SATURDAY 29th MARCH 2008

TAMWORTH 1 v 1 VAUXHALL MOTORS

BLUE SQUARE NORTH

Vauxhall Motors gained a valuable point in their bid to avoid relegation from the Blue Square North on their first ever visit to Tamworth on Saturday.

Initially, the Motormen struggled to cope with the strong wind blowing straight into their faces in the opening half and it took a point-blank save by Andrew Murphy to deny the hosts taking the lead via a Gareth Sheldon header.  But shortly after the keeper could do nothing to prevent them from edging in front on 13 minutes, when the visitors failed to clear their area from a corner and the ball fell kindly for Sheldon, who sidestepped Murphy to score.

Motors debutant striker Thomas Carroll was a constant threat throughout and he almost leveled the scores five minutes later when his solo run was thwarted by home keeper Alex Cisak and Ashley Williams ought to have done better when played in by Carroll but the Vauxhall player failed to hit the target from eight yards.  Tom Field also went close just before the interval, again set up by Carroll, but his effort was blocked by Cisak.

With the wind at their backs, Motors deservedly equalised on 59 minutes, when Carroll latched on to a headed backpass to fire beyond the stranded home keeper.  In the closing stages, the visitors had a let off when home substitute Jonathon Richter saw his effort cannon off an upright, while Williams was only inches away from converting a Peter Heler cross at the far post at the other end.

Vauxhall: Murphy, Holmes, Maddox, Field, Griffiths, Robinson, Heler, Brannan, McMahon (Owens 81). Carroll, Williams.  Sub not used: Hannigan, Smith, Macauley, Rigby.