REPORT | TAMWORTH 1-1 WEALDSTONE

Wealdstone battled to earn a valuable point against Tamworth at the Lamb Ground.

The Stones took the lead early into the second half when Nathan Tshikuna rifled one into the top corner against his former side.

The hosts were quick to hit back through Kennedy Digie, who looped a spectacular header past Baptiste to level proceedings.

Sam Cox made four changes to the side that fell just short in Saturday’s thriller away at Morecambe on Saturday.

Junior Tiensia, Micah Obiero and Anthony Georgiou all returned to the XI whilst Moussa Diarra came in to make his first League start of the season. Olufela Olomola made the bench on his return to the Stones.

Micah Obiero looked lively in the opening proceedings, with the biggest chance of the half falling his way, 11 minutes in. An outrageous burst of pace to beat the offside line set him one-on-one, but a huge save from Jas Singh denied the Stones forward.

Wealdstone’s efforts for an early goal were subdued 20 minutes when an enforced change had to be made following clear discomfort for Alfie Massey.

Tamworth, renowned for their set-piece prowess, looked to utilise their unique strengths at every opportunity.

The home side looked to have taken the lead in the 30th minute when former Stones striker Manny Duku curled a free-kick towards goal, narrowly hitting his effort wide of the post.

Seven minutes later, the striker came close once more when a cross found him unmarked in the area, but he couldn’t direct his header past the welcoming arms of Baptiste.

Wealdstone looked to start the second-half brightly, and did so. 10 minutes into the half, a threaded ball found Tshikuna, who took a touch out of his feet and rifled one into the top corner against his former side to send the travelling Stones fans into raptures.

But it wouldn’t take long for the Lambs to rally and go again. Just five minutes after the goal, brilliant work from Tyler Roberts saw him cross the ball into the towering defender Digie, who connected sweetly to head out of Baptiste’s reach and into the back of the net.

From the moment of the equaliser, Tamworth took the game by the scruff of the neck. Their well coveted set-pieces began to rein down on the Stones goal, but a handful of strong defensive clearances denied access.

Beck-Rey Enoru came close to putting the Lambs ahead, 71 minutes in, when he jinked his way into the area and fired over the bar.

Having survived a survived a five minute onslaught of Tamworth set pieces, Wealdstone looked to conjure up a chance of their own late on,

With just one minute remaining of normal time, a whipped cross from Enzio Boldewijn found the deft touch of substitute Sean Adarkwa, who couldn’t connect sweetly and fired narrowly wide of Singh’s goal to keep the scores level at 90 minutes.

Next up for the Stones, back to the Vale to face Eastleigh on Saturday.

WEALDSTONE XI: Baptiste, Georgiou, Woodman, Boldewijn, Kretzschmar (Hutchinson 69’), Obiero (Adarkwa 81’), Chinedu, Diarra, Tshikuna (Olomola 69’), Massey (Kadji 22’), Tiensia.