Vanarama National League North
Phillips 66 Community Stadium
Saturday 10th August 2019

The National League North season may only be three games old, but the fact that Brakes were disappointed at not being able to finish the day at the top of the embryonic table after drawing with a buoyant Curzon Ashton side shows the strides being made at the club over the last couple of seasons.

It perhaps wasn't a surprise that the game finished in a draw as that had been the outcome in three of the last four meetings between two sides who have been very difficult to separate. The inclement weather conditions probably contributed to a disappointing gate of 385 however. 

The reported wind speeds of around 40mph were certainly felt around the Phillips 66 Community Stadium, Leamington playing with it at their backs towards the North Bank in the first half, but such was the severity of the weather that neither side were ever really able to use it to their advantage.

Paul Holleran named the same starting eleven from Tuesday’s impressive victory over Brackley Town, boosted by Friday’s news that Jack Edwards’ red card from the opening day draw at Kidderminster had been overturned by the FA.

Junior English received an early booking for an apparent elbow on goalkeeper Cameron Mason as Referee Ed Duckworth looked to stamp his authority on proceedings.

A neat touch by Jordan Murphy took him clear of two defenders on the right, his low cross towards Josh March being put behind for a corner which came to nothing. Kaiman Anderson then looped a cross in from the opposite wing which Murphy stooped to head on target but he had very little of the goal to aim at and Mason held the ball at his near post.

Olly Thornley registered the first shot on goal for the visitors with 12 minutes played but Jake Weaver was able to watch the ball all the way towards his goal with no danger.

Jack Edwards headed wide as Anderson laid the ball back for Connor Gudger to cross first time from the left, before at the other end Curzon front man Callum Saunders saw his shot deflected through to Weaver as he pulled the trigger from outside the box.

A dangerous first time ball in from the right by Anderson was well cleared by Mo Ali as Brakes attempted to build some momentum, but in truth neither side could claim the ascendancy with twenty minutes played.

Edwards soared above all in a congested penalty area to plant a powerful header wide of goal from Joe Clarke’s free kick just inside the Curzon half, but Mark Bradshaw’s side fashioned the best opportunity to move in front when Saunders tore onto a through ball from Luke Wall and forced a good save from Weaver as he opted to shoot early, English completing the clearance as his keeper parried well.

Edwards was dominating the aerial play in attack and won another header inside the Curzon penalty area but unfortunately the ball dropped wide of the target once more.

A seemingly harmless through ball for March to chase resulted in the opening goal on 35 minutes. The number nine did well to get goal side of Ali but was not heading towards goal so it seemed an unnecessary challenge to make, but the centre back sent March crashing to the turf and after a short delay, he stepped up to rifle the spot kick emphatically into the top right hand corner of the net.

No sooner had the pendulum seemingly swung in Leamington’s favour then they were rocked back on their heels as they were reduced to ten men, English left to rue his early yellow card when he received another minutes before half time after a seemingly innocuous challenge on Michael Elstone as the Curzon man attempted to get clear down the left. It was one of those which, had he not received an earlier booking, would probably not have been awarded, but the Referee wasted little time in brandishing the red card.

Weaver remained alert despite the setback however, producing another good save moments before the half time whistle to deny Saunders once more.

Edwards seemed determined to get his name on the scoresheet, an early second half drive deflected behind for a corner from which Murphy went close as the ball was manoeuvred back out to him on the right, dancing past two challenges before firing a rising drive over the bar.

Curzon seemed to be struggling to adapt to having the wind behind them initially, Elstone thumping a shot well off target, and a multi pass move around the Leamington penalty area ended with the same player blazing high and wide.

The visitors were certainly starting to build a bit of momentum however, and Bradshaw had thrown on all of his available substitutes with twenty minutes to go. The Curzon players were adamant they should have had a penalty when Saunders appeared to be shoved inside the box and tempers began to fray a little thereafter, Curzon’s centre backs both going into the Referees notebook. Ali in particular could count himself lucky that his fellow defenders were just about in line with him as he hauled March back with the striker set to go through on goal.

Holleran brought on the lively Ravi Shamsi in the closing stages to stretch the visitors defence but it was Curzon who scored with four minutes remaining. From a Leamington perspective the manner of the goal was a sickener given that it was so late in the game but it was difficult to argue that Curzon didn’t deserve it - substitute Sean Miller’s powerful low drive taking a wicked deflection to fly into the net under the dive of a helpless Weaver.

The ‘Nash piled on the pressure in search of a winner as their bench became more and more animated in frustration at Leamington’s understandable attempts to run the clock down.

Another shot deflected agonisingly wide, while Weaver was calmness personified as he collected a high cross into his penalty box, but Saunders was left holding his head in his hands as he spurned the chance to head a winner with almost the last action of the game, the ball flying narrowly over the bar. On balance a draw was probably the right result, the conditions aiding and hampering both sides in equal measure.

Attendance: 385

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Junior English, Connor Gudger, Joe Clarke, James Mace, Jack Lane, Jordan Murphy (12 Cieron Keane, 72), Callum Gittings, Josh March (15 Ravi Shamsi, 81), Jack Edwards ©, Kaiman Anderson (17 Jamie Hood, 42).

Subs not used: 14 Reece King, 16 Gift Mussa,

Curzon Ashton: Cameron Mason, Andy Halls, Josh Askew, Nicky Wroe (15 Isaac Sinclair, 70), Mo Ali, Olly Thornley, Michael Elstone (16 Liam Davies, 58), Rob Evans, Callum Saunders, Luke Merrill, Luke Wall (12 Sean Miller, 70).

Subs not used: 14 Danny Shaw, 17 Jack Banister.

Referee: Mr Ed Duckworth

Assistant Referees: Mr Luis Martin & Mr Andrew Ellis

Brakes Man of the Match: Joe Clarke.