Report
Evostik Southern League Premier Division
Phillips 66 Community Stadium
Tuesday 1st December 2015
Brakes spurned the chance to make up more ground on leaders and forthcoming opponents Poole Town as they were held to a draw by ten man St Neots town at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium.
Sticking with the same starting eleven that had performed so well in the FA Trophy tie against Hednesford on Saturday, Paul Holleran’s men could have taken the lead inside the opening minutes when a well directed header from Jack Edwards struck the visitors bar. Ben Mackey was on to the loose ball quickly, but his turn and shot saw Saints keeper Andrew Wilton make a good save with his legs.
Mackey saw another shot saved before Brakes moved ahead on 12 minutes, a foul on Richard Taundry presenting Lee Moore with an opportunity from a free kick in a dangerous position some 20 yards from goal in a central position just outside the box. The strike was almost a carbon copy of his goal at Rushall 7 days earlier as he stepped up to curl the ball past Wilton.
The visitors had barely threatened until this point but the goal bought them out of their shells and they began to cause problems for the Leamington defence, levelling things up on 25 minutes when a long throw was headed into the centre, leaving Lee Clarke with the simplest of headers right in front of goal, giving Tony Breeden no chance.
St Neots were working the ball into good positions now and with Brakes struggling to clear, a shot was blocked, Breeden then producing a timely stop with his legs to deny Ryan Hawkins.
Jack Edwards saw an early second shot blocked as Leamington tried to assert themselves again, but the game was a far more even affair now. Ryan Frater’s shot to the near post caused no problems for Breeden, before the visitors were reduced to ten men when Hawkins picked up two needless bookings, one for throwing himself to the ground in an attempt to win a penalty, the second for continually trying to obstruct Breeden when he cleared the ball.
A good ball in from the right by James Fry saw Mackey go up for a challenge with Wilton, the keeper doing enough to put the Leamington striker off as he headed wide.
Brakes edged back in front with 17 minutes to play when Rob Ogleby drove in a low strike from the edge of the box after a spell of pressure on the St Neots goal. The same player charged down the right to drive a shot just over the bar soon afterwards, while Wilton did well to hold a stinging strike from Moore from 20 yards.
Mackey was denied by the keeper again as he turned onto another good ball in from Fry, the Saints stopper diving to his right to keep the ball out again, and Leamington were left frustrated when the visitors snatched a second equaliser 4 minutes from time with only their second effort on goal of the half, Mat Mitchell-King steering a low drive out of Breeden’s reach into the corner.
Attendance: 302
Leamington: Tony Breeden ©, James Fry, Nat Kelly, Joe Magunda, Jamie Hood, Jamie Tank, Rob Ogleby, Richard Taundry, Ben Mackey (16 Lee Chilton, 82), Jack Edwards, Lee Moore.
Subs not used: 12 Joe Halsall, 14 Will Green, 15 Ross Oulton, 17 Ben George.
St Neots Town: Andrew Wilton, Jamie Anton, Brett Longden, Matt Mitchell-King, Ryan Frater ©, Shane Blackett, Lee Clarke, Ben Jones, Ryan Hawkins, Drew Roberts, Isaac Galliford.
Subs not used: 12 Adam Tawn, 14 Guy Mailoncol, 15 Dan Hobbs, 16 Luis Viera, 17 Claudio Ofusu.
Referee: Mr Neil Pratt
Assistant Referees: Mr Simon Lane & Mr Edward Henderson
Brakes Man of the Match: Richard Taundry
