Andy Peaks’ 12th placed Lambs travelled to Christie Park on a rainy Tuesday night in February for their next Enterprise National League fixture having come back for a point at home to Hartlepool United at The Lamb at the weekend.

Morecambe, second from bottom of the table had recently parted with manager Ashvir Singh Joval and new, retuning boss Jim Bentley’s side had suffered a home defeat to third from bottom Truro City in their previous outing, without a win in the last eight competitive games.

Peaks made two changes to the side from the weekend with Ben Milnes taking the captains armband and Ben Acquaye coming in, for Ronan Maher and Michael Reindorf and The Lambs got the game underway on the rain soaked pitch.

After a quiet first ten minutes, good link up play down the Morecambe right wing resulted in a freekick and Nolan whipped it in and saw it headed away by Cullinane-Liburd for a corner. The flagkick was headed on target and cleared off the line by Creaney.
Digie was booked for a shirt pull on Nolan on the right on 16 and Sangare ensured Morecambe kept possession from the freekick but a long cross from the right was too long and Rye was able to see it out of play.
Popov fired a low shot from the edge of the box on 19 and it look a touch from Digie to take it out past the left hand post for a corner which came to nothing.
Tonks launched a throw from the left on 21 but it was cleared by Azeez and Morecambe advanced, and on 24 Nolan picked up the ball in the middle of the park after a mistake from Milnes and he pocked his spot from 20 yards into the bottom right corner to give the home side the lead (1-0, 24 mins).
Digie was penalised for a clumsy challenge on Popov on 27 giving the home side a 40 yard freekick which and Nolan’s ball in was headed away by Tonks.
Kurtaran made headway towards the Morecambe box on 31 but Sangare got in his way and Morecambe broke upfield ending with Nolan trying his luck but his effort was blocked by the Lambs defence.
A strike from Acquaye forced Blackman into a save to push it away for a corner on the left, and it came in high forcing the keeper to push it on and Cullinane-Liburd stretched to head home the equaliser at the far post (1-1, 38 mins)
Singh was called upon to make a point blank save to deny Sangare’s close range header on 39 and Tamworth responded through Acquaye who was impeded by Payne so Milnes sent the freekick in from the left, but it was too high for Cullinane-Liburd to get his head anywhere near it this time.
A Morecambe corner on the left aimed for Sangare, but he was shielded away by the Lambs defence and they mounted an attack with Mols threading it to Creaney in the right of the area, and he struck low towards the near post and Blackman smothered it.
One minute added time was shown, and a late foul by Kurtaran on Lewis on the edge of the area gave Morecambe a freekick which Azeez lined up and although his strike was blocked by the Tamworth wall it came back to Sangare and he curled it around the defenders in front of him, striking the outside of the right hand post to keep the scores level at the break.

HT: 1-1
 
The Lambs made a change before the second half restarted with Hollis replacing Digie at the back and The Shrimpers got the match back underway.
The Lambs made a positive start the second period penning their hosts back and forcing Blackman to punch a Fairlamb cross away on 47.
Kurtaran lofted a great ball into the box on 48 and it fell invitingly for Mols to finish with an overhead kick, but the offside flag had gone up and denied him.
Mols nipped in behind the Morecambe defence to force a corner off his low cross into the six yard box on 51 but Blackman was equal to the flagkick and Morecambe mounted their first attack of the half with Rye needing to clear the danger from Sangare’s ball in.
Williams put the ball out of play and motioned he was unable to continue on 55, and Morecambe made a change and a minute or so later Lewis put a tackle through Mols earning him a booking for his efforts.
A Tonks throw from the left on 61 ricocheted around the area before an infringement was notice by the referee, and another one, from the opposite side evaded everyone but The Lambs retained possession and a dangerous centre was met by Mols who fired powerfully, wide of the mark.
Tonks forced a corner after a strong run down the right on 64, but Morecambe broke quickly and although Sangare’s low strike was pushed away by Singh it fell to Popov who drove home from the left into the bottom right hand corner (2-1, 66 mins)
Isichei came on for his debut before play restarted and he was immediately involved in a move on the Lambs left which resulted in a corner that Milnes put into the box but Lewis headed it away.
Mols tried another overhead kick on 72 from a Tonks cross into the right of the box, and he connect but directed it well wide of the near post without testing Blackman.
A rare Morecambe corner came into the Lambs box on 77, after the referee had had to deal with some pushing, and despite Kurtaran’s clearance it came back in forcing Cullinane-Liburd to head it away from danger and the resulting flagkick came out to Nolan who fired low through the crowded area and Singh dropped to deny him a second of the game.
Peaks made three changes with just under 10 remaining and with fresh legs on the field, Tonks sent to throw into the area and second was nodded on by Creaney and parried by Blackman, finished by substitute Lynch at the far post to the delight of the bench and the travelling Lambs (2-2, 84 mins)
Morecambe responded with a deep cross from the left which just evaded Lewis and Singh was forced to diving head the ball away from the front corner of his area on 87.
As the game moved into added time, Roberts cross was blocked for a right sided corner and when Cullinane-Liburd and Lewis went down with a head injury in the area while trying to control the ball, play had to be stopped to allow Lewis receive treatment and he was unable to return to the play.
Six minutes added time had been shown, and Morecambe played with a man disadvantage, and Paynme was booked for a shirt pull on Isichei on 98.
Roberts appeared to be brought down by Edwards in the area in the last action of the game, but strong penalty shouts were waved away and the final whistle blew on another point on the board.

Morecambe
Blackman, Payne, Dean, Francillette (Songo’o 57), Williams (Edwards 74), Akindilene, Azeez (Tollitt 89), Lewis, Nolan, Sangare (Thomas 74), Popov
Subs: Boney, Campbell, Conte
YC: Akindileni 32, Lewis 59
RC: (none)

Tamworth
Singh, Tonks, Digie (Hollis HT), Milnes (c.) (Howley 82), Fairlamb, Rye, Mols (Roberts 82), Cullinane-Liburd, Acquaye (Isichei 66), Creaney, Kurtaran (Lynch 82)
Subs: Bates, Reindorf
YC: Digie 17
RC: (none)

Referee: William Davis
Assistants: Jordan Brooks & Steven Lawson
Fourth Official: Matthew Langdon

Attendance: 2170 (68 from Tamworth)