The Lambs were forced to settle for a draw after Dan Creaney had given the Lambs a first half lead in a game of two halves, defensive might and half chances.

In perhaps the strongest test of pre-season so far, Lambs boss Andy Peaks continued his preparations by shuffling his pack slightly again, with a 3-5-2 formation pairing Dan Creaney and Kieren Donnelly up front while John Rooney’s Macclesfield, who missed out on promotion in the semi-final of the National League North playoffs to Tamworth’s newest ‘local’ National League opponents - Kidderminster Harriers - arrived at The Lamb with an unbeaten pre-season record.

Tamworth got the game underway attacking the Castle End in search of an early goal, and Jordan Cullinane-Liburd’s throw was flicked on by Creaney and put out for a corner which Haydn Hollis glanced just over the bar with a deft header.
Tyler Lyttle got his head in the way of a deep cross to prevent Theo Chapman from meeting it at the far post with six minutes on the clock, and Luis Lacey’s flagkick was met well by Paul Dawson with Jas Singh having to react quickly to push it over the bar from close range. The resulting corner caused similar problems, but this time on the floor, and Lyttle was perfectly placed to hook the danger away with the Silkmen’s number 9 (trialist) providing him close attention.
Singh was then called upon to rush out to the right corner of his area on 11 and did just enough to put Chapman off his attempted lob which looked it may be goal-bound but ultimately bounced a foot or so wide of the target and the Lambs keeper was happy to watch a low angle shot from ‘9’ from 18 yards go just wide of the mark on 14.
On 17 Teo Krutaran sent an inch perfect freekick from the right channel into the area and Cullinane-Liburd rose highest to direct his header just over the corner of bar and post, and Tamworth maintained the pressure, forcing a corner shortly after which Cullinane-Liburd again connected with, via a brave low diving header this time, which forced keeper Christian Dibble into a reactionary save at his far post.
A flowing move involving Teo Kurtaran, Creaney and Keiren Donnelly nearly ended with a goal but Dibble was quickly out to the feet of the latter on 23, while at the other end Carlos Dos Santos stretched to get his head to a cross from Ammar Dyer but couldn’t get it on target and Singh made a superb one handed diving parry to deny Dawson’s powerful long range strike from opening the visitors account on 27.
Donnelly was then denied a strike on goal following a fine pass from Kurtaran, by a decisive defence block in the box which earned a corner on the left, and Creaney got his head to it to send it past Dibble and give The Lambs the lead. (1-0, 32 mins)
The Lambs visibly grew in confidence after the goal, but clear-cut chances were at a premium and both sides continued to work hard for possession until there was a opportunity on 43 as Donnelly stole in and took it wide around Dibble but ultimately too wide to be able to get his angled shot away from the side netting.

HT: 1-0

Macclesfield restarted the match and took their game to Tamworth in the early exchanges forcing a snap defensive clearance in a crowd of players in the box off a corner on 48.
That seemed to ignite The Lambs with Nathan Tshikuna finding Creaney in a good position but he was unable to get a first time shot away, but the ball was recycled to Donnelly in the left of the box who cut past his marker and smashed it goalward, with his shot rising agonisingly over the bar.
That chance was quickly followed up with Lyttle, Creaney and TJ Bramble all striking from 18 yards in quick succession but each time the visiting defence got a fortuitous boot in the way to deny a second goal.
On 63, while the Silkmen got 9 subs ready to come off the bench, Dyer got the better of the Lambs defence but found Singh in no mood to be beaten from 12 yards, denying his low right footed placed shot with a push away to his left.
The Lambs then made three changes and reorganised to a defensive back four which was immediately tested by Luke Duffy who forced Singh into another low, double-stop, a few yards out but scores were level on 78 when Adan George was allowed space and time to turn in the box to shoot low into the bottom left past Singh. (1-1, 78 mins)
Duffy turned provider on 82 but Cameron Borthwick-Johnson was unable to keep his free header down and from a 90th minute corner Elliot Osborne headed just wide of the near post as Macclesfield staged a late attack.
It nearly swung the Lambs way in the second minute of three in added time when Donnelly burst onto a through ball but struck off target and Duffy had the final chance of the game lifting his lob from 18 yards, a great chance for a last minute winner, a foot over Singh’s bar.

The Lambs will travel to AFC Telford United on Saturday for their final preseason game.

Tamworth
Singh; Cullinane-Liburd (Fogarty 64), Lyttle, Hollis; Calder (Handley 64), Bramble, Kurtaran (Dyson 79), Tshikuna (McGlinchey 79), Roberts (Acquaye 79); Creaney (Hutchinson 64), Donnelly
Subs: Rachel, Parkes, Jasper, Rye, Trialist
YC: Kurtaran 73

Macclesfield
Dibble*, Dyer, Ayub*, Dawson, Dos Santos, Trialist, Lacey, Wilson, Trialist, Chapman, Trialist
Subs all used on 64: (* remained on) McFayden, Osbourne, Borth-Jackson, George, Duffy, Shrimpton, Wilson, Heathcote, Ustabasi
Referee: Mr. Jamie O’Connor

Attendance: 473