Report
Vanarama National League North
Phillips 66 Community Stadium
Saturday 8th September 2018
Brakes were dogged once more by their achilles heel of conceding late goals as they fell to their first home defeat of the season in a drab affair against Spennymoor Town.
It looked for all the world that this contest was would end goalless until the visitors threw on experienced goalscorer Adam Boyes with seven minutes remaining, and within two minutes he had set his side on their way, sweeping Glenn Taylor’s right wing cross in off the post. Fellow substitute Mark Anderson drove the clincher home as injury time approached, leaving Paul Holleran to reflect that while his team had competed well against a side expected to be in promotion contention again, not for the first occasion this season they had lost their concentration at a crucial time and it had cost them.
With the club’s appeal against James Mace’s red card at Stockport having been unsuccessful, new signing Jack Lane was straight into the starting line up and made a solid enough debut alongside Jamie Hood in the centre of defence.
Brakes were the dominant force in the opening fifteen minutes, the visitors barely able to leave their own half at times, but despite some fine touches from newly crowned National League North player of the month Matt Stenson and Connor Taylor, they were unable to make it count.
Jack Edwards picked up a bizarre booking after Matthew Gould took exception to something following Leamington’s first corner. Edwards was shoved by the Spennymoor keeper but did not retaliate, only to be shown a yellow card.
It was Tony Breeden who registered the first serious effort on goal, his free kick from just inside his own half bouncing through a crowded penalty area and off the post into the arms of Gould despite the best efforts of Junior English to steer it home.
Stenson headed the next corner from Kieran Dunbar well wide, while James Bowen fired a free kick into the arms of the Moors’ keeper.
Rob Ramshaw forced Breeden to shovel his driven cross to the near post over his crossbar as Spennymoor began to settle into the game, and there was another hairy moment for Leamington when Shane Henry drove the ball dangerously across the penalty area. Fortunately no visiting player was close enough to capitalise.
Striker Glenn Taylor showed a great first touch on the edge of the box to create the space between two Brakes defenders for a powerful drive that Breeden again pushed over the bar.
There seemed to be a slight edge to the game at times, with both sides unhappy some of the challenges and decisions against them, and both Stenson and Henry were booked after a brief set to before half time.
Breeden tried his luck with another free kick from a similar area to the first just before half time, but Gould was not about to be beaten by his opposite number, and watched it all the way into his arms.
The second half began with Leamington pressing once more, Stenson doing well to get an effort on target at all as he brought the ball down superbly following a free kick into the box, but the angle was too tight for it to trouble the goalkeeper.
The striker then chested a dinked cross into the six yard box from Dunbar into the arms of Gould before Jack Edwards rose above Henry and Spennymoor skipper James Curtis to head just over the bar.
A mazy run into the box by Callum Gittings saw him drag a shot across goal and well wide. The visitors pushed upfield and a long ball was volleyed just over the bar by Shaun Tuton.
Gittings executed a difficult diving header from Joe Clarke’s cross, but with the ball slightly behind him it was never going to trouble Gould. This was to be Leamington’s last real chance, as Jason Ainsley’s substitutes won the game for him. The second goal came as the visitors countered to deadly effect despite a fine double save from Breeden, with Anderson crashing the ball in off the bar to the delight of the travelling support.
It could not really be classed as a smash and grab as despite playing well in spells Brakes didn’t really test the visitors defence as much as they would have liked, and as Holleran said himself after the game, Spennymoor also defended well and deserved credit for becoming the first side to prevent Leamington from scoring this season. After a strong start to the season they will now make the long journey to the North East to face Blyth Spartans on the back of two consecutive defeats.
Attendance: 545
Leamington: Tony Breeden ©, Junior English, James Bowen, Joe Clarke, Jamie Hood, Jack Lane, Kieran Dunbar (12 Ahmed Obeng, 73), Callum Gittings, Matt Stenson, Jack Edwards, Connor Taylor (14 Anthony Dwyer, 87).
Subs not used: 12 Joe Magunda, 16 Tom James, GK Brad Caswell.
Spennymoor Town: Matthew Gould, Jacob Hibbs, Stephen Brogan, Jamie Chandler, Chris Thackray, James Curtis ©, Shaun Tuton (15 Mark Anderson, 69), Shane Henry, Glenn Taylor, Rob Ramshaw, Andrew Johnson (16 Adam Boyes, 83).
Subs not used: 12 Callum Williams, 14 Kevin Hayes, GK Chris Elliott.
Referee: Mr Elliott Swallow
Assistant Referees: Mr Richie Watkins & Mr Jack Shepherd
Brakes Man of the Match: Connor Taylor.
