Eastleigh left The Lamb Ground on the receiving end of a narrow 1-0 defeat, despite Nick Townsend saving a penalty, which resulted in Temi Eweka seeing red in the 30th minute of the game. Manny Duku, who missed the penalty, redeemed himself early into the second-half.

Kelvin Davis made three changes from the game that got abandoned against Scunthorpe in the week. Due to Archie Harris injury that he sustained against the Irons, Sonnie Davis made his first start for the Spitfires’. Aaron Blair also picked up a knock that day, so Paul McCallum returned to the starting XI for the first time since his red card against Aldershot. The manager also opted for Angel Wariuh in the midfield dropping Kieron Evans to the bench.

Two minutes in Tamworth showed early signs of going ahead through Beck-Ray Enoru the skillful winger picked up the ball on the left-hand side and then beat two Eastleigh defenders making his way inside the box. However after doing the tricky part he blazed his shot over the bar without threatening Townsend.

After Tamworth’s close chance early on the two teams continued to battle hard with a lot of the game being played in the middle of the pitch.

Until the 25th minute, when a quick counter from Tamworth lead to Wariuh attempting to header the ball into the hands of Townsend but this was sniffed out by Enoru leaving him one on one with the keeper, his chipped effort beat Townsend but was denied by the post.

The referee went into his pockets for the first time in the 26th minute when Harvey Saunders was too quick for Alfie Bates who received a booking for his foul. The resulting free-kick from Eastleigh was launched into the box picking out Louie Holzman, who found the back of the net but the linesman flagged for offside.

The referee reached for his pockets again In the 29th minute but this time it would be a red card. Townsend tried to claim a cross from the left-hand side but the ball evaded him whilst getting hurt in the process. The ball fell to Duku leaving him with an empty net but he was brought down by Eweka who received a red card and conceded a penalty.

Townsend, who still appeared to be hurt, heroically saved the penalty from Duku diving down to his bottom left corner and keeping the scoring at 0-0!

After going down to ten-men Eastleigh were under the pressure from the Lambs who created a few chances but were unable to get the better of Townsend, with the first half ending in a deadlock.

After coming close in the first half, Tamworth opened the scoring five minutes into the second half after a brilliant corner from Harvey Sayer was met by Duku, whose powerful header left Townsend with no chance. Putting the Lambs into the drivers seat with 40 minutes to go.

In the 52nd minute a Sayer set piece would give Eastleigh a scare once again. This time from a free-kick, the midfielders pinpoint delivery was met by Stefan Mols who failed to get enough power on it to beat Townsend.

10 minutes later the hosts came close to doubling the scoring, Davis made a last ditch tackle when Enoru was racing down the middle of the pitch. But his tackle fell into the path of Mols, the winger struck goal-wards but Townsend made a great save before Duku who was looking to pounce was flagged offside.

Enoru continued to be a threat to the Spitfires’ defence when he raced down on goal before laying the ball off to Harvey Sayers, whose effort was straight down the middle of the goal.

With just 15 minutes to go the referee pulled out his second red card of the game but this time it was for Tamworth. Kwaku Donkor was shown his second yellow card of the game evening the playing-filed to ten against ten.

Despite the amount of players on the pitch being even for the first time since the 30th minute, Eastleigh failed to make the most of the opportunity as the game ended 1-0 to Tamworth.

Eastleigh: Townsend (GK), Brindley, Eweka, Pierre, Holzman, Davis, Cousins (Underhill 83′), Taylor (C) Waruih (Evans 69′), Saunders (88′ Massiah-Edwards), McCallum (Blair 69′)

Unused Substitutes: McNamara, Humphries, Ingram

Yellow Cards: McCallum 45+7 Davis 55′

Red Cards: Eweka 30′

Tamworth : Singh (GK), Tonks (Riley 90′), Digie, Bates, Sayer (83′), Duku (Rye 83′), Enoru (Roberts 90′), Fairlamb, Mols (Ponticelli 71′), Donkor, Hollis

Unused Substitutes: Curley, Mcglinchey,

Yellow Cards: Bates 26′ Donkor 37′

Red cards: Donor 75′

Goals: Duku 29′

Attendance: 1,385 (87 away)