Phil Starbuck's charges travelled down to Staffordshire for a game which they knew they simply had to win if they were going to make up any ground on their Nationwide Conference relegation rivals.

Starbuck had his side well-drilled before the start of the game, and they knew perfectly well what the task in hand was and what they had to in order to achieve their aim.

However, it was Tamworth who made the better start, with Mark Cooper firing wide the game's first chance, before RMI goalkeeper Ian Martin pulled off a superb double save to deny Jamie Brooks and Paul Barnes.

Anthony Scully went close for the Lambs before RMI's first decent opportunity of the game, when Warren Peyton, who yesterday was yesterday placed on the transfer list, fired wide from twenty five yards out after fifteen minutes. RMI created another chance a couple of minutes later, and despite it being only their second chance of the game, leading scorer David McNiven put his side ahead with a superb right-footed strike from the edge of the area, to fuel dreams of yet another 'great escape' amongst the travelling RMI support.

The hosts were almost back in to the game barely two minutes later when Jason Blunt fired wide, but RMI's goal was leading a charmed life, and the impossible seemed possible. Unfortunately, RMI's luck wasn't going to last much longer and after twenty five minutes Tamworth equalised, with Jamie Brooks hitting home past Martin in the RMI goal from the edge of the six yard box.

David Robinson went close from a Mark Cooper free kick before McNiven almost scored a fantastic second goal, with his ambitious strike from thirty five yards out only marginally wide of the target.

Carl Barrowclough forced a save from Richard Brush, who then tipped the resulting Andy Roscoe corner around the post, but the corner that followed from the left curled straight in to the goal from former Barnsley winger Barrowclough to regain the lead for RMI, a lead which they kept until the half time whistle.

The first chance of the second half fell to RMI, with transfer listed Peyton's curling free kick caught by Brush in the Tamworth goal.

RMI still held the lead but their case was hugely hampered after fifty-four minutes when midfielder Carl Rezai was shown the red card by Lincoln-based referee Mr Sutton for what was deemed as foul and abusive language, and this was quickly followed by Tamworth's second equaliser of the afternoon when Anthony Scully fired past Ian Martin from the edge of the penalty area.

The Railwaymen quickly get back on track within six minutes though when former Exeter City full back Andy Roscoe curled a delicious left foot free kick in to the top corner to give RMI the lead for the third time in the game.

Unfortunately, it was the story of RMI's season and they couldn't hold their lead when, with fifteen minutes remaining, Mark Cooper was fouled by RMI centre back Martyn Lancaster, with Cooper scoring the resulting penalty and Tamworth's third equaliser of the game.

Virtually immediately Wayne Maden was booked for a foul on Paul Barnes before he was sent off for a second bookable offence with ten minutes remaining after fouling Nicholas Smith, leaving RMI with just nine men on the field, and their misery was compounded when a Paul Barnes header with four minutes remaining condemned RMI to yet another Nationwide Conference defeat, though this was probably more important than all of the others put together, such was the sheer magnitude of the game.

Substitute Mario Daniel had a chance to score an amazing late equaliser but his shot went wide, leaving RMI to fall to a disappointing defeat which leaves them five points adrift of Conference safety.

The fat lady may not be singing just yet, but many more defeats for RMI, despite the recently excellent performances, and she may well have to get out her songbook. Three goals away from home is no mean feat though, and after the 3-1 victory over Morecambe in the previous Conference outing, then there has been tremendous improvement and there is always hope for yet another great escape.

Maybe, just maybe.

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