Report
Evostik Southern League Premier Division
Phillips 66 Community Stadium
Tuesday 18th August 2015
A tremendous advert for Southern League football was played out at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium on Tuesday evening, with Brakes edging home thanks to the odd goal in five after the Poppies had stormed back from a two goal half time deficit to temporarily stun their hosts.
This really was an end to end encounter with plenty of twists and turns to satisfy the 545 present, and while the healthy Kettering contingent who travelled will no doubt be disappointed with the result there will be plenty of positives to take from the contest for both clubs.
This was always going to be a stern test against a buoyant Poppies outfit still riding the wave of optimism following their Central Division title winning campaign, and with former Racing Club Warwick boss Marcus Law now back in charge at the club they look to have a side perfectly capable of challenging at the right end of the table as they made Leamington work extremely hard for the points.
Brakes got off the perfect start however, easing into a fourth minute lead thanks Jack Edwards' first goal of the season. Holding the ball up in midfield, Ben Mackey released it for Richard Taundry to find Lee Moore on the opposite side of the field with his usual pinpoint accuracy. Moore looked to be on for a repeat of his goal at Histon as he tried to take the ball past a defender, but seeing Edwards unmarked in the centre he chose to pass and it turned out to be a good decision as his team mate found the bottom corner with a low first time drive.
It was evident from the early exchanges that Kettering were going to pose plenty of problems going forward and they did not waste any time in proving this, Jamie Hood doing well to clear off the line as Courtney Baker-Richardson's powerful header arrowed towards goal. Brett Solkhon came within inches of levelling soon afterwards only to be denied by Tony Breeden, who got enough on the ball to help it onto the woodwork, down onto the goal line and away.
The pace of Jevani Brown was keeping the Leamington defence on their toes and he charged clear down the right only to be upended by Breeden outside the penalty area, Referee Mark Griffiths electing to show only a yellow card after consulting his assistant on the near side, presumably as the Poppies man was not heading directly towards goal and Breeden had defensive cover.
Nevertheless it was a pivotal moment that could easily have tilted the outcome of the game in the visitors' favour. They continued to threaten without creating any real scoring chances, though Jamie Hood was well placed to make a couple of clinical interventions to cut out attacks, while Leamington went close when Edwards did well to force the ball into the middle from the touchline on the right, Rob Ogleby seeing his shot blocked.
It was the industrious Edwards who drew a foul from former Brakes loanee Dominic Langdon on 35 minutes that presented Taundry with a free kick 25 yards from goal, from which he stepped up to curl an absolute peach past the static Jamie McAlindon in the Kettering goal.
Brown looked to have a chance to pull one back for Kettering when he chased a pass forward into the box but Breeden, who had incurred the wrath of the travelling support when taking his time on goal kicks after his booking, was calmness personified as he collected the ball and neatly sidestepped the onrushing attacker before making his clearance.
Brown was involved in Kettering's early second half fightback however, as he created a chance for Saul Williams to blast a low shot across goal into the far corner 3 minutes in. He then won the penalty from which Andy Gooding bought the visitors level with a dangerous run into the box past several Brakes defenders before being tripped.
Leamington were stunned by their opponents blistering start to the half but to their credit they quickly regained their composure and dragged themselves back into the game, regaining the lead a little over ten minutes later. Some direct running from Ogleby down the right saw him find Moore who in turn played in Mackey, who did what he does so well in shielding the ball before driving forward and unleashing a powerful low drive that crashed through McAlindon into the far corner to the delight of the Harbury Lane End.
Lee Moore came inches from extending the advantage when some good work in from the left wing saw him float the ball across the box and inches past the far post, while Williams sent a piledriver a whisker over the bar for Kettering.
Jake Jones came on for his debut late on in place of Ogleby and exploded into the game by scoring with practically his first touch. Exchanging passes with fellow substitute Will Green he found himself in on goal but McAlindon spread himself to save well.
Some late pressure from the visitors brought shouts for a penalty but Leamington remained firm and held out to take the points from a pulsating encounter.
Attendance: 545
Leamington: Tony Breeden © , Ben George, Connor Gudger, Joe Magunda, Jamie Hood, James Mace, Rob Ogleby (15 Jake Jones, 87), Richard Taundry (12 Ross Oulton, 79), Ben Mackey (14 Will Green, 74), Jack Edwards, Lee Moore.
Subs not used: 16 Kieren Westwood, GK Lewis Fenney.
Kettering Town: Jamie McAlindon, Richard Bryan (12 Elliot Sandy, 77), Dominic Langdon, Steve Kinniburgh © , Gary Mulligan, Brett Solkhon, Will Grocutt (15 Justin Marsden, 77), Andy Gooding, Jevani Brown, Courtney Baker-Richardson (16 Nick Wright, 59), Saul Williams.
Subs not used: 14 Danny Harmon, GK Enol Ordanez.
Referee: Mr Mark Griffiths
Assistant Referees: Mr Kevin Carroll & Mr Scott Chalkley
Brakes Man of the Match: Richard Taundry
