Vanarama National League North
Tameside Stadium
Saturday 6th April 2019

Colby Bishop’s 23rd goal of the season helped Brakes to a point that their second half performance deserved after a slow start at the Tameside Stadium against Curzon Ashton.

Paul Holleran’s second half substitutions gave Leamington the momentum to earn a share of the spoils two minutes after being reduced to ten men, Jamie Hood having been shown a straight red card.

The numbers were level soon afterwards as Curzon substitute Ryan Shenton, on the pitch for all of 8 minutes, also saw red for an alleged elbow on Joe Clarke as a previously quiet afternoon briefly threatened to boil over.

Holleran was able to name the same eleven that had started the previous game against Curzon’s town rivals Ashton United, Tom James taking the place of the injured Sam Wilding on the substitutes bench.

The home side were comfortably the better side in the opening forty five minutes, getting the ball forward quickly and effectively with some smart passing on the well manicured playing surface, stretching Leamington while giving them very little time on the ball when they did gain possession.

Lewis Reilly’s glancing header was the hosts’ first effort on target, Tony Breeden appearing to get a touch on the ball as it clipped the crossbar on it’s way over, but the Referee signalled a goal kick.

The skipper took the ball out of his penalty box on the left but scuffed his clearance somewhat, the ball landing at the feet of Cameron McJannet some 35 yards out. The left back drifted a calculated effort towards goal which a furiously back pedalling Breeden managed to push over the bar.

John McAtee’s cross was then powered towards goal by the head of Ryan Brooke, the ball crashing back off the inside of the post.

Ten minutes had elapsed before Leamington were able to show anything going forward, Jordan Murphy exchanging passes with Callum Gittings on the edge of the box before hitting a rising drive straight at keeper Cameron Mason.

The home side moved ahead on 14 minutes with a goal that had been coming, and a fine strike it was from McJannet. Breeden had made a smart save and the ball was cleared by James Mace but the Curzon number three picked it up 20 yards or so from goal and unleashed a screaming effort into the top right hand corner.

To their credit Brakes quickly attempted a response, good hold up play from Gittings on the left allowing Connor Gudger to tear into space and find Ahmed Obeng just inside the box, but unfortunately his shot was straight at Mason.

The travelling support watched on uncomfortably as the hosts again found their way into the Leamington penalty area far too easily, the busy Reece Deakin crossing low for John McAtee to fire in a shot that Junior English got a vital touch on to divert the ball behind for a corner.

Breeden was then forced into a superb double save, first denying McAtee and then Luke Wall at point blank range as the ball squirmed away from his initial save.

James Mace made a couple of painful looking blocks as Curzon threatened once more to double their lead, but the home side almost shot themselves in the foot before the half time whistle as they needlessly gave away a corner from which Bishop crashed a free header against the top of the bar.

The Brakes players appeared adamant they had a shout for a penalty early in the second half as Bishop glanced another right wing corner just over the bar, surrounding the Referee but to no avail.

McJannet glanced Wall’s left wing corner just wide of the far post, but Curzon were not the free flowing force they had been in the first half and Leamington became stronger as the game wore on.

Reece Flanagan, Jack Lane and Elliot Hodge were all introduced in the final half an hour by Holleran, Hodge almost having an instant impact as he cut in from the left and thumped in a powerful low drive which Mason parried awkwardly before it was hurriedly cleared as Jack Edwards looked to pounce a couple of yards out.

Reilly spurned a gilt edged chance to possibly seal the game for Curzon when he connected first time with substitute Louis Wardle’s low right wing centre, but could only direct his first time effort into the arms of Breeden.

Brakes momentarily thought they had scrambled a leveller when Edwards forced the ball home after Bishop had won the ball in the air and directed it back across goal, but an offside flag halted the celebrations.

Things appeared to have gone from bad to worse as Hood was then shown a straight red for questioning one of the officials rather too forcefully, but within two minutes Leamington were level, Bishop cushioning a perfect header into the roof of the net after Lane had beaten his man and delivered an inviting ball for the number nine to net his 23rd goal of the season.

Within two minutes the numbers were level once more as Shenton was eventually sent off after Clarke went down in the centre circle following an aerial challenge.

Leamington were in control now, and Lane almost threaded the perfect ball through for Flanagan to latch on to inside the box, Mason haring off his line to claim the ball just ahead of the substitute.

Lane was revelling in the space being afforded to him as he pushed forward, and his deflected drive from 20 yards out was deflected through the goalkeeper as both sides were forced to settle for a point.

Paul Holleran was pleased with the application of his side in the second half after a slow start, saying ‘We were slow getting out of the blocks. I said to the players on Thursday and today about how we needed to be honest and hard working. This can be a difficult part of the season when you’ve got one foot over the line. We were disappointing certainly in the first half hour, we never got a grip of Curzon but we improved as the half went on. At half time we made a few tweaks and I thought in the second half we were excellent, and as much as Curzon were the better side in the first half we were the better side in the second. I thought we were more patient in the build up, we pressed the game better, created some really good chances, and the subs made a big impact, as they did last week. In the end we were disappointed not to win the game but at the same time I don’t think a draw was a million miles from a fair result.’

‘I thought both sendings off were harsh but I can also see why the Referee gave them. I think in the spirit and the manner the game was played in, those decisions could have been managed differently, but overall I’m absolutely delighted. We want to keep this little unbeaten run going. We want to finish the season on a high, and we need to continue with the good hard working honest performances to do that, and that’s what we will endeavour to do.’

Attendance: 202

Curzon Ashton: Cameron Mason, Joel Senior, Cameron McJannet, Jonathan Hunt ©, Oliver Thornley, Chris Rowney, Reece Deakin (15 Louis Wardle, 59), Ryan Brooke (12 Ryan Shenton, 77), Lewis Reilly, John McAtee, Luke Wall (16 Daniel Shaw, 74).

Subs not used: 13 Mark McCoy, 14 Adam Morgan.

Leamington: Tony Breeden ©, Junior English, Connor Gudger (14 Jack Lane, 72), Joe Clarke, Jamie Hood, James Mace, Jordan Murphy, Callum Gittings (12 Reece Flanagan, 58), Colby Bishop, Jack Edwards, Ahmed Obeng (15 Elliot Hodge, 75).

Subs not used: 16 Connor Taylor, 17 Tom James.

Referee: Mr Andrew Kitchen

Assistant Referees: Mr Adam Burgess & Mr Michael Coles

Brakes Man of the Match: Colby Bishop.