Vanarama National League North
St James’ Park
Monday 30th August 2021

Brakes could point to an improved second half performance having given away two poor goals at opposite ends of the first half as they went down to Brackley Town side looking full of confidence after winning their opening three matches of the season, but they gave their hosts a late scare with a goal from substitute Junior English.

Paul Holleran’s men, two games behind their hosts, did well to keep pace, with tiredness no doubt a factor having only started their season on Saturday, and will be disappointed not to have taken more of their chances, but it is hard to be too critical at this early stage, and they certainly did not disgrace themselves.

The hosts camped inside the Leamington half for all of the opening four minutes, and took full advantage by moving in front. Jake Weaver was left rooted to the spot as Lee Ndlovu rose highest amongst a static Brakes defence to head firmly inside the near post.

It took several minutes for Leamington to make inroads into the opposition’s half as The Saints had full control of proceedings, but gradually they began to impose themselves on the hosts.

Dan Turner had their first opportunity of the afternoon when skipper Jack Edwards played a slide rule pass which caught out the Saints’ defence, but perhaps not realising that he had time to advance, snatched at his shot first time, and the ball drifted past the far post.

Brackley were still looking organised and dangerous however, with Matt Lowe and Wes York giving Dan Meredith and Joe Clarke plenty to think about as they rampaged down the left. One such run from Lowe saw him skip into the penalty area and drive the ball across goal, only a timely deflection taking it out of harm's way.

Two chances came the way of former Brackley man Simeon Maye on the half hour. He met a right wing cross from Meredith with a half volley that bounced agonisingly past the far post, before heading another effort that looped into the arms of Danny Lewis.

Leamington threatened again before half time, awarded a free kick on the left close to the corner flag for a foul on Steph Morley. Devon Kelly-Evans swung the ball in and forced a red shirted defender to head off the line. Maye missed his kick, but Turner’s follow up was blocked by a cluster of defenders.

Six minutes before half time however the home side doubled their lead, and once more from a Brakes perspective it was a poor goal to concede; The impressive Lowe lifting the ball over Weaver from an acute angle on the right inside the box; with Kyle Morrison just unable to hook it off the line despite a valiant effort.

Kelsey Mooney sent a header well wide of the target but it was the hosts who returned to the dressing room fully in the ascendancy at half time.

Brakes were at sixes and sevens again seconds after the restart as Clarke misplaced a pass, allowing Ellis Myles to curl a shot just past the far post. Paul Holleran’s men pushed forward however, and Turner was just unable to get a shot off on the turn, Edwards driving the loose ball against the grounded Maye and behind.

It was certainly a far more positive start from Leamington but they still needed to be on their guard, as illustrated when Edwards sprinted back to help out his defence, producing a superb challenge on the edge of the box to deny Lowe.

There were still too many misplaced passes coming from the men in blue however, and twice in a matter of minutes Ndlovu was unfortunate not to add to his tally, particularly when driving a low cross-shot across goal and a whisker past the far post.

Edwards was outrageously penalised in defence as a Brackley player ran into him, and from this the home side pushed forward and won a corner from which Louis Lomas almost added a third, heading across goal and against the inside of the post the ball fortunately landing in the arms of a grateful Weaver.

Lowe came close again when crashing a powerful drive just over the bar, and was denied again as Brackley broke clear, his shot deflecting over the bar from a fine block by Meredith, Referee Greg Rollason inexplicably awarding a goal kick to the bewilderment of the home support.

Holleran introduced Callum Gittings, Kieran Cook and Junior English as the game entered its closing stages, English making an immediate impression as he won the ball on the edge of the Brackley box for Mooney to drive a shot into the side netting.

With three minutes remaining Leamington halved the deficit, thanks in part to some superb work from Cook on the right, his pace taking him into the box, where his low driven cross was backheeled into the far corner by English.

Inevitably there was plenty of late pressure as four minutes of added time were played. Cook simply could not get the ball out from under his feet having looked to have worked himself into a good position, while Gittings drove a shot well wide as Brackley only half cleared the ball, but Brackley worked the ball into the corner and saw out the last few seconds to claim a fourth straight win.

Attendance: 620

Brackley Town: Danny Lewis, Ellis Myles, Wes York, Jordan Richards (12 Alex Prosser, 54), Louis Lomas, Gaz Dean ©, Matt Lowe, Jimmy Armson, Lee Ndlovu (15 Tre Mitford, 86), Twariq Yosuf (14 Brad Bolt, 82), Glen Walker.

Subs not used: 16 Jordan Cullinine-Liburd, 17 Connor Franklin.

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Dan Meredith, Stephan Morley, Joe Clarke, Kyle Morrison, Jack Lane, Devon Kelly-Evans, Simeon Maye (16 Callum Gittings, 69), Kelsey Mooney, Jack Edwards © (17 Junior English, 79), Dan Turner (14 Kieran Cook, 73).

Subs not used: 12 Josh Martin, 15 Kaiman Anderson.

Referee: Mr Greg Rollason

Assistant Referees: Mr Niall Smith & Mr Lewis Saunders-Johnson

Brakes Man of the Match: Dan Meredith.