In their second league game of the season, Tamworth made the tough trip to Roots Hall, the home of Kevin Maher’s 2024-25 season National League play offs runner’s up.
Andy Peaks made 3 changes to the side that suffered opening day defeat to Scunthorpe United, with Alfie Bates Beck-Ray Enoru and Jordan Ponticelli coming into the starting line up.
The Shrimpers got the game underway, and a deep freekick from Tonks on 5 was headed away by Ralph for a Lambs corner and from Tonks’ long high flagkick a foul on Roberts in the area resulted in a penalty against the United player. Tonks stepped up in front of the two-tier Frank Walton stand but Ndi saved his spotkick with a low save to his right.
And in response, Ralph sent in a left sided cross which Kendall glanced home into the far corner to give the home side the lead (1-0, 11 mins)
Taylor picked up a booking for a foul on Fairlamb on the left on 16 and Tonks loaded the deadball but The Shrimpers headed it away from danger.
Digie headed an equally dangerous cross from the right away from goal on 19 but as The lambs cleared a foul gave Bpyes a freekick which struck the wall and then the Lambs defence with the rebound.
Tonks sent a long throw into the area from the left on 23 with Digie and Hollis in the box but it was defended and The Lambs were forced to work the ball back to Singh before moving upfield again and when Curley backheeled to Tonks he tried a shot which deflected off a Southend defender for their second corner of the game. Nothing came of it though as United defended strongly again.
Just past the half hour, there was a stoppage in play when Enoru needed treatment on the field, allowing both sides to get much needed refreshment.
From the restart Tonks sent in another throw, this one from the right, and it came out to Lynch but he saw his shot from the edge of the box charged down.
A foul on Tonks midway into the Southend half on 38 gave Curley the freekick but it was defended again and Fairlamb passed it back to Singh to send upfield.
A flowing move by the home side on 42 ended with Appiah-Forson jinking through into the box to get a shot away which earned a corner which came to nothing.
3 minutes added time was shown at the end of the period and Tonks launched another throw in, which Taylor nodded behind for Tonks to send in from the flag but nothing came of it and the half time whistle blew.

HT: 1-0

The home side made a double substitution before The Lambs restarted the match attacking the end where the traveling faithful were hoping for the net to ripple in the second half.
Neither side was able to get control of the game in the opening ten minutes and on 56 Husin was booked for brining down Roberts as he looked to cut along the front of the box. Tonks was going to take the deadball but Roberts fancied it and struck the wall.
United countered and nearly forced a corner on the right but Fairlamb prevented it and Digie headed the resulting throw away from the box.
A searching left wing cross from Parillon evaded the head and final touch of his teammates in the box on 61 and The Lambs countered through Ponticelli and Roberts who rode a tackle and forced a corner on the left which was plucked out of the air by Ndi.
Singh needed treatment on 66 so the players took on some more fluids, and when play restarted Digie got caught in the face by a clearance and had to leave the field temporarily.
Lynch was replaced by Duku up front on 71 and on 72 a trip on Appiah-Forson sent him to the ground and earned Enoru a booking. Scott-Morriss picked his spot from the freekick but couldn’t find it and sent his effort high and into the stand without troubling Singh.
Peaks made two more changes with just over a quarter of an hour remaining but the home side doubled their advantage on 80 when they sent the ball in from the left and Scott-Morriss followed it into the back of the box to finish with a first time strike past Singh (2-0, 80)
It was nearly 3 on 85 but Singh was the saviour clearing the ball off the line with his legs after Hopper looked odds on to score after connecting with a low cross from the right, from a yard out.
Two more Lambs changes came on 86 and six minutes of added time were shown and following a foul on Digie there was just time for Riley to try his luck from 25 yards, dead centre, but it struck the wall and the final whistle blew.

Southend United:
Ndi, Scott-Morriss, Ralph (Parillon HT), Goodliffe, Husin, Austin (Gubbins 86), Walker (Hopper HT), Taylor, Appiah-Forson, Kendall (Dallas 66), Boyes
Subs: Hayes, Miley, Coker
YC: Taylor 16, Husin 57

Tamworth:
Singh, Curley, Tonks (Riley 77), Digie, Bates, Enoru (Sayer 86), Fairlamb, Roberts (McGlinchey 86), Hollis, Lynch (Duku 71), Ponticelli (Mols 78)
Subs: Phillips, Donkor
YC: Enoru 71

Referee: Neil Hair
Assistants: Shaun Farrar, Stuart Butler
Fourth Official: Ben McDonald

Attendance: 8112 (111 from TFC)