Vanarama National League North
New Bucks Head Stadium
Saturday 29th December 2018

2018 has been a year of achievement for Leamington FC. Maintaining their place in an incredibly competitive league and exceeding expectations in the first half of this season to occupy a mid table position heading into the New Year, there have been both high and low points as they have battled to keep their place among the elite on Non League football.

Brakes’ seven match unbeaten in National League North run had stretched back to the end of October when they were humbled at home by Kidderminster Harriers. This result may paint a similar picture, but the truth is that while Telford were deserved winners on the day a crazy final ten minutes distorted the scoreline, and more worryingly may create more lasting problems in the next few weeks.

Yet it had all started so well. Kieran Dunbar forced a fourth minute corner kick on the Leamington right, delivering the dead ball himself from which Colby Bishop connected from six yards to send the ball rolling slowly towards the net. Junior English may have impeded keeper Andy Wycherley’s view of the ball, but his dive was in vain as the ball rolled almost apologetically over the line.

Yet from a winning position, for the second game running Brakes found themselves behind at half time. Theo Streete had crashed Telford’s opening effort well over the bar following a corner, but from a free kick into the box on eleven minutes Leamington failed to clear their lines. Brendon Daniels picked the ball up on the edge of the box and crashed in a superb effort, so powerful that Tony Breeden could only help it into the roof of the net.

Dunbar, always eager to impress against the club who let him go last season, cracked a shot in from the right that Wycherley fumbled and held at the second attempt. Reece Flanagan almost planted a free kick onto the head of Bishop, the goalkeeper arriving just ahead of the in form striker to pluck the ball to safety.

Just sixteen minutes after going in front Leamington found themselves behind. Daniel Udoh chased down a free kick towards the penalty area, the ball running kindly for strike partner Amari Morgan-Smith, who went down under the challenge of Joe Clarke to win a penalty. Breeden got the slightest of touches on the spot kick but was unable to keep it out.

Brakes fought back, Bishop looking to add to his tally as he received the ball with his back to goal from Gudger on the left. He turned his marker well and got a shot away which was missed by the diving Wycherley but not by Daniels, who cleared away from the goal line. English headed wide from the resulting corner.

Udoh saw a shot blocked, Daniels’ follow up effort being blocked behind for a corner as Telford continued to press for a third goal before half time. Darryl Knights drilled a shot wide as the ball ricocheted around the Leamington penalty box.

Wycherley just managed to hold on to Gudger’s 25 yard free kick down at his near post after Reece Flanagan had been fouled. The game quietened down for a short spell, Leamington looking a bit more settled, but they were almost the architects of their own downfall moments before half time in a bizarre passage of play. The ball somehow found its way into the centre despite two Brakes players attempting to clear, and Knights fired in a shot that looked to have beaten a wrong footed Breeden only for the skipper to somehow adjust himself and claw the ball out as it was about to cross the line. A follow up effort was well blocked but the danger still hadn’t passed, the ball delivered dangerously in from the left again onto the head of Morgan-Smith, whose header back across goal was kept out by a well timed goal line clearance from James Mace.

Mercifully only a goal down as the second half commenced Brakes were soon on the back foot once more, Breeden was soon busy keeping Udoh out once more as his former team mate tried to nick the ball past him inside the six yard box.

It was not all one way traffic however, Bishop lifting a shot over the bar following a free kick while Dunbar cut in from the right and saw his low drive saved at the near post by Wycherley.

Breeden was soon in action again, pawing away Udoh’s powerful drive and reacting quickly to claim the loose ball.

Paul Holleran was forced to make changes as he lost a struggling English and Dunbar. Ahmed Obeng very nearly made a spectacular entrance, his first touch being a shot that was cleared away from goal, a second effort being blocked. Jack Edwards spurned probably the best chance Brakes fashioned for a leveller when he was set up by a pass across the box by Gudger after the left back had been played in by former Telford man Jordan Murphy. The shot lacked the power to trouble Wycherley and was safely gathered by the goalkeeper.

Deeney was the width of a post from extending Telford’s lead when he picked up a deflected cross on the edge of the box before switching the ball to his left boot and crashing a curling drive against the frame of the goal.

Former Brakes skipper Stephan Morley was involved in the clinching third goal which arrived on 79 minutes, Morgan-Smith collecting the ball in the centre and driving it into the bottom corner.

Bishop forced a mid air save from Wycherley with an audacious back heeled volley from a good left wing delivery by Gudger, and Flanagan came close when he turned back inside on the left edge of the box and thundered in a shot that was diverted over the bar by Ross White.

Leamington’s challenge disintegrated in the closing stages however, beginning when Gudger was shown a straight red card for a challenge mid-way through the Leamington half. On first viewing it looked a harsh decision, and was certainly the precursor for what followed.

The ball was launched out of the Brakes defence down the left, substitute Jamie Hood connecting with it just inside his own half, but his first touch was poor, and he attempted to atone for this as he went in to challenge Deeney, appearing to win the ball, but having used both feet the Referee deemed this to be a sending off offence. Hood did not take it well, taking his anger out on the corner flag as he left the pitch, but it was a culmination of incidents over the course of the afternoon that came to a head, and he certainly had sympathy from the travelling support, who were more than a little upset with what had unfolded in front of them.

It was left for Udoh to drive the final nail into the coffin. The young striker began 2018 on loan at Leamington from Crewe Alexandra, and his 5 goals in 17 appearances played a big part in the successful survival mission. He had surpassed that total by the end of August for his new club and is well on the way to twenty now, and was presented with the relatively simple task of slotting first time past Breeden as he received a sideways pass from Morgan-Smith with the Leamington defence back peddling.

This was a far from an ideal end to the year, but after the dust has settled a sense of perspective is required. The squad as a whole has proved that it is more than up to the challenge this season, and while yesterday's endeavours will surely lead to a testing few weeks ahead, a united front on and off the pitch will go a long way to steadying the ship. One plus point is that injuries permitting, the squad should be unaffected for the New Year's Day clash with Brackley Town.

Attendance: 1,196

AFC Telford United: Andy Wycherley, Ross White, Ellis Deeney, Jonathan Royle, Dominic Smith, Theo Streete, Ryan Barnett (15 James McQuilkin, 85), Brendon Daniels (12 Stephan Morley, 68), Amari Morgan-Smith, Daniel Udoh, Darryl Knights (14 Henry Cowans, 76).

Subs not used: 16 Andre Brown, 17 Matthew Barnes-Homer.

Leamington: Tony Breeden ©, Junior English (14 Jamie Hood, 58), Connor Gudger, Joe Clarke (Callum Gittings, 74), James Mace, Jack Lane, Kieran Dunbar (17 Ahmed Obeng, 66), Reece Flanagan, Colby Bishop, Jack Edwards, Jordan Murphy.

Subs not used: 15 James Bowen, 16 Connor Taylor.

Referee: Mr Lewis Smith

Assistant Managers: Mr Ian Jackson & Mr Thomas Wainman

Brakes Man of the Match: Kieran Dunbar.