Andy Peaks took his Enterprise National League squad the short distance to the New Windmill to take on National League North side Leamington in their final pre-season run out ahead of the league campaign kicking off in a weeks time, against Scunthorpe United at The Lamb.
There were no real clues to the possible starting XI against the Iron, as Peaks continued to play his cards close to his chest and look at different combinations while giving his players valuable minutes.
The Brakes kicked off the match in glorious sunshine, and were quickest out of the blocks, forcing The Lambs to defend in the opening exchanges.
A couple of long Tonks throws gave home keeper Brearey and his defence something to think about and on 13 Digie smashed a low shot from 12 yards on target but the keeper was equal to it and smothered it, before Lynch could react.
At the other end, on 15, Shorrock sent a freekick from the right onto the head of Pais but he couldn’t direct it on target and on 19, Walker struck a half volley from 20 yards which rose over the target without troubling Singh.
After a brief respite for a drinks break midway through the first 45 Tamworth went on the offensive and Roberts was upended in the left channel. Tonks’ freekick was well directed, but was too high.
However, in the next move Tonks’ strike deflected into the path of Lynch and he rifled it home from 12 yards to open The Lambs account and double his pre-season goal tally. (0-1, 12 mins)
Great interplay between Mols and Roberts eventually saw the latter go down under a challenge in the D on 30 and the quickly taken freekick which hit the back of the net was called back by the referee. The retaken freekick struck the wall and Curley followed up but his strike was also blocked and cleared.
From another move upfield on 42, Enoru was sent tumbling just outside the left of the D but Mols lifted his deadball over the Harbury Lane End stand in the final chance of the half.
HT: 0-1
Hollis and Donkor replaced Cullinane-Liburd and Fairlamb in defence alongside Digie and Curley at half time and the Brakes exploited a gap in the backline as Farmer beat the offside trap to advance at Singh before cooly slotting past the onrushing Lambs keeper and into the bottom left (1-1, 49 mins)
Hollis teed the ball up for Enoru to try and pick his spot on 57 but it was defended and cleared, giving Tonks a throw from the right which was headed behind for a Lambs corner. That too was sent away from danger, but Tonks was given another chance from the other side.
Lynch was unable to do anything with the ball initially, finding Enoru who forced another corner which came to nothing.
Andy Peaks swapped the rest of the bench, with just Singh and Digie remaining on the field on 62, while for Leamington former Lamb Joe Clarke, now with around 300 appearances for The Breaks, took to the field.
A cross from Sayer found the head of Duku on 71 and his header took a slight deflection of his marker forcing Brearey to launch himself to his left to deny him.
Duku connected with a Ponticelli right wing cross on 77, but under pressure and falling he lifted it high over the target from 18 yards, and Donkor tried a placed shot from 18 yards with the inside of his right boot on 78 which curled wide of the far post.
A disastrous short backpass by Wyatt (the right game to do it in!) from the right on 80 allowed Lynn to chase it down into the box and Hollis tangled with the Leamington substitute giving the referee no decision to make other than award a penalty and Lynn dusted himself down to fire home the spotkick (2-1, 80 mins)
The goal sparked Tamworth to try and respond quickly, with Ponticelli and Sayer combining, but the latter was unable to get it out of his feet and it ran out of play before he could drive a low cross in.
And with the minutes ticking away on The Lambs pre-season warm up, there was time for one last push upfield but Clarke booted the long ball away and the whistle blew.
Leamington:
Brearey, Meredith, Burton (?, 89 mins), Hill (Clarke 63), Ram, Evans, Pais (Lynn, 73), Walker (c.), Farmer (Quaynor 78), Williams, Shorrock (Shaw 63)
Subs: Watson, Buckley, Stubbs-Jeavons
Tamworth:
Singh (c.), Curley*, Digie, Cullinane-Liburd (Hollis HT), Fairlamb (Donkor HT), Riley*, Tonks*, Mols*, Enoru*, Lynch*, Roberts*
Subs (* on 62): Wyatt*, Milnes*, Bates*, McGlinchey*, Sayer*, Ponticelli*, Duku*
Subs not used: Phillips
Referee: Elliot Swallow
Attendance: 306