Emirates FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round
Phillips 66 Community Stadium
Saturday 5th October 2019

Brakes were left to rue missed chances and a superb display from Darlington’s debutant goalkeeper Liam Connell as they slipped out of the Emirates FA Cup on a bitterly frustrating afternoon.

Once again the performance levels, effort and endeavour were all in evidence but a combination of fine goalkeeping and poor finishing meant that Brakes’ unenviable record of not scoring in every game they have lost this season continued.

Paul Holleran made two changes to his starting eleven from Tuesday’s defeat to Hereford, replacing the cup tied Stephan Morley with Jack Lane while Connor Taylor started in place of Kieran Dunbar. New loan signing Dexter Walters was named on the substitutes bench, the Coventry City youngster making his debut in the second half.

Games between these two sides have always been tight affairs since they first faced off in the National League North in 2017 and this one was no different early on, early shots for both sides being deflected behind.

There were perhaps early signals that this was not going to be Leamington’s afternoon when Jack Edwards nodded down a free kick into the Darlington area for Josh March, who despite having two bites at it was simply not able to get enough purchase on his shot. Taylor followed up, Connell eventually getting hold of the ball despite a raised flag in his favour.

Lane drove forward down the left but was presented with no options in front of him so tried his luck, a low drive was directed straight at the goalkeeper.

Edwards then headed wide from Reece Flanagan’s left wing corner. There was a lot of pushing and shoving going on at set pieces all afternoon but Referee Dale Wootton was not interested in any protests from either side unless he felt the offence was completely clear cut, leading to a lot of frustration on both sides.

March and Kaiman Anderson were linking up well on the left, first combining for the latter to sling over a cross which Taylor did very well to rise and meet at the far post, but he was just unable to get over the ball and his header flew inches over the bar. The two attackers then exchanged passes again, March lacing a powerful drive just over the bar.

Jack Edwards then connected with a powerful downward header from Flanagan’s left wing corner at the far post, the home support in the Harbury Lane End finding their cheers of celebration stuck in their throats as Connell somehow produced an astonishing save to stop the ball on the line.

Darlington felt they had a strong shout for a penalty as a shot looked to be blasted against a grounded Leamington player, while at the other end March did well to use his control to beat Quakers skipper Terence Galbraith before dragging a shot across goal and just wide.

Will Hatfield held the ball up well for Adam Campbell to send a rising drive over the bar and the visitors saw a shot cleared off the line just before half time, which preceded a Leamington counter attack which ended with a penalty shout waved away.

The visitors had a spring in their step as the second half commenced and began to put Leamington under far more pressure than previously. Hatfield almost tricked his way through on goal but lost his footing at the crucial moment.

Anderson glanced a header past the far post from Flanagan’s free kick but it was Darlington who moved ahead on 64 minutes when Tyrone O’Neill received the ball with his back to goal inside the box, turning swiftly to find the far corner with a crisp low strike.

Despite this Brakes should really have been level immediately, March heading Anderson in on goal but his team mate directed his shot at Connell, who still had to make a decent save to send the ball over the bar.

Galbraith headed Jarrett Rivers’ corner just over the bar as the visitors looked to add to their advantage, but Leamington came close again when good work from March on the left saw him wriggle into the box and cut the ball back for Flanagan to strike powerfully towards goal, Connell denying Brakes again with another good save.

March then sent another well struck effort just over the bar. The striker endured a frustrating afternoon as he was manhandled in the box on more than one occasion, and he set up Walters for a shot across goal despite going to ground beforehand.

The visitors made the tie safe two minutes from time when substitute Justin Donowa took advantage of Brakes failing to clear their lines and put the ball into the from close range. To sadly sum up their afternoon Leamington then passed the ball straight out of play from the restart.

There was little time remaining to even snatch a consolation, never mind two goals, and the FA Cup dream was over for another season.

Attendance: 605

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Junior English, Jack Lane, Callum Gittings, Jamie Hood ©, James Mace, Connor Taylor (14 Dexter Walters, 73), Reece Flanagan (16 Ravi Shamsi, 86), Josh March, Jack Edwards, Kaiman Anderson (15 Cieron Keane, 81).

Subs not used: 12 Kieran Dunbar, 13 Ben Newey, 17 Gift Mussa, 18 Shay Nicholson.

Darlington: Liam Connell, Ben Hedley, Michael Liddle, Josef Wheatley, Alex Storey, Terrence Galbraith ©, Jarrett Rivers, William Hatfield, Adam Campbell (16 Louis Laing, 77), Omar Holness (12 Justin Donowa, 77), Tyrone O’Neill.

Subs not used: 13 Chris Elliott, 14 Osagi Bascombe, 15 Lucas Bell, 17 Cameron Holliday, 18 Jordan Watson.

Referee: Mr Dale Wootton

Assistant Referees: Mr Daniel Pattison & Mr Luis Martin

Brakes Man of the Match: Josh March.