Missed chances cost Town dear, as they went down by the odd goal in five at Tamworth.
As early as the third minute, Tom Platt hooked wide of the upright from Jon Paul Pittman’s knock down, while soon afterwards,Joe Colbeck skimmed the home crossbar with a rising drive.
The Lambs hit back strongly and twice inside a minute, Peter Crook had to make brilliant diving saves from Reece Styche and Danny Newton.
However, Crook was powerless to prevent Tamworth taking the lead on eighteen minutes,when Newton shot into the far corner after dribbling through the Town defence.
A deep Joe Leesley cross was headed back across goal by Danny Ellis, but Simon Ainge blazed well over the bar.
Ainge, then headed a Jack Emmett centre over the top, but Tamworth finished the half the stronger,with both Styche and Newton going close.
Town levelled matters on the hour when Warren Burrell’s header from Leesley’s corner was caught under the crossbar by Dan Jezeph under pressure from several Town attackers and the Assistant Referee ruled that he had carried the ball over the line, much to the chagrin of the Tamworth players.
Three goals in eight minutes,late in the half decided the result.
With twelve minutes left,Crook brought down Styche inside the area and Newton scored his second from the penalty spot.Three minutes later, Town looked to have salvaged a point when Leesley’s cross to the far post was headed home by Ainge, but the Lambs had other ideas.
Leesley should have given Town the lead with five minutes left when he was left one on one with Jezeph after Emmett’s superb through ball,but the keeper managed to block the shot with his outstretched leg.
A minute later, Ben Fox lashed a low drive from twenty yards past Crook for the match winner.
Town tried hard to hit back and sub,Marcus Day, shot narrowly wide of the post after besting Jack Lane.
As the game entered five minutes stoppage time, Emmett, who had had a fine match,tormented the Lambs with a series of centres across goal but the home defence held firm and Town suffered their second defeat on the trot.
Town
1 Crook, 2 Colbeck, 3 Parker, 4 Platt, 5 Ellis (c), 6 Burrell, 7 Emmett 8 Agnew, 9 Ainge, 10 Pittman (Day 52),11 Leesley.
Unused subs, 14 Porritt, 15 King, 16 Willis, 18 Elliott. Bookings, Ainge, Agnew.
Scorers, Burrell 60, Ainge 83.
Tamworth
1 Jezeph, 2 Burns, 3 Morley, 4 Deeney, 5 Jones (c), 6 Lane, 7 Davies (Brendan Fox 81),8 Ben Fox, 9 Newton, 10 Styche (Taylor 88), 11 Dyer.
Unused subs, 14 Green, 15 Clarke. Bookings Deeney, Styche.
Scorers, Newton 18,78 pen. Styche 86 Att. 1096.
