On a cold and crisp Shrove Tuesday, The Lambs took a break from Enterprise National League action to welcome The Hammers U21’s for their National League Cup Semi Final tie, while Truro travelled to Boreham Wood in the other game and the finalists would be known by the end of the evening; by penalties, if needed.
Andy Peaks made use of his squad for the fixture, while Steve Morrison’s visitors were lead by Lewis Orford who had been part of their win over Burton Albion in the FA Cup over the weekend.

West Ham got the game underway and The Lambs quickly made a change with Mols being replaced by Roberts but inside the fourth minute The Lambs defence were cut through down the Hammer left, and from Clayton’s low cross into the box Fearon sidefooted inside the near post to open the scoring (0-1, 4 mins)
Herrick was given his first touch of the ball in the West Ham goal from a deep swirling cross from Cockerill-Mollett off the left byline, and on 11 Reindorf struck from 25 yards low to the left hand bottom corner, which the keeper was happy to take with a dive to his left.
Industrious work towards the final third from Maher to find Cockerill-Mollett resulted in a corner on the left on 20 but pulling in the area halted the set piece.
Ponticelli was then booked for a challenge from behind on Brown as the ball went short to the Hammers keeper on 21, and he slid in trying to get a telling touch.
Maher threaded the ball to Roberts from a freekick on 24 and the latter beat his man and fired on target but Herrick was equal to it, and when Cockerill-Mollett crossed from the left on 25, Rye’s header was touched behind for another flagkick, on the right, which was headed against the visiting defence and out for another, on the opposite side which Herrick punched away.
A fantastic speedy run from Roberts down the right saw him advance from the halfway line past Brown and into the opposition area and it took a brave save from Herrick to block his angled finish, as both sets of fans applauded in both directions.
After the quick paced start, Tamworth began to find their rhythm and keep West Ham pressed back, forcing another flagkick, by the Cross Street entrance, on 34, and a defensive header from Oyebade went behind for another which Digie got his head to but it lacked power and Herrick collected,
Brown’s hold on Reindorf 25 yards out conceded a freekick against the West Ham defender on 41 but despite working the ball into the box via Digie’s header, Rye was unable to turn it back into the box and struck the side netting from the left of the area.
One minute added time was shown at the end of the first half which ended without further incident.
 
HT: 0-1

The Lambs restarted the second half, now attacking the Castle End, maintaining their momentum from the first half and defending strongly when Akpata passed to Ajakla on the Hammers left on 48.
Another Roberts run into the right corner looking for a cross resulted in a corner for Maher and he found Milnes with a low ball but the captains shot was blocked on the edge of the area.
Rahcel was called into action on 55 to deny a powerful angled shot from the left of the box from Ajala which he batted away and the Lambs defence cleared their lines.
As ‘Bubbles’ floated from the away terrace, another Roberts cross was put behind for a right sided flagkick, but Cullinane-Liburd was booked after play was stopped for a foul.
Reindorf turned on a sixpence in the left channel on 58 and struck a rising shot on target for Herrick to deal with, which he did, and Maher forced another corner on 59, which Milnes took.
It was met by Cockerill-Mollett in the middle of the box but he couldn’t get his shot away, and the referee halted play when it was cleared awarding a freekick for a foul in the area.
Reindorf then surged forwards into the final third and found Roberts who found Rye on the right but no one could get a touch to his ball in and it was bundled away.
Tamworth maintained the pressure when Cullinane-Liburd’s throw from the right couldn’t be dealt with but also couldn’t be finished and it came back out to Milnes but his low strike was deflected away for a corner, however West Ham were unable to get out of defence with the Lambs move ending as Roberts low shot from the left was taken by Herrick.
The goal did eventually come though, when Rye struck from outside of the area and Herrick parried the deflected effort away from the left hand post but only as far as Maher who rifled it home on the angle to level the tie to the delight of the home faithful (1-1, 65 mins).
Cockerill-Mollett forced another corner but made two changes before it could be taken, and so Tonks’ first tough was a throw from the right which Herrick dropped and play was stopped, with a red card shown to Brown who had thrown a punch as the ball was cleared, and a penalty was award which Milnes stepped up to take. He struck it well enough, but Herrick dived to his Milnes’ left and pushed it away to keep the scores level.
Rye picked up a booking for a tackle on the half way line on Landers on 75, and three minuets later Akpata was booked for crowding out a freekick.
Off a Roberts throw on 80 Cullinane-Liburd got his foot around the ball to fire into the side netting and from another corner on 82 Reindorf powered a header down and on target but Herrick pushed it away.
And West Ham raced to the other end with Cockerill-Mollett sliding in to deny Cummings a strike from the edge of the area.
Tamworth countered with Roberts curling a shot from 20 yards around the left hand post on 84 and Tonks launched a throw form the right into the area on 86 and it was cleared but Rpboerts recycled it into the near post for Rye but he couldn’t get enough on his header to test Herrick.
From the visitors break Milnes was booked for pulling Fearon down as he raced towards Rachel’s area and the freekick, which had to wait as the away bench was also shown a card, and Orford curled the deadball into the side netting, to the right of the upright.
Orford saw yellow for hauling Tonks down on the halfway line on 89 and another foul on Tonks allowed The Lambs to build an attack with Digie heading on target from Maher but Herrick was equal to it.
Six minutes added time was shown at the end of the half, with penalties on the horizon, but with three minutes gone Ajala 0picked up the ball on the edge of the area and curled low inside the right hand post to give the visitors the lead (1-2, 90+3 mins)
Cockerill-Mollet’s left sided cross took a deflection for a late corner as Rachel joined the attack and although the Lambs keeper got his head to the ball West Ham broke and Ajala took it round Tonks and into the final third before tapping home (1-3, 90+7 mins)
It took a moment for the game to restart Cullinane-Liburd was sent from the field for a second yellow after the goal,

Tamworth
Rachel, Cockerill-Mollett, Digie, Bates (Tonks 69), Milnes (c.), Rye, Mols (Roberts 01), Cullinane-Liburd, Maher, Ponticelli (Lynch 69), Reindorf
Subs: Singh, Fairlamb, Acquaye, Isichei
YC: Ponticelli 21, Cullinane-Liburd 57 & 90+8, Rye 75, Milnes 87
RC: Cullinane-Liburd 90+8

West Ham United U21s
Herrick, Battrum, Brown, Orford (c.), Briggs, Oyebade, Fearon, Akpata (Cummings 80), Landers (Leacock 90+5), Ajala, Clayton
Subs: Hooper, Medine, Hargan, Dike, Caliste
YC: Akpata 78, Orford 89
RC: Brown 71

Attendance: 1341 (247 away)

Referee: Mr. James Oldham
Assistants: Mr. Christopher Husband, Mr. Kenwyn Hughes
Fourth Official: Mr. Wiliam Murphy

Man of the Match – Chosen by Charles Titch: Jordan Cullinane-Liburd