Matches and the score (7)
I believe the answer is:
tallies
'matches and the score' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'matches and the' is the wordplay.
'matches' becomes 'allies' (ally is a kind of match).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'the' becomes 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects).
'allies' after 't' is 'TALLIES'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for tallies that I've seen before include "Sums up" , "Recordings" , "Agrees; scores" , "Counts, of votes say" , "Reckons debt or score" .)