Andy Peaks’ Lambs returned to the Compart the Build Community Stadium for a break from Vanarama National League action by welcoming Coventry City for their Birmingham Senior Cup Semi Final fixture. The prize – a final appearance against Burton Albion or Racing Club Warwick.
Peaks made wholesale changes to the side that were defeated at Maidenhead at the weekend, and the visitors kicked off towards the Castle End in the first half.
A tug on Tolunaloju by Fairlamb just outside the right of the box on 3 gave Perry the deadball and when it was played into the area Howley struck from the floor and crashed his shot back off the crossbar before it was cleared.
As Enoru tried to go past Sandiford on the left he was blocked so Raikhy loaded the freekick to Curley who found Enoru but City were able to dampen the attack and clear their lines too.
Fairlamb blocked a low cross from Finney on the right on 7 for a corner and Phillips rose highest to take the ball into the danger area.
Curley and Willets were forced to deal with a low ball down the left on 12 and a corner resulted, which Yearn took, but was unable to make count.
The youthful visitors were moving the ball around well and forcing The Lambs to work hard on the second ball and when Fairlamb was robbed by Finney he regained his composure to force him wide and send a deep cross over Phillips and out for a goal kick.
Raikhy broke a City attack up on the edge of his own area on 23 and release Waldron down the left channel with a fine through ball, but under close scrutiny from Sandiford he was unable to get a ball over for Ponticelli, racing up the field expectantly.
He was able to get his head to a cross from former City player Finn on 24, but his back flick looped out of play and Coventry’s charge forwards was halted when Fairlamb was tripped by Tolunaloju on the left of the Lambs defence.
Another Coventry corner came on 28 and Phillips was forced to made a find parried save from Howley as the ball ran free from a crunching tackle which left Raikhy on the floor.
Enoru conceded another corner on 29 and the keeper was forced into action again on 30 blocking a low shot from 12 yards which popped up invitingly for Howley to rifle home into the far corner, despite Phillips’ best efforts. (0-1, 30 mins)
Tamworth responded down the left through Curley to Finn and his cross into Ponticelli nearly found his man, but Rahcel in the City goal went over the top of him and a foul was awarded against the Tamworth man.
After the challenge a few minutes prior, Raikhy needed treatment on the pitch on 32 giving both sets of players a drinks break, and Enoru took the ball into the danger area and found former Sky Blue Ponticelli, but despite trying to dig the ball out of the massed players in the box he was unable to force it home
However, in the next move he picked up the ball on the edge of the box and with Enoru covering the run of the incoming defender he held his nerve with a clean finish under the advancing keeper to level the tie (1-1, 36 mins)
Phillips had to throw himself full length at a low bouncing shot from distance from Ellard as it skipped out past the right hand post on 39 as the game continued to provide thrills and spills at a fast pace,
Raikhy went down again on 43 and was unable to continue so was replaced by Tonks, whose first task was a throw from the left, causing all the City players to pack into the box. And he was able to repeat the task from the clearance from the left then the right as four minutes added time was shown and it came back to Hollis who drilled a low shot wide of the far post.
Then, as the ball cannoned around the box neither Ponticelli nor Enoru could get a shot past the defence or on target and so in the last action of the first half Tonks sent another throw in, from by the right corner flag which was cleared as the whistle blew.

HT: 1-1

City made a change before The Lambs restarted the game and Enoru was felled in the opening seconds halting play as quickly as it hard started.
He was OK to continue, but there was a further stoppage when Tonks throw into the area on 49 saw Perry go down and need treatment from the City physio.
Enoru forced a corner with a ricochet between the keeper and his defender on 51 which winded Howley, and it was cleared to the right for a Tonks throw. It came out to Finn who placed a shot but found a defender in the way and when Phillips cleared the danger from the long clearance Ponticelli sprinted onto it and centred from the left but it was too far away from Waldron to get a touch.
Fairlamb was booked for protesting a foul not given on 56 which incited the crowd in the Shed, and perhaps in response to Tamworth’s more pressing style of play City made a another change on 59.
Yearn’s attempted through ball was deflected behind by Tonks for a corner on the left which the same player took, but when he received it back his cross was far too long for his teammates.
On the counter from a Willets blocked City attack Enoru crossed for Waldron on 64, but it was too high for him to get his head too, and another strong and surging run from the midfielder resulted in a corner on the left on 67 which Waldron did get his head to, past the far post, but he couldn’t get it on target.
City then forced a corner on the left after a darting run by Broad was put behind and Willetts was forced to head a chip into the box by Yearn behind for another on 70. It came out to Ellard and he fired on target with an angled shot from the left which Phillips parried and smothered.
Crompton replaced Fairlamb with 20 to go and Tolunaloju left the field shortly after in Coventry’s third change of the game.
Creaney then replaced Sundire with 15 to go but he was beaten to a header from a corner by the visiting defence and Crompton had to be quick to clear his lines over his own bar when Broad snuck into the area on 78.
The final ten minutes ticked over and with penalties set to decide the winner should scores be level at full time Tonks launched his throw from the Shed side into the box and it fell to Hollis who struck quickly on the volley but his strike rose over the target.
There were some close calls and big stops on 86 as The Lambs were forced to throw their bodies on the line to prevent the ball going towards Phillips and the target and it eventually went into the side netting through a crowd of players.
Williams was bundled over by Rowley on the right of the area on 89 and picked up a booking for his efforts, and Tonks freekick kept the ball in the final third but Rachel ultimately grasped it off the head of Creaney.
Five minutes added time was shown and Williams strike from the right channel took a touch off a City boot for a corner as it curled goalward and from the corner Creaney struck low on target but the keeper was equal to it a yard off the line.
Creaney then found Enoru in the area from the left but the latter’s shot was blocked and the last minute saw the visitors press until the final whistle blew and brought deciding kicks from the penalty mark.

FT: 1-1

PENALTIES at the Castle End, Tamworth first:
1: Tonks – low right, keeper the wrong way = 1-0 / Perry – blasted it home = 1-1
2: Ponticelli – rebounded under the keeper and in = 2-1 / Finney - bottom right to Phillips left = 2-2
3: Waldrun – stop stepped and placed it home = 3-2 / Yearn – Phillips saved with his legs = 3-2
4: Creaney – low placed pass into the goal = 4-2 / Moore – Phillips saved to win it – 4-2

Tamworth:
Phillips, Curley, Willets, Hollis (c.), Fairlamb (Crompton 72), Sundire (Creaney 75), Raikhy (Tonks 44), Finn, Ponticelli, Enoru, Waldron
Subs: Tonks, Williams, McGlinchey
YC: Fairlamb 56
RC: (none)

Coventry City:
Rachel, Sandiford, Broad, Howley, Perry (c.), Ellard, Betjemann (Moore HT), Tolunaloju (Siddall 73), Finney, Yearn, Burroughs (Smith 59)
Subs: Critchlow, Meredith
YC: Howley 84
RC: (none)

Referee: Mr. Ashley Clarke
Assistants: Mr. Daniel Robinson, Mr. Owen Moreton
4th Official: Mr. David Hinton

Attendance: 674

Compare the Build Man of the Match chosen by match sponsors Turpins: Leon Phillips