Report

Vanarama National League North
Phillips 66 Community Stadium
Saturday 26th January 2019

While a ten match run without a win might sound ominous on first glance, Leamington have still been picking up points and keeping their heads well above water in the National League North since their last victory, on the road at Alfreton Town at the back end of November. This heartwarming victory and performance against a good Altrincham side who are fully in with a shout of a play off place was a fantastic way to put that unwanted sequence to bed, however.

With the squad looking a little healthier as Callum Gittings returned from injury, along with Paul Holleran extending the loan of Solihull Moors man Jordan Murphy until the end of the season and also snapping up striker Mikey Taylor after he left Tamworth, there was hope that Brakes could build on a promising second half performance against Stockport on Tuesday, and they most certainly did that.

There was little indication of how the afternoon would unfold in the opening minutes, the visitors’ John Johnston latching onto a pass from Jordan Hulme inside the penalty area before rifling a powerful drive just over the bar as most people were still settling into their positions for the afternoon.

Brakes were struggling to find their rhythm and were misplacing passes, but a spark suddenly changed the complexion of this game, and it came from the boots of Murphy, who cut in from the right and drove at the Alty defence, thumping in a powerful strike that looked to be on target before being deflected just over the bar for a corner, from which James Mace saw his header cleared off the line. The ball then found its way to Jack Lane, who momentarily looked to have the chance to shoot, but as he was closed down Colby Bishop was able to backheel into the path of Junior English, who forced home his third goal of the season.

The visitors were rocked back on their heels by the goal, and never really regained their composure from then on in. Bishop almost engineered a shooting chance as he superbly hooked the ball out of the air as it was played forward into the box, but Tom Hannigan did well to shepherd it back to his goalkeeper Anthony Thompson.

English was on the hunt for more goals as he received Lane’s knockdown from a corner inside the box and tried an audacious overhead effort which flew over the bar.

Jack Edwards was next to try his luck and he came even closer, seeing his header from Bishop’s nod on from another corner cleared off the line by Andrew White.

It was another spectacular driving run from Murphy that gave Bishop the chance to add Leamington’s second goal just past the half hour, the livewire wingman almost beating the entire Altrincham defence as he surged into the penalty area, his run ended by a foul from Connor Hampson. Bishop stepped up and found the bottom corner off the inside of the post, Thompson diving the right way but unable to keep the ball out.

The confidence was oozing through the side now and at times they were playing some lovely football. A highly satisfactory first forty five minutes was topped off in style on 44 minutes when a delightful right wing cross from English was met by a powerful stooping header from Bishop that thundered into the net, his sixteenth goal in just nineteen games.

The visitors made a half time substitution and it looked like they would be forced to make another as Hannigan spent several minutes receiving treatment, but was able to continue.

Bishop almost back heeled Murphy through on goal, while Alty dangerman Johnston ran at the Leamington defence, spreading play wide to Max Harrop whose cross into the centre eventually found his team mate again, but the shot sailed into the field behind the North Bank.

Jack Lane put in another impressive display at left back and it was his deep cross into the Altrincham penalty area which Bishop nodded across to Murphy, whose goalbound header was headed over the bar off a team mate by Hannigan.

Tony Breeden had to make his only real save of the afternoon after 65 minutes when fielding a low drive from substitute Sean Williams. The visitors began to apply pressure, a shot flying over the bar after a lengthy scramble in the penalty area, but their afternoon went from bad to worse when Hulme was shown a red card after an apparent kick at English.

Gittings almost added further gloss to the scoreline when he met Joe Clarke’s inswinging free kick with a powerful diving header which Thompson did very well to block, but Leamington had done enough, and were able to celebrate a first home win over their opponents in league fixtures.

Attendance: 569

Leamington: Tony Breeden ©, Junior English, Jack Lane, Joe Clarke, Jamie Hood, James Mace, Jordan Murphy (12 Connor Taylor, 79), Callum Gittings, Colby Bishop (14 Mikey Taylor, 86), Jack Edwards (15 Sam Wilding, 82), Ahmed Obeng.

Subs not used: 16 Reece Flanagan, 17 James Bowen.

Altrincham: Anthony Thompson, Andrew White, Connor Hampson, James Jones (17 Ben Harrison, 46), Tom Hannigan, Jake Moult, John Johnston, Simon Richman (14 Sean Williams, 55), Jordan Hulme, Josh Hancock, Max Harrop (15 Nathan Waterston, 68).

Subs not used: 12 Kallum Mantack, 16 Shaun Densmore.

Referee: Mr Samuel Barrott

Assistant Referees: Mr Mark Thomas & Mr Sam Kane

Brakes Man of the Match: Jordan Murphy.