Vanarama National League North
Deva Stadium
Saturday 10 October 2020

By Max Passantino

Two headed goals and a penalty were enough for Chester as the Seals took all three points from a tense battle at the Deva Stadium.

Jack Edwards (suspension), Joe Parker (tight hamstring) and Callum Gittings were missing from the Brakes squad today, and Paul Holleran had to name coach Chris Knott amongst the substitutes. Holleran made two changes from the defeat to Boston in midweek, with Connor Taylor and Josh Martin coming into the starting XI. Martin played in right-back, giving Junior English a chance in the number ten role - such versatility uncommon these days.

The first chance of the game came in just three minutes, as George Waring put a low ball into the Brakes box that was collected by Jake Weaver. Brakes went up the other end and threatened the Chester goal, but Danny Waldron lost the ball at the crucial time. Leamington didn’t have to wait long until their next chance came though, as Sam Osborne broke down the left hand side and played a ball towards the six yard box, Junior English jogging on the spot to turn it in as Gray in the Seals’ goal hesitated.

The ball was in Leamington’s net only five minutes later as Waring headed past Weaver but the referee acknowledged the linesman’s flag for a foul on Jake Weaver. From the resulting free kick, Leamington had a chance to double their advantage, Josh Martin crossing from the byline towards Sam Osborne who blazed over from six yards.

As the stopwatch neared twenty, Chester started to get back into the game and looked dangerous on the break. Kevin Roberts made a run down the Chester right hand side and crossed the ball into Danny Elliott who made no mistake in heading the ball past a stranded Jake Weaver.

Referee Matt Scholes started to make himself centre of attention with the clock ticking over the half hour mark with a number of dubious decisions, possibly foreshadowing how the second half would go. With Leamington trying to see out the first half in an aim to get to half time level, Kevin Roberts made another run down on the Chester right and put another ball into the box, which Bradley Bauress pounced on and headed past Weaver.

As the game approached half time, Sam Osborne went into the referee’s book. The reason for this booking is unknown with the referee signalling that Osborne had kicked the ball before the whistle had blown, the decision going against one of the new rules brought into the game this season allowing quick free kicks. Leamington pushed on, and Steph Morley flashed a right footed volley just wide as his free kick was blocked by the wall. This was to be the last chance of the half as Leamington went in 2-1 down at half time.

It didn’t take two seconds for the referee to make his mark on the second half, as he made Leamington retake kick off due to encroachment. Steph Morley was brought down in his own penalty area and the referee brandished the first Chester card of the game, penalising Kevin Roberts. Morley was once again involved in his own penalty area, but this time he was on the wrong end of the decision, bringing down Kevin Roberts. Danny Elliott made no mistake from twelve yards as he sent Jake Weaver the wrong way from the spot to give Chester a two-goal advantage.

Sam Osborne’s last impact on the game came in the 59th minute as he curled a shot from 25 yards out into Louis Gray’s hands. He was replaced by Lance Smith two minutes later in Paul Holleran’s first change of the game. Connor Taylor broke down the right hand side and fizzed a cross in which the keeper fumbled onto his post before collecting at the second time.

Junior English, playing in the number ten position, broke after Chester gave the ball away halfway into the Leamington half and was brought down cynically by Bradley Bauress who received a yellow card for the foul. Dan Meredith came on for Simeon Maye and was instantly involved in a Brakes attack three minutes later, Lance Smith holding the ball up well before slotting a ball through the startled Seals defence to fellow substitute Meredith who rounded the goalkeeper with ease and tapped in to give the Brakes hope with fifteen minutes left.

Matthew Scholes, the man in the middle, didn’t help himself as the game neared an end - booking Junior English for getting rammed into, a decision that baffled even the Chester bench. Paul Holleran made his last roll of the dice in that break in play, bringing off Connor Taylor for Kaiman Anderson who looked to have won Leamington a penalty after being pushed in the box, but to the shock of everyone in the ground the referee waved away all appeals.

Three minutes were added on at the end of the game, and Leamington continued to pile on pressure and looked for another player as the ball hit the hands of a sliding Chester defender in the box however once again, the referee waved away the visitors’ shouts. With the clock slowly ticking towards 93, Matt Scholes was centre of attention again, asking Chester to retake their goal kick after Danny Waldron fired over to the annoyance of Leamington players and staff.

Waldron’s shot would be the last chance of the game as the game was brought to a finish seconds later, Brakes falling to their third defeat in seven days, resigning them to bottom of the league on goal difference.

Attendance: 0

Chester: Louis Gray, Kevin Roberts, Joel Taylor, Declan Weeks, Danny Livesey, Simon Grand, John Johnston, George Glendon (c), Danny Elliott (Gary Roberts, 83), George Waring (Lloyd Marsh-Hughes, 90), Brad Bauress (Anthony Dudley, 77).

Subs not used: Jamie Morgan,  Matty Hughes, 

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Junior English, Steph Morley, Joe Clarke (c), Kyle Morrison, Jack Lane, Connor Taylor (Kaiman Anderson, 83), Simeon Maye (Dan Meredith, 73), Danny Waldron, Josh Martin, Sam Osborne (Lance Smith, 65).

Subs not used:  Josh Allen, Chris Knott.

Referee: Matthew Scholes

Assistant Referees: Oliver Nolan and Jacob Graham

Brakes Man of the Match: Josh Martin

Manager’s Reaction

‘I’m disappointed because I don’t think the result reflects our performance and our levels at large parts of the game. We played well in the final third, and it was a big improvement collectively and individually from the last two games. We defended set plays better, scored two and created three or four really good opportunities as well but sadly we’ve had a penalty decision go against us and we’ll look back and be disappointed with the two headed goals.’

‘There’s still plenty for us to look at and work on but in terms of how the week’s gone on, there was lots of plusses in terms of the individual performance, definitely from Tuesday night it’s a big improvement. The subs came on and had an impact and on another day we could’ve taken our half-chances, and there were two penalty calls at the end that went against us. For a team that took a bit of a drubbing on Tuesday, we looked good away at a good club but sadly when you go down 3-1 you’re looking at the character of the players and that stood up today and it was only us that was going to score the next goal but unfortunately that didn’t come. We’ve got to carry on the work going forwards and we still have lots of things to work on sadly in terms of cutting out individual errors and defending crosses into the box.’

‘I always say there is a right way to lose, and last Saturday was embarrassing. Today we showed a lot of grit and a lot of courage and will look to use that going forward.’