Southern League Premier Division Central
Garden Walk 
Saturday 30th September 

Brakes travelled east into previously uncharted Hertfordshire territory to visit Royston Town’s Garden Walk stadium for the first time. They were met with a friendly welcome, but that was as far as the hospitality went, on the pitch at least, as the hosts collected the points thanks to a great first half strike. 

Paul Holleran was forced into one change from Tuesday night’s narrow defeat at Alvechurch; with Henry Landers having picked up a slight knock he was moved to the substitutes bench, Cally Stewart taking his place. 

Brakes looked set to take an early lead when Tyrone Barnett rose above his marker to meet a left wing centre from Devon Kelly-Evans with a powerful header on nine minutes which was superbly pushed over the bar by Louis Chadwick. 

Kelly-Evans then nudged the ball left for skipper Adam Walker to drive towards goal with a powerful low effort that whistled just past the right hand upright. 

Dan Meredith beat his man to drive straight at Chadwick after Kelly-Evans had spread the play across the pitch. 

Royston had looked to drive at the Leamington defence on occasions, and came close when James Brighton sent in a powerful low drive from just outside the box following a corner that Callum Hawkins sprung towards his near post to save. 

Three minutes later the Crows were ahead when debutant Joe Boachie, who joined on dual registration from National League South Tonbridge Angels during the week, curled a sumptuous strike beyond the dive of Hawkins into the top left hand corner. 

The goal seemed to suck the life out of Brakes, and the home side were in the ascendancy for the rest of the first half. The hosts could have gone into the dressing room two goals to the good when debutant Ben De Lacy-Turner met Greg Sandiford’s right wing cross to the far post with a decent header which was nodded off the line by Jack Lane. 

Samson Esan danced past a couple of challenges to bend a shot wide of goal inside the opening seconds after the restart. 

It appeared a little too easy for Tsgium Guimdo Florian to turn inside two blue shirts just inside the penalty area on the left and send a ball towards goal that Hawkins was forced to push away. 

Leamington finally began to wake from their slumber, and put together their best move for some time when moving the ball up the left quickly, Stewart sending Ewan Williams away to send the ball low across the six yard box where Barnett was inches from connecting. Stewart then saw a shot deflected behind by Adam Murray. 

There was a strong shout for a penalty when a shot cannoned against a Royston man in the penalty area, before Walker thundered in a shot on the turn that was met by another fine save from Chadwick. Jack Edwards headed down and just over from the resulting corner. Barnett did likewise minutes later. 

Matt Bateman blazed a rare opening high over the bar for Royston, before forcing a good save from Hawkins after exchanging passes with De Lacy-Turner before firing low towards goal. 

Barnett saw a shot deflected behind for a corner, from which Stewart picked up the ball and curled a strike inches over the bar. 

Meredith stood the ball up to the far post from the right for Stewart to head straight at Chadwick, but ultimately Leamington were not at their best, and despite an improved second half in parts they endured a frustrating seven minutes of additional time before slipping to their second defeat of the week. 

Paul Holleran was philosophical afterwards, and whilst he was disappointed to have lost the game he felt that as on Tuesday evening his side might have done enough to get something out of the game, but decision making in the final third cost them. 

‘It was a similar kind of scenario to Tuesday. I think our decision making going into the final third needed to be better. You look at the game as a whole - we’ve had enough of the ball in the final third, enough of the ball in the box, enough chances and half chances to certainly get something on the scoresheet, and if you look at it again and look back at the goal and we’ll be disappointed again because it was another poor decision from us. 

‘I can’t recall too many shots on our goal really. It was a bit like the other night - deja vu. Our decision making needs to be better; our quality in and around the final third needs to be better. It’s another game that you look back on and, I’m not saying we’ve played well in either ,but we’ve done enough to get something out of both games, but poor decision making at both ends has cost us.’

Attendance: 287

Royston Town: Louis Chadwick, Greg Sandiford, James Brighton, Josh Coldicott-Stevens, Adam Murray, Harvey Beckett, Joe Boachie (15 MacKye Townsend West, ), Samson Esan, Tsgium Guimdo Florian (12 Ange Djadja, ), Matthew Bateman, Ben De Lacy-Turner (16 Alfie Williams, 82). 

Subs not used: 14 Thomas Newman, GK Oluwajuwon Akintunde. 

Leamington: Callum Hawkins, Dan Meredith, Josh Quaynor, Jack Edwards (12 Joe Clarke, 82), Theo Streete, Jack Lane, Ewan Williams, Adam Walker, Callum Stewart, Tyrone Barnett, Devon Kelly-Evans (15 Henry Landers, 82). 

Subs not used: GK Callum Smith, 14 Jiah Medrano, 16 Connor Taylor. 

Referee: Mr Deryll David

Assistant Referees: Mr Yashar Yekter & Mr Jide Ogunba

Brakes Man of the Match: Dan Meredith.