23-07-24. The Harriers fail to score again in their latest friendly at Tamworth

Tamworth 2 Harriers 0

The Harriers lost 2-0 in their latest friendly at Tamworth this evening in a game that saw the host dominate proceedings. This time last season it would have been hoped that both teams would have been back in the same division together – hopefully the National League – but fate had it’s way and we went down while they went up in exchange.

We fielded what looked to be a weak side so giving rise to the possibility of playing a far more realistic team at AFC Telford Utd tomorrow evening. With just four certain first teamers: Alex Penny, Luke Summerfield, Amari Morgan-Smith and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain starting the remainder of the eleven comprised Tom Palmer, academy graduates and trialists. The bench was solely academy and mostly unknown. 

It was Tamworth that had two early chances to score with Christoful Wreh firing over and then following that up with a shot that hit the post. They earlier had shouts for a penalty for Nathan Tshikuna waved away as was one for Wreh a few minutes later.

It wasn’t until half a hour in when the former Harriers keeper Jas Singh was called into action when he pounced to stop an attack down the left. In return Tom McGlinchey tried to lob the ball over Palmer only to put it wide of his post.

Their first goal came on the stroke of halftime. A free kick was played to Beck-Ray Enoru who spun round quickly and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.

HT: 1-0

It didn’t take them long to extend the lead following the break when corner was sent over to the back post for Haydn Hollis to eventually fire the ball into the net from six yards out. We tried to respond with the Ox trying an overhead kick but it went wide.

Tshikuna should have done better with a chance but he rushed at it and watched as it flew past the upright. At least they were getting chances while we looked bereft of ideas once again.

By the end of the ninety it could have been three, or four, to Tamworth such was their dominance. Our only other chance came two minutes from the end when Alex Penny tried his luck when he closed in on Summerfields cross but put it wide.

Let’s hope we see better in Wellington tomorrow evening.

FT: 2-0

Tamworth: Singh, Milnes, Fairlamb, Wreh, Willets, Cullinane-Liburd, McGlinchey, Tshikuna, Enoru, Hollis, Trialist.

Subs: Cockerill-Mollet, Creaney, Lissimore, Okafor, Acquaye, Trialist, Trialist.

Harriers: Palmer, Penny, Trialist I, Summerfield, Trialist C, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Trialist J, Morgan-Smith, Rubio, S Hewett, Hall.

Subs: Bishop, Broni-Phillips, Maginness, Whittle, N Hewett, Toor.

Att: 645