Report
Vanarama National League North
The Community Stadium
Tuesday 24th November 2020
Brakes withstood tremendous pressure throughout from visitors AFC Fylde, but left their visitors cursing a plethora of missed chances as man of the moment Sam Osborne crashed in a stoppage time equaliser to earn a point.
While welcoming Simeon Maye back into the squad, Paul Holleran unsurprisingly stuck with the same eleven that won so convincingly at Curzon Ashton on Saturday.
The opening couple of minutes saw both sides open at a brisk tempo, snapping into challenges, but Fylde quickly seized the initiative as they looked to bounce back from their first defeat of the season at Curzon a week ago.
Nick Haughton drove in the first warning shot, a well struck effort straight into the arms of Jake Weaver from outside the box. A smart turn and shot from his strike partner Jordan Hulme was well blocked at the expense of a corner, from which Alex Whitmore powered in a header that was well saved by the dive of Weaver.
From another Coasters corner Leamington won the ball back and broke rapidly through Danny Waldron, who motored up the left wing before seeing a shot blocked by a defender on the edge of the box.
Ben Tollitt attempted an audacious chip over Weaver that dropped just the wrong side of the post from a Fylde perspective as the chances continued to stack up for the high flying visitors, before ill judged screams for handball were ignored by the match officials as Waldron clearly chested the ball down inside his own penalty area before clearing.
Another impressive attacking move saw Danny Philliskirk arrow another effort towards goal that whistled inches past the post, before Fylde suffered a setback as experienced skipper Nathan Pond was forced off with an injury having failed to run off a knock after treatment minutes before.
There was some relief from defensive duties as Brakes moved forward, Jack Edwards heading a good right wing cross way off target.
Joe Clarke was the first name into Referee John Maskrey’s notebook for a shirt tug on Haughton which presented Fylde with a decent opportunity from the resulting free kick which Tollitt bent a fraction wide of the top corner.
There were signs of frustration towards half time from the visitors, mainly directed at the officials as they were no doubt frustrated not to be ahead, but Leamington stuck to their task manfully and went in with all to play for at half time.
The stalemate lasted less than two minutes as Fylde did what they had not managed to in the first half and scored with their first attack of the second. Luke Conlan was afforded far too much time and space down the left and drove in the perfect cross which was met by a powerful close range header from Philliskirk that gave Weaver no chance.
There were penalty claims at the other end as Edwards’ fierce half volley was blocked at close range. Philliskirk then came close again at the other end as he saw a powerful low strike pushed away down at his near post by Weaver.
Penalty shouts were heard once more as Haughton went down in the Leamington box, but again they were waved away. However the game appeared to swing heavily in favour of the visitors just prior to the hour mark as Callum Gittings was shown a straight red card after stretching for a challenge in the centre circle. The reaction of the Fylde players was disappointing as they surrounded the ref along with protesting Brakes players, screaming for a red card, and they got their wish seconds later.
If Leamington hadn’t spent a large portion of the game with their backs to the wall already, they would certainly have been preparing themselves for a stormy last half hour or so. Sure enough, the ball was flashed dangerously across the goalmouth twice in a matter of minutes following the red card. However, Brakes did find space to attack, Waldron getting down the right before wasting his cross, while substitute Simeon Maye won a free kick just outside the box which Sam Osborne struck on target, but straight into the arms of Chris Neal, his first save of the evening.
Tollitt curled another effort just wide of the upright as Fylde searched for a second goal to make the closing stages more comfortable, but Leamington won a corner as substitute Dan Meredith got involved, Steph Morley’s looping header from the flag kick proving relatively straightforward for Neal.
A fantastic effort from out on the right by Hulme clipped the top of the Leamington crossbar before the same player went close twice in the closing minutes, first driving an effort across goal and just wide of the far post before sending another one straight at Weaver.
As the game moved into four additional minutes Leamington suddenly began to believe that they could get something, and for the first time all evening the visitors looked rattled. Junior English had been thrown in for the last few minutes, and along with Meredith was right in the thick of things. The pressure paid off in style as after a bout of pinball inside the penalty area which saw the ball cannon back off the crossbar, it was Osborne whose quick thinking allowed him to ram a shot into the roof of the net to the delight of all in Gold and Black, and claim the most unlikely of points.
Attendance: N/A: Match played behind closed doors
Leamington: Jake Weaver, Josh Martin, Stephan Morley, Joe Clarke, Kyle Morrison, Jack Lane, Sam Osborne, Callum Gittings, Lance Smith (12 Junior English, 83), Jack Edwards © (14 Simeon Maye, 52), Danny Waldron (15 Dan Meredith, 67).
Subs not used: 16 Connor Taylor, 17 Richard Batchelor.
AFC Fylde: 1 Chris Neal, 2 Luke Burke, 3 Luke Conlan, 4 Liam Nolan, 5 Nathan Pond © (16 Jordan Lussey, 26), 6 Alex Whitmore, 7 Ben Tollit (37 Luke Brennan, 77), 8 Danny Philliskirk, 9 Jordan Hulme, 10 Nick Haughton, 14 Nathan Shaw.
Subs not used: 11 Junior Mondial, 12 Jack Sanders, 18 Kurt Willoughby.
Referee: Mr John Maskrey
Assistant Referees: Mr Reubyn Ricardo & Mr Daniel Stokes
Brakes Man of the Match: Jack Lane.
