Report
Vanarama National League North
Phillips 66 Community Stadium
Tuesday 1st January 2019
Brakes saw in the New Year with their first goalless draw of the season in their rapid return fixture against Brackley Town, but it was most definitely a point gained for Paul Holleran’s side, the manager himself admitting that the Saints could have been home and hosed by half time.
The manager made two changes from Saturday’s defeat at Telford, one forced upon him with Junior English struggling with a dead leg. James Mace moved across to right back, Jamie Hood taking his place in central defence with suspensions not due to begin until Saturday’s trip to Guiseley.Callum Gittings was also restored to the starting line up in place of Joe Clarke.
Ultimately it was poor finishing and some good goalkeeping from Tony Breeden that saw the visitors forced to share the spoils. They could and probably should have been ahead inside five minutes, Shaun Jeffers forcing Breeden into a good save from his close range shot as Brakes failed to get the ball clear.
The skipper certainly played his part in keeping a clean sheet and was soon in action once more as he denied James Armson’s curling effort at full stretch. He was soon back on his feet preparing to face a penalty however, Jeffers the man brought down inside the box. After Lee Ndlovu’s miss on Boxing Day, Glenn Walker stepped up this time, but despite sending Breeden the wrong way he failed to hit the target, clipping the outside the post from 12 yards.
Colby Bishop will have been keen to erase the memory of the corresponding fixture last season when he sustained the ACL injury which kept him sidelined for almost 10 months, but the closest he came to maintaining his goal per game ratio since his return was a diving header from a fine ball in from Reece Flanagan. The ball flew over the bar but the offside flag was raised. This was as close as Leamington came to in a first half in which they were distinctly second best , and fortunate not to go in behind.
The second half saw a far more even contest, the hosts looking brighter in the opening ten minutes than in the entire first forty five. Apart from a noisy opening to the game from the away support the atmosphere was as quiet as it had been for some time at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium. Connor Gudger did his best to rouse the Brakes fans from their New Year slumber with a crunching challenge on the left touchline, while an inviting diagonal ball into the penalty area from Mace saw Bishop and Murphy just fail to connect.
A smart turn and powerful low drive from Murphy was Leamington’s first shot on target in the game, coming just before the hour mark, but Danny Lewis parried the ball to safety.
A promising passage of play ended with a disappointing first time drive from Gudger which failed to trouble Lewis’ goal. Brackley then began to crank up the pressure again as they probed for a late goal, Armson coming close as he connected with Byrne’s free kick to power a header towards goal, Breeden doing well to turn it over for a corner.
Murombedzi crashed a volley over the bar while after a quick break, Jeffers tested Breeden again as the goalkeeper turned the shot behind. Further efforts from the visitors were all off target, the final one landing on the top of one of the trees behind the goal, which probably summed up Brackley’s afternoon in front of goal. On another day they could have won comfortably, but Leamington raised their game from the malaise of the first half, and the hard earned point takes them to the 30 mark with a little under half of the season remaining.
Attendance: 643
Leamington: Tony Breeden ©, James Mace, Connor Gudger (14 James Bowen, 76), Reece Flanagan (12 Joe Clarke, 82), Jamie Hood, Jack Lane, Kieran Dunbar (15 Ahmed Obeng, 81), Callum Gittings, Colby Bishop, Jack Edwards, Jordan Murphy.
Subs not used: 16 Connor Taylor, 17 Anthony Dwyer.
Brackley Town: Danny Lewis, Matt Lowe, Connor Franklin, Shane Byrne, Glenn Walker, Gareth Dean, Shepherd Murombedzi, James Armson (16 Liam McAlinden, 87), Lee Ndlovu, Shaun Jeffers, Adam Walker.
Subs not used: 12 Ellis Myles, 14 Ben Morgan, 15 Daniel Nti, 17 Luke Fairlamb.
Referee: Mr Ben Speedie
Assistant Referees: Mr Reubyn Ricardo & Mr Jacob Lehane
Brakes Man of the Match: Tony Breeden.
