Leamington 0 Needham Market 1

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central

Your Co-op Community Stadium

Saturday 24th February 2024

Leamington were edged out by league leaders Needham Market in the Central Division’s game of the day. The Suffolk side, who are displaying the consistency and determination to eek out results that are often the hallmarks of title winning teams, rode their luck at times, but a combination of good goalkeeping, good defending and profligate finishing from Paul Holleran’s side allowed them to return home with a priceless victory that puts them ever closer to a first ever promotion to Step 2 and the National League. In the process they completed a league double over Brakes. Having put an end to a 8 game unbeaten run back in December, they ended a 10 game unbeaten sequence with this narrow victory. 

Brakes, meanwhile, are beginning to count the cost of too many draws, and are now nervously looking over their shoulder at a clutch of clubs bearing down on them ready to take that final play off spot. 

Leamington lined up with the same starting eleven and bench that had drawn a blank at Kettering seven days previously, and as they had done in their previous home game against Royston, started at great pace.

Henry Landers’ thunderous strike whistled past the angle of post and crossbar inside the opening minute, before Will Shorrock went down in a heap as he was challenged from behind just inside the Needham Market penalty area. Referee Dale Wooton, an established official in the National League, quickly decided he was not going to award a spot kick, much to the consternation of both players and supporters.

Cally Stewart then cut inside from the right to fire in an effort that was deflected just over the bar. The resulting corner sent in by Landers missed the head of the inrushing Ewan Williams by a whisker.

Tyrone Barnett showed a neat turn of pace down the right to outmuscle left back Tom Smith and cut back in towards the penalty area before attempting to feed Stewart, whose shot was blocked, as was Barnett’s follow up effort.

A Needham free kick played into the box almost deceived a possibly unsighted Callum Hawkins, who was unable to claim the ball but was helped out by Theo Streete, who hacked away.

The Brakes keeper found himself facing a penalty on 33 minutes that looked as nip and tuck decision wise as the one that had not been given at the other end. Jamie McGrath went down under what appeared to be minimal contact from Streete as Luke Ingram’s cross deflected through to him, but this time Mr Wooton immediately pointed to the spot. Ingram stepped up to strike confidently towards goal but was denied by a fantastic save from Hawkins. The Brakes number one held another well struck effort from Tevan Allen before half time.

Theo Streete nodded a corner just wide at the far post as the game recommenced, with the visitors kicking into the late afternoon sunshine. Seth Carroll Chambers dragged a shot wide for Needham Market, while Barnett rose to meet Landers’ right wing cross, but a defender got there first to concede a corner which saw the ball handed straight back to the away side.

Stewart was played into space and one on one with Needham keeper Marcus Garnham by Shorrock, and looked odds on to open the scoring only to be denied by a superb stop from the burly keeper. Barnett followed up with a shot that unfortunately probably landed halfway across the field behind the goal.

The visiting contingent were in fine voice in contrast to the normally vocal Brakes support, which was strangely muted, which was disappointing when the team needed them the most. This could well have changed when Stewart was clipped as he tore into the box. The visiting defenders were apoplectic as a penalty was awarded, but Garnham got down superbly to deny the young striker’s well struck effort. The veteran stopper first faced Leamington back in the 2008/2009 season when playing for Bury Town. It was not difficult to see why, some 15 years later, he is still performing at a high level.  

Williams saw his effort somehow cleared off the line as the ball travelled all the way through to him from a left wing corner, before Barnett’s follow up was deflected wide.

A Needham Market corner somehow found its way through a crowded penalty area without a single touch as the league leaders pressed forward again,

Luke Ingram looked to have beaten Hawkins as he nodded a high ball forward over the advancing keeper only for Meredith to get back right at the last second to head off the line and behind, but the visitors did break the deadlock with 13 minutes to play when  McGrath nonchalantly back heeled a right wing corner that deflected off substitute Joe Clarke to him, into the net.

Stewart was then unable to get a good enough connection on substitute Jiah Medrano’s long throw into the box, the ball trickling wide.

Landers struck a curling effort that deflected behind off Kyle Hammond for a corner, from which Garnham got in the way of another shot. The ball seemed to stick on the goal line before eventually landing on the roof of the net. The visiting defenders were adamant that it had come off a Leamington man last, but another corner was awarded, Adam Walker eventually lashing a fierce half volley high over the bar.

Leamington’s faint hopes of automatic promotion were finally extinguished by this result. Indeed, with Telford pulling away from them in fifth and Stratford pulling level on points with a game in hand, which is on Tuesday evening at Needham Market, Brakes face a battle to hang on to that last play off position if they continue to squander points in the manner they have done in the last two games. 

Paul Holleran was naturally disappointed as his team failed to hit the net for the second Saturday in succession, saying ‘Probably the last two weeks now - Kettering and today - we’ve had enough chances to win both games comfortably. We started well today, and created some good opportunities. Then you’ve got the penalty, which, in all my years I’ve never seen anything like it but there you go. Second half it looked like only one team was going to win it. We’ve had the chances, but I’ve watched Needham a few times, and seen them do that time and time again. What I would say about them - the goal we’ve conceded, they wouldn’t concede. 

‘To sum it up in a nutshell for us today; we’re creating opportunities, so it’s hard to be critical. We’ve missed one on ones, penalties, goals on the line. We needed a bit more composure; especially when the keeper’s on the floor, and we’re hitting him. We’ll be disappointed when we look back at the goal because we haven’t been aggressive enough to stop the cross. We’ve got to defend that 1 v 1 better and make sure that we can see the ball, don’t sell yourself, so that’s disappointing, but similar to last week, if we take our chances we win the game comfortably, that’s the bottom line. It’s one of those where you’ve got to keep plugging away, keep creating the chances, and hopefully the goals go in. But definitely yeah, frustrating. But you’ve got to give them credit. We’ve probably let them off a bit because we haven’t been clinical enough. Poor finishing and good goalkeeping have been the reason we’ve not got anything today. 

‘We knew it was always going to be a real tough game today,’ said Needham boss Kevin Horlock after the game. ‘Obviously it was one of our games in hand over Redditch; and with Leamington in the play off places it was probably a game that they would have liked three points from. I think I would have settled for a point if I’m being totally honest. The pitch was heavy but we’re quite a resilient group, we don’t concede many goals. There weren't many chances in the game, but obviously the goal we got was pleasing. It was a great finish from Jamie, who was brilliant today, and then we had to hold on and scrap for it, but we know how to get over the line this season. We struggled with that last year but it’s a massive, massive win for us.’ 

Attendance: 652

Leamington: Callum Hawkins, Dan Meredith, Josh Quaynor, Ewan Williams (12 Joe Clarke, 67), Jack Edwards, Theo Streete, Henry Landers, Adam Walker ©, Cally Stewart, Tyrone Barnett (14 Jiah Medrano, 85), Will Shorrock (15 Dom Brown-Hill, 77). 

Subs not used: 16 Connor Taylor, 17 Rob Evans. 

Needham Market: 1 Marcus Garnham, 2 Jake Dye, 3 Thomas Smith, 4 Kyle Hammond, 5 Keiran Morphew, 6 Daniel Morphew, 7 Luke Ingram (18 Emmanuel Okunowo, 87), 11 Tevan Allen, 14 Jamie McGrath, 15 Seth Carroll-Chambers, 19 Nico Valentine.

Subs not used: 8 Dylan Williams, 10 Jacob Lay. 

Referee: Mr Dale Wooton

Assistant Referees: Mr Gareth McMahon & Mr Ian Croston

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central
Your Co-op Community Stadium
Saturday 24th February 2024

Leamington were edged out by league leaders Needham Market in the Central Division’s game of the day. The Suffolk side, who are displaying the consistency and determination to eek out results that are often the hallmarks of title winning teams, rode their luck at times, but a combination of good goalkeeping, good defending and profligate finishing from Paul Holleran’s side allowed them to return home with a priceless victory that puts them ever closer to a first ever promotion to Step 2 and the National League. In the process they completed a league double over Brakes. Having put an end to a 8 game unbeaten run back in December, they ended a 10 game unbeaten sequence with this narrow victory. 

Brakes, meanwhile, are beginning to count the cost of too many draws, and are now nervously looking over their shoulder at a clutch of clubs bearing down on them ready to take that final play off spot. 

Leamington lined up with the same starting eleven and bench that had drawn a blank at Kettering seven days previously, and as they had done in their previous home game against Royston, started at great pace.

Henry Landers’ thunderous strike whistled past the angle of post and crossbar inside the opening minute, before Will Shorrock went down in a heap as he was challenged from behind just inside the Needham Market penalty area. Referee Dale Wooton, an established official in the National League, quickly decided he was not going to award a spot kick, much to the consternation of both players and supporters.

Cally Stewart then cut inside from the right to fire in an effort that was deflected just over the bar. The resulting corner sent in by Landers missed the head of the inrushing Ewan Williams by a whisker.

Tyrone Barnett showed a neat turn of pace down the right to outmuscle left back Tom Smith and cut back in towards the penalty area before attempting to feed Stewart, whose shot was blocked, as was Barnett’s follow up effort.

A Needham free kick played into the box almost deceived a possibly unsighted Callum Hawkins, who was unable to claim the ball but was helped out by Theo Streete, who hacked away.

The Brakes keeper found himself facing a penalty on 33 minutes that looked as nip and tuck decision wise as the one that had not been given at the other end. Jamie McGrath went down under what appeared to be minimal contact from Streete as Luke Ingram’s cross deflected through to him, but this time Mr Wooton immediately pointed to the spot. Ingram stepped up to strike confidently towards goal but was denied by a fantastic save from Hawkins. The Brakes number one held another well struck effort from Tevan Allen before half time.

Theo Streete nodded a corner just wide at the far post as the game recommenced, with the visitors kicking into the late afternoon sunshine. Seth Carroll Chambers dragged a shot wide for Needham Market, while Barnett rose to meet Landers’ right wing cross, but a defender got there first to concede a corner which saw the ball handed straight back to the away side.

Stewart was played into space and one on one with Needham keeper Marcus Garnham by Shorrock, and looked odds on to open the scoring only to be denied by a superb stop from the burly keeper. Barnett followed up with a shot that unfortunately probably landed halfway across the field behind the goal.

The visiting contingent were in fine voice in contrast to the normally vocal Brakes support, which was strangely muted, which was disappointing when the team needed them the most. This could well have changed when Stewart was clipped as he tore into the box. The visiting defenders were apoplectic as a penalty was awarded, but Garnham got down superbly to deny the young striker’s well struck effort. The veteran stopper first faced Leamington back in the 2008/2009 season when playing for Bury Town. It was not difficult to see why, some 15 years later, he is still performing at a high level.  

Williams saw his effort somehow cleared off the line as the ball travelled all the way through to him from a left wing corner, before Barnett’s follow up was deflected wide.

A Needham Market corner somehow found its way through a crowded penalty area without a single touch as the league leaders pressed forward again,

Luke Ingram looked to have beaten Hawkins as he nodded a high ball forward over the advancing keeper only for Meredith to get back right at the last second to head off the line and behind, but the visitors did break the deadlock with 13 minutes to play when  McGrath nonchalantly back heeled a right wing corner that deflected off substitute Joe Clarke to him, into the net.

Stewart was then unable to get a good enough connection on substitute Jiah Medrano’s long throw into the box, the ball trickling wide.

Landers struck a curling effort that deflected behind off Kyle Hammond for a corner, from which Garnham got in the way of another shot. The ball seemed to stick on the goal line before eventually landing on the roof of the net. The visiting defenders were adamant that it had come off a Leamington man last, but another corner was awarded, Adam Walker eventually lashing a fierce half volley high over the bar.

Leamington’s faint hopes of automatic promotion were finally extinguished by this result. Indeed, with Telford pulling away from them in fifth and Stratford pulling level on points with a game in hand, which is on Tuesday evening at Needham Market, Brakes face a battle to hang on to that last play off position if they continue to squander points in the manner they have done in the last two games. 

Paul Holleran was naturally disappointed as his team failed to hit the net for the second Saturday in succession, saying ‘Probably the last two weeks now - Kettering and today - we’ve had enough chances to win both games comfortably. We started well today, and created some good opportunities. Then you’ve got the penalty, which, in all my years I’ve never seen anything like it but there you go. Second half it looked like only one team was going to win it. We’ve had the chances, but I’ve watched Needham a few times, and seen them do that time and time again. What I would say about them - the goal we’ve conceded, they wouldn’t concede. 

‘To sum it up in a nutshell for us today; we’re creating opportunities, so it’s hard to be critical. We’ve missed one on ones, penalties, goals on the line. We needed a bit more composure; especially when the keeper’s on the floor, and we’re hitting him. We’ll be disappointed when we look back at the goal because we haven’t been aggressive enough to stop the cross. We’ve got to defend that 1 v 1 better and make sure that we can see the ball, don’t sell yourself, so that’s disappointing, but similar to last week, if we take our chances we win the game comfortably, that’s the bottom line. It’s one of those where you’ve got to keep plugging away, keep creating the chances, and hopefully the goals go in. But definitely yeah, frustrating. But you’ve got to give them credit. We’ve probably let them off a bit because we haven’t been clinical enough. Poor finishing and good goalkeeping have been the reason we’ve not got anything today. 

‘We knew it was always going to be a real tough game today,’ said Needham boss Kevin Horlock after the game. ‘Obviously it was one of our games in hand over Redditch; and with Leamington in the play off places it was probably a game that they would have liked three points from. I think I would have settled for a point if I’m being totally honest. The pitch was heavy but we’re quite a resilient group, we don’t concede many goals. There weren't many chances in the game, but obviously the goal we got was pleasing. It was a great finish from Jamie, who was brilliant today, and then we had to hold on and scrap for it, but we know how to get over the line this season. We struggled with that last year but it’s a massive, massive win for us.’ 

Attendance: 652

Leamington: Callum Hawkins, Dan Meredith, Josh Quaynor, Ewan Williams (12 Joe Clarke, 67), Jack Edwards, Theo Streete, Henry Landers, Adam Walker ©, Cally Stewart, Tyrone Barnett (14 Jiah Medrano, 85), Will Shorrock (15 Dom Brown-Hill, 77). 

Subs not used: 16 Connor Taylor, 17 Rob Evans. 

Needham Market: 1 Marcus Garnham, 2 Jake Dye, 3 Thomas Smith, 4 Kyle Hammond, 5 Keiran Morphew, 6 Daniel Morphew, 7 Luke Ingram (18 Emmanuel Okunowo, 87), 11 Tevan Allen, 14 Jamie McGrath, 15 Seth Carroll-Chambers, 19 Nico Valentine.

Subs not used: 8 Dylan Williams, 10 Jacob Lay. 

Referee: Mr Dale Wooton

Assistant Referees: Mr Gareth McMahon & Mr Ian Croston

Brakes Man of the Match: Adam Walker.