Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central
Bloomfields
Tuesday 5 December 2023

by Max Passantino

The fact that this match was second vs third meant it promised to be a fantastic clash, but any hope of a good game of football was ruined by one man.

Paul Holleran made one change to his side that beat fellow promotion chasers Hitchin Town at the weekend as captain Adam Walker returned after a period on the sidelines with illness, Joe Clarke dropping to the bench.

It was a cagey start in tough conditions as both sides tested each other out. Henry Landers came closest for Leamington but his deflected shot was saved by the impressive Marcus Garnham.

However, with their first effort of the game just before 20 minutes the hosts took the lead. A high ball cut open the Brakes defence and allowed Luke Ingram free, looping the ball over Hawkins before heading in to ensure the ball made the net ripple despite the offside protests from the entire back line. 

The lead didn’t last long though as Callum Stewart was brought down for a questionable free kick. Landers delivered an inch perfect ball to the front post where an unmarked Theo Streete headed home to level the game.

Goals kept coming, and the home side regained the lead just before the half hour mark. A clever free kick routine was finished off by Tevan Allen who subsequently injured himself in the celebrations and was substituted.

As the game kicked fully into life, Garnham was called into action again. Will Shorrock’s attempted backheel was bread and butter for the home side’s shot stopper.

However, in the background frustrations were mounting toward the man in the middle who seemed to be giving a free kick to whoever could shout the loudest. Play was stopped while Leamington were attacking and to the disbelief of everyone in the ground, a drop ball was given to the hosts.

Jack Lane was substituted with a suspected knee injury after spending some time on the ground receiving treatment from Liam Bratley.

If previous decisions weren’t enough to rile up the bench, referee Bowles gave Leamington a free kick 30 yards out from goal but then changed his mind and awarded Market the decision. Paul Holleran was then booked for questioning the number of controversial decisions just before the man in black blew for half time.

It only took four minutes in the second period for the first controversial decision of the half, Shorrock receiving a hand to the face in front of the linesman but no foul was given.

Tyrone Barnett was introduced and could have had a hat trick in his time on the pitch. Some fantastic work from Ewan Williams down the right saw the ball cut back to the striker but, with the goal screaming for contact, the ball rolled under his foot.

Needham went forward and Callum Hawkins was called into action, comfortably saving a drive from Kyle Hammond.

Barnett’s second golden chance came with 65 on the clock. A searching ball from Landers found Barnett in the six yard box but his first time volley was touched wide by the feet of Garnham.

As the sides headed into the final fifteen, it was hard to get any rhythm going with the whistle going a number of times every minute - annoying almost everyone in the ground.

Hammond had another effort at Callum Hawkins but the number one was more than equal to the low strike.

Jiah Medrano was brought on with five to go and confidence was restored in the Leamington side culminating in a number of late chances. Barnett used all his experience to strike the ball from the edge of the box, clipping the outside of the post.

A Medrano corner wasn’t fully cleared by the hosts and Brakes saw three shots cleared at point blank range as the game entered into five minutes of added time.

Adam Walker burst into the box and was hacked down, with Brakes fans and players almost celebrating the award of a late penalty but for some reason Bowles remained unmoved.

To top off a very controversial performance, Joe Clarke was booked for dissent as frustrations in the Brakes camp reached boiling point - the players had done well to keep their cool for 94 minutes without a booking for dissent despite the wide array of questionable decisions.

Tyrone Barnett had the last chance of the game as his header flew wide, leaving Brakes pointless for the first time in nine matches.

Attendance: 218

Needham Market: 1 Marcus Garnham, 2 Jake Dye, 3 Tommy Smith, 4 Kyle Hammond, 5 Keiran Morphew, 6 Dan Morphew, 7 Luke Ingram, 8 Dylan Williams (9 Callum Page, 73’), 10 Jacob Lay, 11 Tevan Allen (17 Reece Harris, 29’), 15 Seth Chambers (14 Jamie McGrath, 66’).

Sub not used: 12 Ollie Fraser.

Leamington: Callum Hawkins, Dan Meredith, Josh Quaynor, Ewan Williams, Theo Streete, Jack Lane (12 Joe Clarke, 40’), Henry Landers (14 Jiah Medrano, 84’), Adam Walker ©, Callum Stewart, Jack Edwards, Will Shorrock (16 Tyrone Barnett, 57’).

Subs not used: 13 Dan Moore, 15 Dan Baldwin.

Additional booking: Paul Holleran 

Referee: Mr Benjamin Bowles

Assistant referees: Mr Christopher Perkins, Mr Paul Quick

Brakes Man of the Match: Ewan Williams