(Concord win 4-3 on penalties after extra time)
Buildbase FA Trophy 3rd Round
Aspect Arena
Saturday 8th February 2020

Brave, battered, depleted Brakes were dispatched from the Buildbase FA Trophy in heartbreaking fashion as they were beaten in a penalty shoot out by Concord Rangers despite having to play the whole of extra time with ten men after losing Junior English to a second yellow card late on.

For the neutral observer the game had everything - goals, drama, red cards, controversial moments, penalties, but for fans of both sides who created a fantastic atmosphere throughout, it was a nail biting afternoon which would leave one side deflated and the other elated.

Leamington were without the cup tied Joe Parker and Josh Martin while Joe Clarke and Dexter Walters were sidelined by injury which left Paul Holleran with few options, though he bolstered his squad late on Friday with the acquisition of the talented Jack Storer.

Recovering from a below par first half in which they fell behind with only five minutes played, Hollerans’ troops levelled in spectacular fashion, first through Stephan Morley and then in extra time through Callum Maycock before the dreaded shoot-out saw the hosts progress to Quarter Finals for the first time.

The opening minutes had been played out almost exclusively in the hosts’ half but when they broke quickly they made the perfect start, Huddersfield Town loanee Kit Elliott getting the better of Callum Gittings on the right and driving to the touchline before swinging in an inviting cross which was met by an emphatic header from Lamar Reynolds which gave Jake Weaver no chance.

It was the worst possible start to the game, dimming the enthusiasm of the noisy travelling hordes briefly, and in truth Brakes never really got going in the first half. English fired in their first effort of the afternoon, a low drive directed straight at goalkeeper Chris Haigh.

Brakes continued to enjoy plenty of possession but it was the home side who looked the more threatening, Reynolds going close again when he took on a pass from James Blanchfied inside the box before being denied by the legs of Jake Weaver.

Kieran Dunbar raced into the box on the right after Connor Taylor won the ball strongly from a Concord defender but could only find the side netting with the angle to goal closing on him, while Edwards saw a shot blocked and was deemed to have handled the ball as it came back to him.

The Beachboys really should have doubled their advantage when the Elliott - Reynolds combination carved out another opportunity in a similar position to the opening goal, but this time the ball into the box was low and Reynolds blazed it high over the bar.

Edwards stole in unnoticed at the far post to meet Morley’s free kick late in the half but was unable to get any power on his shot and it was blocked and cleared from danger by the Concord defence.

Taylor raised the spirits immediately as the second half kicked off as he set off on a mazy run into the penalty area from right, only to fire a tame shot at Haigh.

Weaver kept Leamington in touch as he bravely snatched the ball from the feet of Reynolds, while Jack Lane cleared away from goal as Concord threatened again before Morley stepped up on the hour mark to level things up with an absolute thunderbolt. The ball dropped to him some twenty yards from goal following a loose clearance and the left back steadied himself before hitting a screaming left footed volley that rocketed past the flailing Haigh into the net to send the travelling support barmy.

Leamington tails were up now and Haigh was called into action as Maycock did well to win back possession having lost the ball on the left, the cross finding Dunbar who connected with a goalbound first time volley that was kept out by an acrobatic stop from the Rangers goalkeeper.

English had been booked early in the second half, and as he received treatment in the centre circle having launched into a rash challenge on the busy Joel Nouble he knew what was coming, Referee Matthew Russell waiting for him to get to his feet before sending him on the long walk to the dressing room.

Storer was introduced with just under ten minutes to play and showed plenty of endeavour and impressive touches, but when he went in with Haigh to try and win a through pass and caught the goalkeeper in the face with the ball it looked like his debut would be a short one. Fortunately the Referee recognised that he was trying to win the ball, and showed only a yellow card, much to the consternation of the furious Concord players.

Both sides had gilt edged chances to win the game in normal time, Edwards ghosting in at the far post once more from a corner completely unmarked only to blaze his shot high over the bar. Nathan Carlyle then spun to curl in a shot with the last kick of the game that was saved superbly by Weaver with the home fans in mid celebration on the terrace behind him in anticipation of another late winner for their side.

Concord began extra time in much the same fashion they had kicked off the game, and took the lead again five minutes in. Weaver came to the edge of his box and won the ball with a firm challenge but Brakes just couldn’t get it to safety, and it was picked up by Blanchfield who calmly lifted it over despairing blue shirts into an empty net.

Leamington were quickly on level terms once more however as a diagonal ball towards goal from Morley was nodded into the path of Maycock by Edwards, and the on loan Coventry City man charged into the penalty area before lifting his shot over Haigh into the net.

The last fifteen minutes of play were end to end at times as Brakes made light of being a man short to match their hosts. Haigh conceded a corner with an unfortunate fumble but was at his best moments later as he produced a flying save to push another screamer from Morley over the bar. Several shots were blocked as Concord scrambled to get the ball clear.

The goalkeeper got down well to another long range drive from Morley and Kaiman Anderson forced a late corner which Edwards headed over, but it was the home side who almost snatched it at the death, the ball played in low from the right was met by a shot to the near post which had Weaver scrambling, but the goalkeeper held on.

And so to the lottery of penalties. Storer stepped up confidently to take the first and hit it well enough, but it struck the bar. Concord also struck the woodwork after scoring their first. Morley, Lane and Gittings all dispatched their spot kicks, but while Weaver went the right way for all of the hosts’ spot kicks they were all placed just out of his reach, and as Edwards stepped up to shoulder the responsibility of Leamington’s fifth kick, Haigh denied him with a good save to win the game for Concord. We wish them all the best in the Quarter Finals.

Paul Holleran’s Reaction

‘I’m bitterly disappointed, obviously I think we’ll look back and be disappointed with both goals. We’ve gone there and set our stall out and the manner of the first goal - don’t get me wrong, it was a good cross and a good header, but we got caught on the ball, and to be one nil down in a game like that, so early…. I think we’ve shown great character and spirit then, and one we settled we finished the half strongly and then second half we were excellent and really took the game to them. We scored a deserved equaliser, could have scored again; should have won it in the 90 minutes really. We couldn’t argue too much with Junior’s second yellow card - I thought the first one was a bit harsh. The inconsistency with some of the cautions today was unbelievable. Jack Edwards got absolutely taken out on the half way line, and when I spoke to the Referee about it at the end of the 90 minutes - especially when we were getting yellow cards for next to nothing - he didn’t know which player it was apparently. So I think we’ve come off a little bit unfortunate there. There’s a few things I could nit pick about but very hard, when after the red card as well, the amount of leg work we’ve put in, the amount of effort and commitment from the players - we’ve done everything apart from put the ball in the net, and with such a good following as well we were just desperate to get over the line for them. Sadly, we’ve shown good character to come back again to 2-2, and then with penalties - you don’t know do you? It’s just unfortunate that the one Jack Storer hit, he just hit it too well, too precise. You feel sorry for Jack Edwards because he was immense today.

‘We’ve put in five decent performances in this cup. You go back to Spennymoor, Telford, the two Kingstonian games, and today - the players have been tremendous, and it would have been great to deliver a quarter final place but it’s not to be, so we’ll dust ourselves down and go again.’

Attendance: 417

Concord Rangers: Chris Haigh, David Olufemi ©, Nathan Carlyle, Billy Roast, Lee Minshull (12 Jack Cawley, 87), Aron Pollock, Lamar Reynolds (15 Decarrey Sheriff, 62), Ben Wells, Kit Elliott (14 Danny Green, 99), James Blanchfield (16 Michael O’Donoghue, 99), Joel Nouble.

Subs not used: 17 Alex Hernandez, 18 Ben Search, 20 Archie McFadden.

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Junior English, Stephan Morley, Callum Maycock, James Mace, Jack Lane, Kieran Dunbar (15 Jack Storer, 81), Callum Gittings, Connor Taylor, Jack Edwards ©, Kaiman Anderson.

Subs not used: 12 David Bremang, 14 Kyle McFarlane, 16 Reece Rawlings, 17 Tom James, GK Ben Newey.

Referee: Mr Matthew Russell

Assistant Referees: Mr Marcus Carmichael & Mr Craig Green

Brakes Man of the Match: Stephan Morley.

Photos by Dean Williams ©