Report: Tamworth 3-1 Maidenhead United

United’s first ever visit to The Lamb Ground one turned out to be an unmemorable occasion for the large away following which travelled to the west midlands as the Magpies put in a forgettable performance. 

 

They started the game well on the artificial surface at B77. Tristan Abrahams – restored to the starting line up along with Nathan Ferguson who returned from international duty with Guyana – saw an early shot blocked before Sam Barratt hit the underside of the crossbar with a typically audacious chip from fully 40 yards. Casey Pettit then fired an effort over the top from the edge of the box. That opening ten minutes was probably as good as it got for the visitors. 

 

The home side began to gain control of what was a scrappy encounter low on quality. Captain Craig Ross denied the lively home favourite Chris Wreh at his near post before Tom McGlinchey’s goal-bound effort was blocked after Ross failed to gather a high ball into the box. 

 

A corner from Ben Acquaye was glanced across goal by recent signing Munashe Sundire but no home player was near enough to gain a finishing touch. United suffered another injury blow before the break as the dazed Thierry Latty-Fairweather was replaced by Owen Cochrane, necessitating another defensive reshuffle. United were perhaps readjusting when Wreh prodded home a corner at the far post in first half injury time to open the scoring but the Magpies passed up a glaring opportunity seconds before the half time whistle was blown when Abrahams glanced a header wide at the far post from a rare United corner. 

 

Hesitant defending with barely ten minutes of a nervy second half gave Tamworth daylight, Ben Acquaye with the decisive finish. From there on it was mainly one way traffic, with the Magpies unable to keep quality possession whilst finding the home side’s set-pieces too hot to handle, with Wreh nodding wide from another corner before a long throw with ten minutes left was neatly nodded home by Nathan Tshikuna. 

 

The Lambs almost had a fourth moments later when Acquaye’s miscued shot found substitute Daniel Creaney whose shot from point blank range was blocked and Ross had to pull of a smart save from the outstanding Tshikuna. United actually had the last say in this one when Tobi Sho-Silva headed home a cross from the willing Joseph Ajose but the home side should ave had an even more decisive margin of victory when a flowing move gave Kai Williams an opening which he slammed against a post with only Ross to beat. 

 

Magpies: Ross, Lokko, Latty-Fairweather (sub Cochrane ’40), Ferguson (sub McCoulsky ’60), Pettit, Smith, Welch-Hayes, Abrahams (sub Sho-Silva ’65), Barratt (sub Carvalho ’79), Golding, Ajose. 

 

Subs not used: Collins, Massey. 

 

Lambs: Singh, Milnes (sub Tonks ’79), Fairlamb, Wreh (sub Creaney ’76), Morrison, Acquaye (sub Williams ’88), Cullinane-Liburd, McGlinchey (sub Enoru ’85), Tshikuna (sub Okafur ’90), Hollis, Liburd. 

 

Subs not used: Digie, Lissimore.