Vanarama National League North 
Your Co-op Community Stadium 
Saturday 15th February 2025

Leamington took on Farsley Celtic as they looked to record three consecutive National League North wins for the first time since the opening month of the 2022/23 season. Two hours before kick off the game looked to be in serious doubt due to persistent rainfall during the morning on an already deteriorated playing surface, but thanks to the sterling efforts of a soggy group of volunteers, Referee Harry Jones was satisfied that the game could go ahead.  

Although the conditions were terrible and not conducive for playing any kind of passing football, neither club would have wanted to see the game postponed, least of all the visitors, who travelled with new manager David Stockdale in the hope that their future will be brighter after their well documented ground and ownership saga appeared to have taken a positive turn during the week. We wish them all the very best going forward. 

Farsley, who stepped out in their original colours of blue and white, named several of the side who had started against Needham Market the previous Saturday. For Leamington, new loan signing Matt Richards was one of four changes made by Paul Holleran from Tuesday’s victory over Warrington Town; the West Bromwich Albion youngster stepping in to fill the right sided defensive berth normally filled by Dan Meredith, who was frustratingly forced to watch on from the sidelines after picking up an injury in the closing stages on Tuesday evening. Josh Quaynor, Joe Clarke and Will Shorrock dropped to the bench, with Jiah Medrano, Theo Streete and Owen Farmer coming into the starting eleven. 

Ewan Williams ensured the perfect start to the afternoon for Leamington when he crashed in a fifth minute opener from close range after George Ward had met Henry Landers’ right wing corner with a header at the far post that was cleared off the line, but the midfielder was on hand to sweep home. 

Joao Silva headed a good chance over the bar from a corner for the visitors, and then Dylan Iwobi mis-kicked their next effort completely, but it was a warning for Leamington to avoid complacency, with their opponents giving their all to stay in the game throughout. 

Farmer volleyed a good effort just wide, while Dan Turner stretched to send an effort just wide after a good exchange of passes with Farmer on the edge of the box. He was quickly presented with another opportunity when Farmer found Williams, who did well to stab the ball across from the touchline on the left, but Turner’s attempt was straight at goalkeeper Will Brook. 

The on loan Nottingham Forest youngster, who had a fine game, decided that an audacious effort from well inside his own half by Rob Evans needed saving, although it did look to be drifting off target, but the young goalkeeper was taking no chances. 

Jack Edwards headed another good ball in from Landers just wide at the far post, but in his defence he was so close to goal it would have been very difficult for him to get it on target. 

Farmer was heavily involved early on, and set up by a low cross from Landers that was dummied into his path by Williams, but his first time effort was past the left hand upright. 

Callum Hawkins was forced into his first save of the afternoon from a Farsley corner; Dylan Iwobi driving in a shot that was comfortably held by the Leamington number one. 

Farmer was presented with another opportunity to open his account for the club from another ball in from the right by Landers, but saw his shot saved by Brook. 

On the half hour a corner inadvertently conceded by the visitors on the Leamington left led to the second goal. Brook caught a header back by one of his defenders, but the assistant on the near side adjudged that he was behind the touchline. Landers floated the ball into the centre, and there was Williams to powerfully head home his second of the afternoon. 

Turner was forced slightly wider than he would have liked as he moved towards goal again on the left, his low strike from a tight angle kept out by a stretching Brook, who gathered at the second attempt. 

Iwobi’s shot at the other end was saved by Hawkins, before Turner was flattened by Essa Janneh right on the edge of the box, with no decision in Leamington’s favour. 

Farmer got into a good position once more in the opening exchanges of the second half, only to be denied a strike at goal by a last ditch foot in by Chris Bumhira. Turner then streaked through on the right with a defender at his heels, but drove low into the side netting. 

Farsley then began to enjoy a decent spell with the ball, leading to some grumblings arising from the main stand as Brakes struggled to assert themselves in the same way they had done in the opening forty five minutes. 

Landers struck a third for Brakes on  minutes when he was picked out from the left by substitute Tim Berridge, taking a touch before thumping a deflected effort into the net past Brook. 

Two substitutes almost combined for a fourth; Ant Lynn winning an aerial battle inside the box and Berridge driving low towards goal, but he was denied by another good stop from Brook. Berridge then saw another effort blocked by the giant Janneh on the edge of the box. 

Berridge was denied by another quality save from Brook in added time as Leamington poured forward in search of a fourth goal, flying to his left to keep out a powerful drive from Berridge. 

Farsley substitute Tom Priestley-Standing almost grabbed a late consolation, but his low strike from distance was turned round the post by Hawkins. 

Overall it was a satisfying afternoon for Brakes, with Richards making a solid debut in a good team performance, and while there could have been more goals, credit has to go to young Will Brook for keeping his team in the game on more than one occasion. 

The manager agreed that the victory was a good end to a very good week when speaking to BBC CWR’s Brian Halford after the game. 

‘Fair play to Farsley, they were very well organised, they’ve made a game of it, but today; three goals and a clean sheet, and the week, three wins and nine points which is hard to do in this league. The players deserve so much credit, and thoroughly deserved as well, I think all three victories have been warranted. Today could have been a lot more comfortable, but this pitch is a bit of a leveller at the moment. Days like these, you just want to get through them. You’ve just got to win the game, and we’ve done that quite convincingly in the end. 

‘The substitutions have pushed us on, because to be fair, with an hour gone, the game was getting a bit flat, and the subs have given us some control in the game again and given us some fresh legs. I think the best goal of the game was the third one - the move, and Tim Berridge could have had a hat trick! There was some good play in there. There was sloppy periods, it was a difficult game for lots of different reasons, but as I’ve said, I think three goals, clean sheet, three points is the perfect way to end today and the week, and we can have a little bit of rest and recovery and go again Tuesday night against Buxton. 

‘I think after the Rushall and Marine game it was difficult, and with the players this season it’s been one  step forward, two back - we can’t get that momentum, so this week that was what we were trying to do. Could we keep going forward, could we be aggressive enough, and I think you saw it today. Yes, I think we’ve made good decisions off the pitch with our selections for different games, and the players have carried it through, but it's been a good week for me, the staff and the players, and if you get nine points in a week the league table looks completely different. I knew if we could get to the right levels and our application was good these three games were games that we could get something from. I also know the games coming up are going to be really difficult. I’m sure we’ll be fine, but there’s some tough days ahead, but getting that buffer of those points on the board should give us some confidence going forward.’  

Attendance: 387

Leamington: 1 Callum Hawkins, 4 Matt Richards, 5 Theo Streete (3 Josh Quaynor, 82), 6 Rob Evans, 7 Henry Landers (19 Ant Lynn, 78), 10 Jack Edwards © (21 Joe Clarke, 65), 14 George Ward, 16 Jiah Medrano, 17 Ewan Williams, 23 Dan Turner (11 Tim Berridge, 71), 24 Owen Farmer (12 Will Shorrock, 65). 

Farsley Celtic: 1 Will Brook, 35 Chris Bumhira, 30 Essa Janneh, 25 Harry Sheridan ©, 32 Tyler Polwarth, 12 Rafael Monteiro (19 Bubba Krubally, 65), 18 Manny Kampala, 21 Chris Kondolo (27 Tom Priestley- Standing, 82), 24 Kole Hyde, 16 Joao Silva, 14 Dylan Iwobi (28 Ebeneezer Ameho, 65). 

Referee: Mr Harry Jones

Assistant Referees: Mr Ryan Price & Mr Owen Moreton

Fourth Official: Mr Jamie Conde

Brakes Man of the Match: Henry Landers.