Vanarama National League North
Phillips 66 Community Stadium
Tuesday 3rd March 2020

Leamington battled and scrapped their way to a well earned point against a King’s Lynn Town side that Paul Holleran believes will be Champions come the end of the season.

The visitors may have been a little ring rusty having not had a game for two weeks, with two defeats prior to that, but Brakes dug in, matched them for spells, had arguably the better chances to score, and in keeping a clean sheet became only the fourth team in the National League North all season to stop Ian Culverhouse’s side from scoring as they produced a determined performance to back up their first win of the year against Southport in their previous outing.

With Jake Weaver forced to sit out his first game of the season due to suspension and Junior English serving the final game of his ban, Paul Holleran made two changes to his starting eleven, bringing in goalkeeper Lewis Gwilliams, whose one previous appearance for Brakes was back in August 2017. Joe Clarke also returned to the starting eleven in place of Callum Gittings.

The opening few minutes looked ominous, with King’s Lynn playing the kind of possession football that had seen them slam in five goals in the reverse fixture, but it was Leamington who forged the first opportunity of the evening as they won a clutch of early corners.

It was from one of these that Jack Edwards rose to meet Joe Parker’s right wing delivery and send a firm header against the far post.

Stephan Morley quickly registered another effort on goal, picking up a half clearance 20 yards or so from goal and thumping a powerful low drive towards goal which was met by a slightly unorthodox but good save from the Lynn keeper, who may have been wrongfooted.

King’s Lynn have not been at the top end of the table all season for no reason however, and while they failed to register a shot on target in the first half they engineered plenty of chances to open the scoring, the first of which was created by their leading marksman Adam Marriott whose neat footwork in the build up led to a chance which the striker lashed across goal and wide.

Former Boston United frontman Dayle Southwell set up centre back Tom Ward for another low effort that flashed just past the far post, but their best effort came moments before the half time whistle as Southwell’s attempted shot was deflected across to Ross Barrows just inside the box on the left, and his half volley bounced agonisingly wide.

The second half was a scrappier affair as the visitors, no doubt aware that title rivals York City were losing their game, became more frantic in their attempts to gain the lead. Ian Culverhouse threw on all three of his substitutes in a bid to swing the game in his sides’ favour, and one of those, Michael Gash, went close twice in a matter of moments. His first shot lacked the power to trouble Lewis Gwilliams but his second, after another piece of fine chest control, looped just over the crossbar.

Joe Parker was his usual busy self throughout, and won a corner on the right from which Street spilled the initial delivery into his penalty area, but dropped down on the ball when Mace attempted to drive it towards goal.

Marriott was denied late on by blocks from Jack Lane and then Clarke, while Gwilliams, who was well protected all evening and had very little to do, confidently came off his line to claim a cross from the striker as the visitors poured forward in search of a winner.

Despite this it was Leamington who very nearly snatched all three points in the dying embers of the game. Substitute Connor Taylor’s shot from a tight angle was blocked, Josh Martin’s follow up was stopped on the line by a defender, and when the ball found its way out to Kaiman Anderson just outside the box he curled his effort into the grateful arms of Street.

Paul Holleran’s Reaction

‘I really can’t see past King’s Lynn being Champions this season. I get around and watch a lot of football and I don’t think there is a better part time football club in the country, I really don’t. That probably speaks volumes for our performance tonight because it wasn’t one where we sat around on the edge of our box and defended for long periods and tried to nullify the game. We tried to be brave, we tried to go up against them and I think sometimes you’ve got to. We had a tough night over there earlier on in the season but tonight from our perspective was a really really good, compact performance. You’ve got to be really compact against them because of how many players they commit forward and how quick and sharp and bright their football is, especially when you’ve got Henderson and Marriott dropping in and rotating like they do, but I thought we dealt with it really well.

‘You’d probably have to say that the best chance was ours, when we hit the inside of the post. Both sides had two or three really good half chances and neither of us have taken them, but it’s a really good performance and clean sheet for us, and backs up the result we got last time out here.

‘As I said, you get about watching games when you get the opportunity, and it’s not just this season, when you get the chance to watch King’s Lynn play it’s always an enjoyable game to go to. They’re a really good side with a lot of really good players, and it says a lot about our performance that we deserved a point. It was as good a performance as we’ve had for a long time, so I’m delighted.’

Attendance: 345

Leamington: Lewis Gwilliams, Josh Martin, Stephan Morley, Joe Clarke, James Mace, Jack Lane, Joe Parker (16 Connor Taylor, 84), Callum Maycock, Jack Storer (12 Callum Gittings, 90), Jack Edwards ©, Dexter Walters (15 Kaiman Anderson, 77).

Subs not used: 14 Dan Meredith, 17 Kieran Dunbar.

King’s Lynn Town: Alex Street, Aaron Jones, Ross Barrows, Tom Ward (15 Ryan Hawkins,64), Chris Smith, Rory McCauley ©, Sam Kelly (12 Alfie Payne, 64), Jordan Richards, Dayle Southwell (18 Michael Gash, 64), Adam Marriott, Chris Henderson.

Subs not used: 14 Nathan Fox, 19 Ryan Jarvis

Referee: Mr Michael Barlow

Assistant Referees: Mr Daniel Robinson & Mr James Cox

Brakes Man of the Match: Josh Martin.

Photos: Dean Williams ©