a live one from way out……
I needed to
perhaps get a grip…after all Minihan’s forward runs proliferated, and Duxbury
was still giving us options down the left, but centrally speaking the Tamworth
captain Luke Jones pretty much had Stephenson in his pocket, and nothing of
note was coming from Warburton either.
Tamworth under pressure. |
Meanwhile Minihan’s
latest run ended with a County corner, and a decent catch by home keeper Shaun
Rowley, from which County were hit on the break by Darryl Knights .
Rowley makes good catch u/p |
This looked
a tad iffy until Clarke intervened with a neat bit of work to snuff out the
forward’s run. Knights was a persistent rascal though and was back in no time
winning the ball before sending Reid clear in the box. Iffy does not quite
cover it…..but thankfully the liner’s flag was up, and County were saved.
Corners came
and went for County next as Warburton and Stephenson tried to make something
from almost nothing. Rowley ruined the plan again, punching clear under
pressure.
Tamworth pushed back. |
It continued
in much the same vein for a time, with Stephenson trying to work something,
being denied by the combined efforts of Jones, Morley and Deeney.
No way thru' for Stephenson |
I felt sure
this pressure would pay off, but instead….the 37th minute saw, the
ball head into the County box from the left destined for Styche. Again it
picked him out with precision, and again the goal gaped before him, but this
time he chose to shoot , and his shot went wide of the far post- an
escape…another escape!
Stephenson
did look like he might snatch one back, with 4 minutes of the half left, but he
pushed his man en-route, and it was no surprise when referee Ben Speedie penalised
the Stockport man.
County
pushed on in the half’s dying embers, Cowan doing well down the right.
2 shots of Cowan on ball ( top -hedgie/ AM below) |
A series
of corners followed and at one point Smalley almost had the ball in the net….it
was close, but the action ended with Duxbury clearing the bar with his follow
up effort.
Smalley....almost ! |
The re-start
saw County attacking down the flanks, with Minihan down the right, and Hampson
down the left. Both won corners , but on each occasion the delivery was poor
and Tamworth were able to clear.
A cross from Minihan. |
A foul on
Styche on the edge of the box, as Tamworth replied, almost turned the tables on
County , and Hinchliffe did brilliant work to tip the number nine’s free kick
over the bar.
Excellent save by Hinchliffe. |
Pressure was
on County for a time afterwards, but relief came finally when Stephenson was
fouled breaking up field.
County battle for possession. |
Stephenson
was still out of luck, being inches from Warburton’s pass in the box, but the
better chance again materialised at the other end where Styche played for, and
won ,a free kick on the edge of the box. Tamworth had 2 attempts to force this
one home without success, being again frustrated to see Styche’s header
nestling on top of the netting at the end of it all.
Back came
County , Hampson’s run earning a corner, but the delivery from this was truly
awful, and once more enterprising play had been laid waste by us not doing the
basics correctly.
Hampson crosses( Andrew Machin ) |
Straight
from that….Tamworth hit us on the break and Hinchliffe did well to keep
Deeney’s strike out, after Morley had feasted on a Deeney through ball and turned the right side
of County’s defence inside out.
It was becoming worrying again, and more fuel to
this fire came with Styche lashing one
in from way out. Hinchliffe was magnificent in his response flinging himself to
his right to push the ball around the post.
Rowley
offered County a scintilla of hope with a flap from Cowan’s cross, and corners
and free kicks came and went , but nothing of substance was emerging to bolster
thoughts of a County win- indeed I looked to my left to see Hinchliffe claw
Styche’s latest effort down from under the bar!
Styche was a
real threat throughout this encounter, and it was only a mild surprise when
eventually he gave his side the lead, shooting home to punish County’s
inability to clear their lines.
There were
less than 15 minutes left now, and thus time to put matters right, but would
we?
Well….they
did keep trying, so much so that Jack Lane almost obliged by heading into his
own net from a County corner.
...and again ( Andrew Machin this time)..... |
County were
trying for sure, but over eagerness was getting in the way, and inevitably perhaps
Tamworthy sneaked another to kill the
game off.
just too anxious....... |
The ex
Forest Green striker had fallen easily all afternoon and under pressure, with
time ebbing away fast,he did so again, and the referee pointed to the spot to
local acclaim.
Stepping up,
Styche duly put the kick away to make it 1-3, winning the game for Tamworth.
hedgie's view of that.... |
....and Andrew Machin's |
Disappointing...definitely....end
of the world?...definitely not.
Needs
working on of course, but Jim is the man for that job I have no doubt at all.
See you at
Edgeley Park on Saturday, for the game with Bradford Park Avenue.
Tamworth
line up:
Rowley, Burns, Morley, Deeney, Jones, Lane, Upton, Verma,
Styche, Reid( Curley 68), Knights( Fox 78).
Subs not used: Ezewele, Jezeph , Walters.
Stockport County line up:
Hinchliffe, Cowan, Clarke, Smalley, Duxbury( West 80), Ball,
Minihan, S Walker, Stephenson( T Walker 68), Warburton, Hampson.
Subs not used ; Ormson, Peach, Brazel.
Attendance ; 1170
hedgegrower
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