Vanarama National League North
Impact Arena
Tuesday 21st September 2021

Brakes slipped to a third league defeat of the season in a scrappy game against an Alfreton side desperate to get back on track after defeat in the FA Cup at Step 4 side Cleethorpes Town at the weekend.

It was not a game that was easy on the eye, littered with stoppages and frustrating decisions from officials no doubt keen to impress a watching assessor, but ultimately from a Leamington perspective there was little to get excited about save for a bright spell in the first half. Brakes’ only worthwhile effort on goal all evening came from Jack Lane with less than ten minutes remaining, while Alfreton certainly kept Jake Weaver busy once they shook themselves from the first half malaise.

Games between these two sides have often been tight affairs, and this one was no different in that respect as they sized each other up in the opening 45 minutes. The first shot of the evening did not arrive until the 34th minute, Yusifu Ceesay weaving through the Leamington back line to fire straight at Weaver.

Alfreton’s summer signing Matt Rhead, who last faced Leamington back in 2005 in an FA Cup tie while playing for Kidsgrove Athletic, had clearly been given orders to make a nuisance of himself when helping his defenders out, and was doing his best to rile Jack Edwards as the two tussled inside the box awaiting the delivery of a free kick, but as is often the case in these types of situations, the inevitable free kick was given against the Brakes skipper, who looked to have done little to warrant the decision.

A free kick on the edge of the Leamington box which was driven low and wide of the target was the only other incident of note in a disappointing first half.

Billy Heath was first of the two managers to blink, making three substitutions inside the opening ten minutes of the second half, and the first of these changes in introducing youngster Bailey Hobson ultimately won him the game. They clearly gave the hosts more bite, and they began to boss possession without really creating any chances, but these eventually began to arrive, and it was no surprise when Hobson’s low drive following a concerted spell of Alfreton pressure zipped into the bottom corner past Weaver to give the home side the lead.

Ceesay went close when driving low across goal from the right, while Lane strode out of defence and tried his luck from distance, his shot deflecting through to the underworked George Willis.

Weaver had already saved well from Rob Evans earlier in the half, and when Hobson broke forward again from midfield the Brakes keeper was in action again, doing well to save another low strike, a team mate scrambling back to clear off the line as the ball ran loose. It would have been a frustrating way to concede a second as Leamington were denied what looked like a clear free kick in the centre circle prior to this.

Weaver was forced into another good stop late on as Alfreton pressed for a second goal, the ball needing to be hacked clear again, but one goal was enough to settle this underwhelming contest.

Attendance: 352

Alfreton Town: George Willis, Josh Clackstone, Josh Wilde (14 Adam Lund, 52), Richie Sutton (16 Dayle Southwell, 55), Dwayne Wiley, Conor Branson, Dom Smith ©, Dan Bradley (12 Bailey Hobson, 46), Matt Rhead, Rob Evans, Yusifu Ceesay.

Subs not used: 13 Alfie Smith-Eccles, 15 Elliott Reeves.

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Dan Meredith, Stephan Morley, Joe Clarke (14 Kieran Cook, 83), Kyle Morrison, Jack Lane, Joe Parker (16 Callum Gittings, 78), Simeon Maye, Kelsey Mooney, Jack Edwards © (15 Kaiman Anderson, 78), Dan Turner.

Subs not used: 12 Devon Kelly-Evans, 17 Junior English.

Referee: Mr Ben Wyatt

Assistant Referees: Mr Wayne Cooper & Mr William Cavanagh

Brakes Man of the Match: Jake Weaver.