Andy Peaks’ Lambs made the long journey north to Gateshead, on the back of a seven match unbeaten run, including three wins and three draws out of the last six league games.
The Lambs hadn’t visited the International Stadium since April 2014 and it was two seasons prior, in December 2011, when victory over the ‘Heed in the FA Cup saw Tamworth make the historic trip to face Everton at Goodison Park.
Meanwhile, Carl Mangay’s home side although positioned in 6th with 60 points ahead of kick off, nine points ahead of Tamworth in 11th, came into the game without a win in six games.
With The Lambs in home red shirts and away gold and white shorts and socks, the home side got the game underway kicking from left to right as both sets of supporters watched from the main stand.
Tamworth went on the offensive straight away with Enoru beating the offside flag to fire a long cross into the box from the left before Tonks got his first long throw of the game 30 seconds later.
Tonks found McGlinchey in the right channel on 4 and he beat his marker to turn goalward before firing from 20 yards into the waiting hands of Brooks in the home goal.
A quick break by Gateshead saw Humbles thread the ball to Hannant but he was beaten to it by Enoru and Singh has to be quick to smother the pass from Roles looking for the run of Malcolm on 10.
There was a pause in play while Digie received treatment on the field and from the restart a Tonks throw from the right was headed behind for The Lambs first corner of the game, which Tonks looped into the area but a foul by Creaney on his marker halted play.
McGlinchey pulled the ball into the box for Creaney, who chipped it towards the far post on 19, but it was taken away from Tonks waiting header by the head of Booty.
A long range effort from Sundire was easy enough for Brooks to drop and collect on 22 and when Gateshead looked to make a quick break on 24 Tonks put his body in the way of Roles as he went to play the ball to Malcolm who was making headway over the halfway line and needless to say, Tonks was booked for his efforts.
A powerful defensive header by Belehouan seemed to give Malcolm half a chance to get past Crompton on the halfway line on 28 but the referee spotted a foul much to the annoyance of the home faithful, and play switched quickly with Enoru and Creaney advancing on the box as Brooks came out but the Gateshead defence prevented them from getting a clear sight on goal.
From a Tonks throw and Creaney flick on Cockerill-Mollett feed himself up for a close range half volley on 30, but it was well blocked before it could reach the goal and Hollis was ruled offside for his follow up left footed boot swing which forced the keeper into a good parry.
Roles released Worman with a low pass into the left of the box on 32 and his attempted flick on resulted in a goalkick but it was another wake up call for The Lambs defence as new signing Nouble, on a free transfer from Mark Cooper’s Yeovil Town, waited patiently for an opportunity.
Enoru’s cross resulted in a corner on the left on 35 and McGlinchey fired it back in but Brooks punched it away from Creaney and at the other end Malcolm rifled a left footed shot into the side netting after Roles had exposed a gap in the Lambs midfield to help his side move up the pitch with pace.
There were muted celebrations when Malcolm put the ball in the net on 40 as his close range finish was ruled out for offside after a good run by Humbles found space in the right channel to feed his teammate ahead of the attention of Digie, and the striker found Hollis in his way of a powerful attempt on 43.
A right sided corner gave Gateshead a sight of goal on 44, but the ball whipped around the box and out past the far post, and as 3 minutes added time came into view there was time for a Tonks throw which brought shouts of handball against the home defence from The Lambs players in the box, but nothing was given.
Tonks’ throw from the left on 47 bounced invitingly and gave Cockerill-Mollett an overhead kick which went straight to Brooks in the final action of an end to end first half.

HT: 0-0

The Lambs restarted the match but it was the home side that stared the brighter, forcing a corner on 48 which came back out to Humbles, although his effort proved more trouble for the ball boys who had to recover it from the other side of the running track behind Singh’s goal.
A foul on left gave Tonks the freekick which was flicked onto the roof of the net off the head of Morrison, and the latter was booked on 54 for a foul on Booty which he took and found Nouble in the box but his header was far off target and went out harmless for a goalkick.
There were calls for a Lambs penalty on 54 when Enoru went round Belehouan on the touch line but the shouts were waved away by the referee and from the ensuing play Crompton tried his luck from distance but failed to test Brooks as it flew high over the target.
Nouble’s through ball caused problems for The Lambs defence but Singh wasn’t tested by Humbles on 58 as his shot took a deflection into the side netting and a couple of corners resulted which Tamworth dealt with and raced to the other end of the pitch.
And Enoru held the ball up on the left wing for Cockerill-Mollett to send a measured cross to the back of the area for Creaney to cushion his header back across the keeper before dropping inside the near post to give Tamworth the lead (0-1, 60 mins)
The Heed forced another flagkick on the right on 65 which Singh plucked out of the air and on 66 Nouble was on the end of a Hannant left wing cross but couldn’t keep his header from 12 yards down.
Bramwell then nipped the ball off the toes of Enoru for a corner on the left on 67 and Creaney headed it on target only for Belehouan to clear it off the line and then a Hollis ball down the left released Enoru again but he couldn’t pull it back for Tonks so tried a shot which rose into the side netting.
A home freekick on 75 went through to sub Newton and saw him free in the box but the ball span off his first touch back to Singh as both sides continued with their efforts at the same pace and Peaks made a double change for the final 15 minutes.
And it was two nil on 78 when McGlinchey made an intelligent run through the right channel and received the ball from Creaney's measured pass into the box to slot it past Brooks. This gave the travelling faithful more reasons to sing and celebrate, and also start a mini exodus of home fans from the main stand in the process (0-2, 78 mins)
Singh then pulled off a fine close range stop of deny a Horton volleyed goal from a Booty corner on 82 and Hollis cleared a goalbound shot from Newton from the left of box on 84 as the time ticked down.
Milnes lost his boot and was booked on 87 for not leaving to the field to replace it, as Gateshead pushed almost everyone forward again and forced a right sided corner which Waldron headed away for another for Booty to fire into the box but Crompton headed it away too.
And when Morrison was bundled to the floor on 89, he made way for Ponticelli to play the four minutes of added time shown.
The Lambs broke out of defence with sub Raikhy threading the ball to Williams on the left of the box on 90+2 but his shot curled away from Brooks’ goal and as the rain fell on the Gateshead Stadium the final whistle blew on another three points for The Lambs to put them up to the heady heights of 10th in the table.

Gateshead:
Brooks, Belehouan, Bramwell, Horton, Hannant, Worman (Sellars-Fleming 79), Booty (c.), Roles (Newton 61), Humbles, Malcolm, Nouble
Subs: Bond, Tinkler, McGowan, Colkett, Thompson
YC: (none)
RC: (none)

Tamworth:
Singh, Crompton, Cockerill-Mollett, Digie, Hollis, Sundire (Raikhy 90+2), Morrison (Ponticelli 89), Tonks (Milnes 76), Creaney (Waldron 82), Enoru (Williams 76), McGlinchey
Subs: Curley, Fairlamb
YC: Tonks 24, Morrison 54, Milnes 87
RC: (none)

Referee: Mr. Ross Joyce
Assistants: Mr. Alex Gray, Mr. Matthew Malton
4th Official: Mr. Ben Tomlinson

Attendance: 1184 (112 TFC)