Report

The Emirates FA Cup Second Round Qualifying
The Community Stadium
Saturday 3rd October 2020

Leamington found themselves in the unenviable position of welcoming a Banbury United side eager to claim an FA Cup scalp to the Community Stadium in their opening fixture of the 2020/2021 campaign, and sadly the game went the way many predicted it would, as Paul Holleran’s side slipped out of the prestigious competition at the first hurdle once more on the bleakest of wet afternoon’s in which the rain fell throughout.

Five new signings made their debuts in this contest, but the coming months will provide more of a sign as to how they will impact the team than this game, which was sadly a bit of a damp squib from a Leamington perspective.

Already four games into their Southern League season the visitors were always likely to look fitter and sharper and it showed in the early minutes. Jack Self sent the ball skidding across the goalmouth, before Ricky Johnson stabbed a low right wing cross from Self into the midriff of Jake Weaver, who dropped to his right to save.

Sam Osborne moved into the space ahead of him on the left wing and set up fellow debutant Dan Meredith for two attempted shots, the second of which was deflected through to keeper Jack Harding.

Banbury deservedly moved in front on seventeen minutes when former Brakes striker Johnson headed a high ball into the box for central defender Kelvin Langmead to nod past an exposed Weaver.

Leamington had not got going at all at this stage, but some neat footwork from Osborne took him past his man into the area, only for Harding to snatch the ball as he attempted to move it into the six yard box.

Brakes finally registered a chance after 23 minutes when Junior English saw his acrobatic effort deflected behind for a corner. Joe Parker connected first time with a clearance from the flag kick but his vicious strike was never likely to reach the goal, with every player bar Weaver behind it.

With half an hour played Leamington had managed to stem the tide of Banbury attacks and were starting to make inroads of their own, but the visitors still looked threatening every time they moved forward.

Puritans keeper Harding was almost left red faced right on half time as he came off his line for Stephan Morley’s free kick only to spill the ball. He was able to recover quickly to reclaim it though.

Banbury picked up in the same fashion at the beginning of the second half, taking the game to Leamington once more and forcing several corners without engineering any clear cut chances. Brakes finally managed one some twenty minutes in, Danny Waldron getting his first sight of goal all afternoon when he managed to turn and dig a shot wide of the upright. English then rose at the near post to head a left wing corner inches wide.

Jack Lane was grateful for the quick reactions of his goalkeeper when he inadvertently stabbed Johnson’s back header from a free kick towards his own goal.

Paul Holleran introduced Connor Taylor and Callum Gittings with a little under 20 minutes to go and Taylor almost had an immediate impact, getting in on the right to drive low towards goal and forcing a save from Harding before the ball was cleared away.

English was inches from connecting with Lane’s header from a corner as Lance Smith was introduced for the final nine minutes of normal time, but Banbury slammed the door firmly shut on any hopes they had of breaching their defence, seeing out the remaining minutes comfortably to progress to the next qualifying round.

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Junior English, Stephan Morley, Dan Meredith (12 Callum Gittings, 72), Kyle Morrison, Jack Lane, Joe Parker (14 Connor Taylor, 72), Simeon Maye, Danny Waldron, Jack Edwards, Sam Osborne (17 Lance Smith, 81).

Subs not used: 15 Josh Martin, 16 Kaiman Anderson, GK Josh Allen.

Banbury United: 1 Jack Harding, 3 Sam Brown, 5 Kelvin Langmead, 6 Jack Westbrook, 7 Henry Landers, 8 Giorgio Rasulo, 9 Ricky Johnson ©, 11 James Constable (10 Pablo Haysham, 78), 12 Amer Awadh, 16 Jack Self, 20 Jack Finch.

Subs not used: 2 Charles Hawtin, 15 Aaron Heap, 17 Joshua Endall.

Referee: Mr Greg Rollason

Assistant Referees: Mr Thomas Cook & Mr Mitchell Cartwright.