The Buildbase FA Trophy 2nd Round
The Community Stadium
Tuesday 15th December 2020

Brakes maintained their superb recent form as they put five past Southern League Central outfit St Ives Town to make progress in the Buildbase FA Trophy.

The scoreline may look comfortable, which eventually it was, but the visitors put up a good fight, particularly in the first half.

Paul Holleran made one change to his starting eleven, the presumably unavailable loan man Taylor Allen replaced by Danny Waldron.

The visitors, buoyed by their dramatic 4-3 success at the death in the previous round at Grantham Town just five days earlier, did not look like a team that had only played one game since October 31st as they made much of the early running in this contest.

Lance Smith met a searching deep cross from way out on the left by Stephan Morley with his head but dropped into the arms of Ives’ keeper Martin Conway.

The pacy Michael Gyasi was giving Josh Martin plenty to think about, and led a quick fire break down the left, but blazed his shot well over Jake Weaver’s crossbar.

Leamington were giving the ball away a little too often for comfort, and Ed Hottor almost took advantage as he thumped a shot towards goal from distance which was straight at Weaver.

In fairness both sides’ ball retention wasn’t great at times, but Brakes continued to create half chances, Sam Osborne’s daisy cutter from out on the right was held at the near post by Conway before Waldron’s ball to the far post was narrowly missed by the diving Smith.

With little over half an hour played the opening goal arrived, and it was a first for the club for Danny Waldron as he reacted quickest to a ball played into the box which bounced on the damp turf before stooping to head home just inside the post.

Two minutes later the lead was doubled as Smith pounced to score his second of the season with a stylish flick into the far corner off the inside of the post as the ball came in low from the right. His celebration said it all - it was a goal he had been threatening for several games.

Another loose pass inside the Leamington half gave Football League veteran Marc Richards a sniff of a chance which was swiftly snuffed out by a block from Kyle Morrison.

Osborne was the width of a post from making it three as his close range header from Waldron’s left wing centre clattered the upright, but Richards served notice that St Ives were far from out of this game as he lashed in a shot from the left which was parried by Weaver, Gyasi seeing his follow up blocked.

St Ives gave Leamington more wobbly moments early in the second half as the ball just wouldn’t fall kindly for them in the penalty area, and they fell further behind just past the hour mark when Osborne whipped in a first time bal from the right that was beautifully directed into the far corner by the head of Smith for his second of the evening.

Having introduced Dan Meredith at half time Paul Holleran took the opportunity to make further changes, introducing Kaiman Anderson and Junior English. Anderson quickly got involved and struck the post when his low strike travelled all the way to goal, Smith just unable to reach the loose ball.

Waldron bagged his second of the game inside the final ten minutes when his powerful low strike was unfortunately spilled into the net by Conway.

Brakes continued to pepper the Ives’ goal, Waldron in particular as he stung the palms of the goalkeeper with another well struck effort before going close again as he headed Morley’s cross just over.

It was Smith who claimed the match ball however as he bore down on goal with three minutes remaining to drive emphatically past Conway for the old five, and seal a trip to North Wales to face National League Wrexham on Saturday.

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Josh Martin (12 Dan Meredith, 46), Stephan Morley, Joe Clarke, Kyle Morrison, Jack Lane, Sam Osborne (14 Kaiman Anderson, 64), Simeon Maye, Lance Smith, Jack Edwards © (15 Junior English, 78), Danny Waldron.

Subs not used: 16 Callum Gittings, 17 Connor Taylor.

St Ives Town: Martin Conway, Liam Bateman, Ben Toseland, Michael Gyasi (14 Michael Harding, 74), Oran Jackson, Brett Solkhon, Edmund Hottor, Luke Howell (18 Tom Boxer, 85), Marc Richards ©, Dylan Williams, Nathan Hicks.

Subs not used: 15 Ben Seymour-Shove, 16 Mihayl Kitkov.

Referee: Mr David McNamara

Assistant Referees: Mr Harry Tarrant & Mr Niall Fenton

Brakes Man of the Match: Danny Waldron.