Tamworth Extend Their Lead at the Top of the Table

Tamworth extended their lead at the top of the Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central table after beating St Ives Town 2-1 at the CR Mot Centre Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Lambs started well and had a Dan Creaney effort cleared off the line early on.

It took only 11 minutes for the leaders to go ahead courtesy of a Matt Curley header.

That was how it finished at the break, but it took only 5 minutes into the second half for Andy Peaks` side to double their advantage when Kyle Finn slotted the ball under the advancing James Dadge in the visitors` goal.

However, within 2 minutes, St Ives reduced the deficit when Jonny Edwards headed a free kick past Jasbir Singh.

The majority of the 644 crowd saw the Lambs pour forward in search of a third goal to make the game safe, and then had to endure 9 minutes of stoppage time before they could record another win and move 6 points clear of Leiston.

Leiston moved into second spot after they beat Ilkeston Town 2-1 at Victory Road and Nuneaton Borough suffered a 1-0 defeat at Garden Walk against a now seventh-placed Royston Town.

After a goalless opening 45 minutes, it was Ilkeston who broke the deadlock just 3 minutes after the restart after they were awarded a penalty for some shoving at a corner.

The experienced Leroy Lita duly converted the resulting spot-kick.

Leiston pushed for an equaliser which eventually came in the 74th minute when Will Davies headed home a Joe Marsden free kick.

But just when it looked like the Robins would hold out for a point, the hosts grabbed the winner in the 4th minute of stoppage time, thanks to a Marsden free kick which went in off a post.

Darren Eadie and Chris Wigger’s side are now two points above Nuneaton after their defeat at Royston.

What turned out to be the only goal of the game at Garden Walk came with just 5 minutes remaining when a Nathan Tshikuna corner was headed home by Ronnie Henry.

It got worse for Jimmy Ginnelly’s side, who had Matt Stenson dismissed for a second yellow card offence.

It wasn’t a good evening for Needham Market, who suffered a third successive defeat, this time at Bloomfields against fellow strugglers Alvechurch.

Both these teams have excelled in cup matches this season but have failed to find that form in the league to date.

But this win for Ian Long’s side pulled them up to 18th in the gable, just a point and a place behind the Marketmen.

Alvechurch got off to a great start when Harry Williams put them in front in the 4th minute.

That was the score at half-time, and it wasn’t until the 78th minute that the next goal arrived – and it was `Church doubling their advantage when Danny Waldron pressed Needham Market `keeper Marcus Garnham into a mistake and he slotted home into an empty net.

Then, 4 minutes into time added on at the end of the game, Waldron grabbed his second of the game to make the points safe.