MATCH PREVIEW | TAMWORTH

The Bees travel up to The Lamb Ground this Saturday (3pm) as they face 15^th place Tamworth in the Vanarama National League.

 

Barnet:

Barnet hosted Hartlepool United at The Hive Stadium on Tuesday night, going four points clear at the top of the table and extending their unbeaten run to fourteen with a 2-0 win. 

As the match went underway, both teams were determined to take control of the game, creating goal scoring opportunities on either side of the pitch. 

Danny Collinge gave Barnet the first chance of the game, as he connected with the ball from a 

cross on the right, heading it down low past the back post.

 

The first half carried on both teams displayed an end-to-end performance, continuing to battle for a goal and to take the lead on getting the three points.

Just as the first forty-five minutes was coming to an end, a Barnet corner was headed away to outside the box where Zak Brunt launched a shot towards goal, which was tipped onto the crossbar by Pool’s goalkeeper Adam Smith, keeping the score level at the break.

As the second went underway, the Bees returned to the field with a fighting spirit, to which was proven in the 51^st minute as Ryan Glover slotted the ball away past the Hartlepool keeper and giving Dean Brennan’s side the lead. 

As the match continued, Zak Brunt lined the ball up to take a corner, which was taken quickly and found the path of Lee Ndlovu who flicked the ball past the goalkeeper, scoring his first goal as a Bees player in the 63^rd minute. 

Hartlepool made multiple substitutions in an attempt to redeem themselves in the game, but it was clear to see Barnet had full control and were not showing any signs letting the lead slip. 

As the referee blew for full-time, the players celebrated the win, and Lee Ndlovu approached the fans, thanking and applauding everyone for their support after claiming his first goal for the Bees.

 

Barnet last five results:

Barnet FC 2-0 Hartlepool United

Barnet FC 3-0 Maidenhead United

Southend United 0-3 Barnet FC

Forest Green Rovers 0-0 Barnet FC

Altrincham 3-1 Barnet FC

From the dugout:

Connor Smith pre-match interview can be found HERE

Tamworth:

Tamworth faced Aldershot Town away in the Vanarama National League at The Recreation Ground, after taking the lead twice The Lambs grabbed just the one point from the game as they drew 2-2 to The Shots. 

The Shots were causing trouble for The Lambs early in the game, as Aldershot’s forward Josh Barrett tested Tamworth’s keeper Jasbir Singh with a couple attempts on goal in the opening minutes. 

Aldershot’s forward Josh Barrett tested Tamworth’s keeper Jasbir Singh with a couple attempts on goal in the opening minutes.

Tamworth’s Beck-Ray Enoru responded for The Lambs, creating chances down the left side of
the field and finding Dan Creaney at the front, who struck the ball on the volley but failing to find the back of the net as the ball flew just over the target.

 

Both teams were looking for that opener that would give them the lead, but as time went on the first half came to an end and the score remained the same.

 

Tamworth wasted no time when they arrived back onto the field, as just four minutes into the second half Dan Creaney met the ball from a Tom Tonks throw-in, heading the ball towards the goal and hitting the back of the net. 

The lead didn’t last long for The Lambs as Aldershot equalised in the 53^rd minute, Jack Barham headed the ball in past Jasbir Singh from a corner, bringing the score back level in the match. 

As the game progressed Dan Creaney got his name on the scoresheet once again, as he fired in a low driven cross by Beck-Ray Enoru past the goalkeeper restoring the lead for The Lambs.

The Shots continued to press on, and in the 80^th minute they brought the score back level once again, when an unmarked Luca Woodhouse headed the ball into the net from a corner kick, ensuring both teams will be sharing the points at the end of the game.

Tamworth last five results:

Aldershot Town 2-2 Tamworth

Tamworth 3-0 Boston United

Sutton United 1-0 Tamworth

Solihull Moors 2-0 Tamworth

Tamworth 1-1 Forrest Green Rovers

From the opposition dugout:

Tamworth manager Andy Peaks will be leading The Lambs from the dugout on Saturday with Neil Champelovier as his assistant. 

Andy Peaks and Neil Champelovier joined Tamworth from AFC Rushden and Diamonds in February of 2022, and since then they have won back-to-back promotions with The Lambs
returning to the National League at the start of the 2024/25 season.

Their most recent achievement came back in December, as the club reached the third round of the FA Cup, coming up against Premier League side Tottenham Hotspurs at The Lamb Ground.

Ones to watch:

Tamworth centre forward Dan Creaney is the current top goal scorer for The Lambs this season.

The centre forward has scored 10 goals and assisted 3 in the league, he has also managed to average a goal every 140 minutes.

Last time these two sides met:

Barnet hosted Tamworth at The Hive Stadium on the 31^st of August 2024, where the Bees put seven past the newly promoted side, and Zak Brunt claiming the match ball with a hat-trick at full-time. 

Callum Stead had the first chance of goal in the 5^th minute, when his header from a corner fell just wide of the post. But it was only minutes later when Zak Brunt forced his way through the Tamworth defence, striking the ball past Jas Singh in goal and giving Barnet the lead in the 7th minute.

 The goals didn’t stop there in the first half, as Ryan Glover doubled the lead in the 27th minute, as well as Zak Brunt adding a second to his tally in the 33^rd minute and giving the Bees a three-goal advantage heading towards the break. 

It took only four minutes into the second half for Barnet to grab their fourth, as Zak Brunt slotted home a penalty in the 49^th minute after being fouled in the box and completing his hat-trick.

 On the hour Mark Shelton made it five to the Bees, curving the ball into the top corner of the net past Jas Singh, securing a comfortable lead. Then just two minutes later, Ryan Glover played a perfect ball into the striker path of Callum Stead, who rolled the ball into the net making it six to the Bees in the 62^nd minute.

 There was one more name to add to the list as Harry Chapman netted home the seventh goal of the day, shooting it high from the edge of the six-yard box, and finishing off a superb victory for the Bees.

Dean Brennan will be looking to bring back another three points at The Lamb Ground this Saturday, extending the Bees unbeaten run and securing the spot at the top of the table.