Kyron Gordon’s third of the campaign put Dale ahead at the break, before Mani Dieseruvwe’s penalty doubled the lead midway through the second period.
The hosts pulled one back to make it a nervy ending for the travelling Dale faithful, but Jimmy McNulty’s men held on to go back to the top of the league, albeit potentially temporarily.
Jimmy McNulty made three changes from last weekend’s win over Aldershot Town. Tarryn Allarakhia returned from international duty to replace Kevin Berkoe, who was recalled by Salford City on Thursday. Casey Pettit started in place of Ryan East, who dropped to the bench, whilst Aidan Barlow joined Connor McBride behind Mani Dieseruvwe, with Devante Rodney missing out of the squad altogether.
Dale started quickly and forced a number of early corners, but it took until midway through the first half before a real shot in anger came, as Barlow fired wide from the edge of the area.
Dieseruvwe forced Jas Singh into a save when he spun on the edge of the area and shot, before Pettit curled a shot from distance wide of the far post.
Just after the half-hour mark, Dale thought they had taken the lead when Dieseruvwe headed Tobi Adebayo-Rowling’s cross from close range. Singh got behind it and turned it away, but the Dale forwards were convinced it had crossed the line.
However, four minutes before the break, Dale did have the ball over the line. Dieseruvwe and Connor McBride both had shots deflected, with the latter’s effort going straight into the path of Gordon, who nodded home from the edge of the six-yard box.
Allarakhia almost doubled the lead before half-time, after latching on to a ball in behind, beating a couple of defenders in the area and firing goalwards, but his effort took a deflection wide of the far post.
After the interval, Dieseruvwe saw another shot on the turn well held by Singh, whilst McBride hit a similar effort narrowly wide.
Tamworth substitute Tyler Roberts headed over, whilst Allarakhia shot off target from a tight angle after a cross reached him at the back post.
Dale were awarded just their second penalty of the season when Dieseruvwe was hauled to ground inside the area. He stepped up and unleashed one into the top corner to extend the lead.
However, the hosts brought it back within one less than five minutes later. They worked it to the byline on the right and pulled it back into the middle, where Dan Creaney turned home from close range.
It gave the home crowd a lift and Dale were forced to defend a number of high balls into the area, although Pettit did have a curling effort well held by Singh.
Ethan Ebanks-Landell put in a superb block to divert Tom Tonks’ effort wide, whilst Ronan Maher and Creaney sent shots off target in the dying embers.
Dale’s resoluteness paid off, as McNulty’s men moved to the top of the National League, with Forest Green Rovers to play later in the afternoon.
Tamworth XI | Singh, Cockerill-Mollett (74’ Curley), Digie, Bates, Milnes © (74’ Tonks), Duku (62’ Creaney), Enoru (62’ Roberts), Rye, Donkor, Maher, Ponticelli (83’ Lynch).
Unused subs | Mols, Hollis.
Scorers | 74’ Creaney.
Dale XI | Whatmuff, Gordon, Ebanks-Landell ©, Allarakhia (71’ Moss), Gilmour, Dieseruvwe, Adebayo-Rowling, Pettit, Barlow (71’ East), McBride (88’ Amantchi), Beckwith.
Unused subs | Pritchard, Burger, Humbles, Henderson.
Scorers | 41’ Gordon, 70’ Dieseruvwe.
Attendance | 1,067 (365 away).
