Vanarama National League North
The J Davidson Stadium
Saturday 4th August 2018
Brakes emerged with a well earned point from a pulsating opening day clash with newly promoted Altrincham at the J Davidson Stadium. The hosts are back on the up again having won the Northern Premier League title last season after two successive relegations, and manager Paul Holleran described the game as ‘as tough an assignment as we could have on the opening day.’
Holleran kept faith with the players who had served him so well last season. Of his summer signings only Matt Stenson was in the starting eleven, with Connor Taylor, James Bowen, Anthony Dwyer and Kieran Morris on the substitutes bench. Chekaine Steele travelled but was not involved due to a tight hamstring..
James Mace hooked a volley over the bar on three minutes as Kieran Dunbar delivered the first corner of the game from the left. The home side won a free kick some 30 yards out on seven minutes, Brendon Daniels striking the ball well but straight down the throat of Tony Breeden, who held onto it well. Altrincham did the lions share of the pressing in the opening ten minutes but were frustrated by some tidy Leamington defending from Jamie Hood and Junior English in particular.
Liam Goulding was inches from giving The Robins the perfect start to life back in the National League North when his initial shot was cleared straight back to him and he drove a whisker wide of the post.
John Johnston was relishing the chance to run at Connor Gudger at every opportunity, and when he couldn’t get past appeared to attempt a shot which was helped over the bar by Jordan Hulme under pressure from Hood.
Brakes hit the front on 28 minutes probably slightly against the run of play. A free kick was won down the right channel and was nudged by Joe Clarke to Kieran Dunbar, who flighted a perfect ball into a congested penalty area. Stenson rose superbly to power a header against the far post but Jack Edwards was lurking to nod into an empty net.
One very nearly become two soon afterwards, Ahmed Obeng chasing the ball down as it was passed back towards the Altrincham goal and keeper Tony Thompson could only half clear it to Callum Gittings, whose first time strike from just outside the box clattered the outside of the post, possibly with the aid of a deflection.
Altrincham lost their discipline briefly, picking up two yellow cards in the space of 60 seconds, but another driving run from the lively Johnston saw him slip in Hulme, who was halted by a good challenge, Johnston driving the loose ball high over the bar. Daniels then tried his luck from the left corner of the penalty area, the ball flying harmlessly wide.
A free kick was conceded just outside the Leamington area on the left, presumably by Callum Gittings as he received a caution. Hulme struck the ball well but it was a few inches too high, just clearing the crossbar.
Brakes were caught napping two minutes into the second half, Jordan Hulme coming out on top to squeeze a close range header inside the far post after some fine work out on the right to keep the ball in play following a left wing corner, the ball being hooked back into the danger area to devastating effect.
However, there was barely time to blink and Leamington were back in front, Gittings striking an absolute screamer from just outside the box that nestled in the back of the net off the inside of the post.
The game had really come to life now and a third goal inside the opening ten minutes of the second half arrived when Hulme drove his second of the afternoon low across Breeden and in off the post to level things up for a second time.
Dunbar should have done better when he was afforded time and space as the ball rolled out to him just outside the box on the right following good work by Stenson to hold onto it, but the young midfielder dragged his shot well wide.
Hulme looked set to go all the way as he twisted and turned inside the box before being denied by a last ditch tackle, but twenty seconds later he was holding his head in his hands as he steered a great chance into the side netting from close range following a low right wing cross, most of the home fans in the main stand cheering a goal believing it had gone in.
Hulme was at the centre of everything the home side were doing and he swivelled to lift a deft lob onto the roof of the net as he was played in by strike partner Josh Hancock.
Edwards drove a well struck rising effort straight at Thompson as Stenson knocked the ball down to him on the edge of the box, while Max Harrop was frustrated as he drove a first time effort well wide at the other end.
A smart turn just inside the Altrincham half from Gittings saw him play in debutant substitute Connor Taylor, who advanced before striking a daisy cutter from 20 yards which looked to be helped behind by Thompson down by the post, Referee Richard Aspinall viewing things differently.
Alty substitute Tom Peers amusingly hurled himself to the ground as he chased a ball back towards the edge of the Leamington box with Junior English in pursuit but again the officials were not interested as this entertaining clash drew to a close, but there was time for the outstanding Hulme to carve out one more opportunity for himself, and he would have had the hearts in the mouths of the entire travelling contingent as he weaved into the box once more before striking a shot that possibly took a deflection, Breeden parrying before holding onto the ball.
Although a little frustrated at twice giving away a lead, Paul Holleran was satisfied to take a point from the game, saying ‘Altrincham have got a way of playing through the pitch and they do it well. I thought we managed it really well in the first half, we had two or three great opportunities. We’ve had two or three players missing throughout pre season and this was a tough one to start with; sun beaming, playing against a side that are possession based, and it told after half time. What disappointed me was the first ten minutes of the second half. One or two players were arguing about the corner, and when it was overhit one or two think it’s gone out of play. You’ve got to be better at this level, we’ve allowed a cross to come in and they were queuing up at the back post. When you get in front in this division you’ve got to work hard and there’s key periods in the game that you’ve got to manage better.’
‘When we broke in the first half we were getting our wide men into the game, we looked a threat, we got plenty of shots off. Second half there was too much hitting areas, too much looking to get rid of the ball quickly. We were tired, we looked tired, but I think Connor (Taylor) and Anthony (Dwyer) gave us something different when they came on. We were facing a club back on the up today which made it difficult for all sorts of reasons, so we’ll take the point. In the first half if we’d got that second goal when we were on top it might have been a different afternoon. We’re disappointed with that spell after half time and we’ve had to hang on a bit at the end, but any point won is a good point in this division. We scored a couple of good goals, our set plays looked a threat today, and I think that for one or two players who have missed the last few games of pre season, that’ll have done them the world of good today.’
On his new frontman Matt Stenson the manager had words of encouragement. ‘He got smothered a bit but it’s a learning curve for Matt. He’s stepped up to this division, he’s had a good pre season, he did well for the first goal I thought but he got a little bit icilated at times today, and he’s probably tried a few times to do too much. He’s trying to impress but he doesn’t need to, we know we’ve got a good player there, he’s settled in really well, he’s got a good work ethic and he was unfortunate not to score.’
Attendance: 1,047
Altrincham: Tony Thompson, Andrew White, Connor Hampson, James Jones, Liam Goulding, Jake Moult ©, John Johnston, Max Harrop (16 Simon Richman, 83), Jordan Hulme, Josh Hancock (12 Sean Williams, 89), Brendon Daniels (14 Tom Peers, 74).
Subs not used: 15 Ben Harrison, 20 Elliott Wynne.
Leamington: Tony Breeden ©, Junior English, Connor Gudger, Joe Clarke, Jamie Hood, James Mace, Kieran Dunbar (12 Anthony Dwyer, 84), Callum Gittings, Matt Stenson (15 James Bowen, 90), Jack Edwards, Ahmed Obeng (14 Connor Taylor, 69).
Subs not used: 16 Kieran Morris, 17 Joe Magunda.
Referee: Mr Richard Aspinall
Assistant Referees: Mr Benjamin Wyatt & Mr Paul Roots
Brakes Man of the Match: Callum Gittings.
