Vanarama National League North
Blackwell Meadows
Saturday 23rd October 2021

It may be a long journey but Blackwell Meadows is one place in the North East that Leamington enjoy visiting, as they left with another draw from their third visit to Darlington’s stadium.

The hosts will no doubt be disappointed not to have won on balance of chances, but Brakes defended gallantly, and could easily have nicked it themselves late on.

With Kelsey Mooney and Stephan Morley absent through illness Paul Holleran made four changes to the side which started at Guiseley in the previous game - Josh Martin, Joe Parker and Kieran Cook stepping up, while skipper Jack Edwards returned from his one match suspension.

The opening opportunity of the afternoon arrived on three minutes when Will Hatfield’s ball into the box was met first time in somewhat unorthodox fashion by the in form Luke Charman, who bundled it wide.

It did not take long for the home side to extend Jake Weaver, Jarrett Rivers drifting in from the left to find Kevin Dos Santos, who turned inside before curling a low effort towards the bottom right hand corner, Weaver springing to his left to push the ball clear at the expense of a corner.

It was ten minutes or so before Brakes began to settle into the game and start to make inroads into the Darlington half. The Quakers continued to look the more threatening however, and Jake Cassidy came within inches of opening the scoring when back-heading a lofted cross just past the post with Weaver scrambling across his goal.

The opening goal arrived in the 18th minute, another cross from the right picked up by Dos Santos, who set himself before volleying past Weaver, who was rooted to the spot.

The first sight of goal for Leamington came just before the half hour when Cook was fouled some 25 yards out on the left, but a sight was all it remained as Joe Willis fired the resulting free kick high over the bar.

At this stage Darlington were finding it a little too easy to find their way through their opponents back line, switching play with ease if they were unable to play their way through, but Blackwell Meadows was silenced on 29 minutes as Leamington equalised out of nowhere.

A long ball out of defence by Jack Lane found Dan Turner, who ghosted past a covering defender to slot past the advancing Tommy Taylor into the far corner. The home players and fans waited for what they believed was a cast iron offside decision, but it did not arrive, and the Brakes were able to celebrate.

The goal noticeably altered the atmosphere inside the stadium, and Brakes almost capitalised when some neat interplay between Dan Meredith and Cook down the left resulted in the latters’ pull back being half cleared.

The home fans continued to direct their ire towards the officials, and this increased when they felt Turner had dived inside the box in an attempt to win a penalty. The goalscorer appeared more frustrated that he had appeared to lose his footing as he tried to turn Ben Hedley.

Hatfield drove a decent chance high over the bar as the first half drew to a conclusion, but there was still time for Leamington to win their first corner of the afternoon, which came to nothing.

The second half was a slow burner, but was illuminated almost ten minutes in by a stunning save from Weaver to deny Cassidy, who thumped a fierce strike towards goal inside the box.

A tremendous lung busting run from the edge of the Leamington area by Meredith to win a corner deserved some reward, and a fine delivery by Cook into the six yard box was not anticipated by anyone in a blue shirt.

Darlington began to enjoy more forward possession again, but were met by some typically composed defending from the likes of Meredith, who was as impressive in his defensive role as he was charging forward.

Hatfield went close as he almost took on and beat a cluster of Brakes defenders, who eventually managed to limit the Darlington man to a shot straight at Weaver.

Hatfield drove another effort wide as the clock began to tick down, and Hedley blazed over from outside the box as the home fans began to drift out of the stadium in frustration.

Brakes very nearly snatched a late winner when Parker’s free kick from out on the right wing was met by Edwards in the penalty area. His header towards goal was met by Turner, who scooped it just wide.

A fine challenge from substitute Callum Gittings denied Charman the chance to pull the trigger inside the penalty area as Darlington pushed for a winner, but it was Leamington who went closer, substitute Kaiman Anderson almost walking the ball past Taylor, who did well to block the run.

Weaver got a vital hand to a left wing corner as Alun Armstrong’s men raised the home support for one final push. Jack Lambert’s ball in to the far post was met by Charman, but his shot was wayward and wide, and Brakes were able to catch their breath and reflect on a well earned point.

Attendance: 1,404

Darlington: 1 Tommy Taylor, 4 Joe Wheatley, 6 Alex Storey, 7 Ben Hedley, 8 Will Hatfield ©, 9 Luke Charman, 11 Jarrett Rivers, 18 Jake Cassidy, 19 Kevin Dos Santos (17 Jack Lambert, 68), 26 Kallum Griffiths, 33 Jake Cooper.

Subs not used: 10 Junior Mondal, 21 Andrew Nelson, 23 Alex Purver, 30 Danny Rose.

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Josh Martin, Dan Meredith, Joe Clarke, Kyle Morrison, Jack Lane, Joe Parker (16 Junior English, 88), Joe Willis (15 Callum Gittings, 68), Dan Turner, Jack Edwards ©, Kieran Cook (14 Kaiman Anderson, 76).

Subs not used: 12 Devon Kelly-Evans, GK Josh Allen.

Referee: Mr Daniel Locker

Assistant Referees: Mr Zac Kennard-Kettle & Mr Wayne Cooper

Brakes Man of the Match: Dan Meredith.