Vanarama National League North
Your Co-op Community Stadium
Tuesday 26th October 2021

Leamington emphatically returned to winning ways as they struck three past a Farsley Celtic side whose preparations for the game were disrupted.

With the visitors’ team coach having hit traffic problems on the M1 their extended journey was not the ideal preparation for them, and it was difficult not to have some sympathy. They arrived on Harbury Lane just after 8pm, with kick off subsequently delayed for 45 minutes.

Both teams have found themselves unfairly labelled as long ball merchants on occasions but both are capable of playing good football, and there was plenty of evidence of it in this game, but while the Yorkshire outfit were frustrated at every turn despite plenty of neat build up play, Leamington were ruthless and clinical when they needed to be, executing their game plan to perfection.

Paul Holleran named the same eleven that started the match at Darlington on Saturday, with Steph Morley having recovered enough to take his place on the substitutes bench. Kelsey Mooney, who was also absent through illness at the weekend, was at the game but not in the squad.

Brakes kicked off at a pace, forcing a couple of early corners, but the visitors, who barely had an attack in the opening ten minutes, were handed the chance to take the lead from the penalty spot when Will Hayhurst went down under pressure from Jack Edwards inside the box. It looked a little soft on first viewing, but Referee Oliver Mackey was in no doubt.

James Hanson, back in Non League having spent 12 years in the Football League, most notably with Bradford City, stepped up to the spot but Jake Weaver was equal to his strike, diving low to his left to smother.

Edwards, making his 300th appearance for Brakes, went close with a header from Josh Martin’s deep cross, the ball dropping past the far post, and Kieran Cook went even closer as Martin centred again from the right, cracking a stinging half volley into the ground which was met by a fine save from Harry Wright.

Joe Parker had already been afforded the space to stretch his legs down the right, and he was sent scampering clear by a fine slide rule ball from Cook in the 22nd minute, arrowing a powerful low drive past the dive of Wright into the bottom corner to put Leamington ahead.

Farsley enjoyed a spell of possession as they looked to work their way back into the game, but Brakes looked hungry for more goals, and doubled their advantage just past the half hour mark.

Parker was the architect on this occasion, floating a free kick from the left touchline to the far post, where Jack Lane arrived to power a header into the back of the net for his second goal of the season.

The visitors continued to see plenty of the ball as they probed for a route back into proceedings, but they were met at every turn by resilient defending from Leamington, who appeared in no mood to relinquish their advantage.

Celtic did have the ball in the net before half time, but the flag on the far side had already been raised for offside.

Dan Meredith almost provided a spectacular start to the second half as he was found in space on the left by Joe Clarke; floating a teasing ball towards the far post which struck the top of the crossbar before being collected by the grateful Wright. Dan Turner then seized on a loose pass back towards the goalkeeper, who bailed out his team mate by deflecting the shot away from his net.

Edwards then sent a header bouncing just past the upright with Wright scrambling across his goal.

Farsley’s best opportunity to find the net since their failed penalty attempt came when a left wing cross was headed on by Hanson to skipper Dave Syers, who hooked a first time shot over the bar.

The visitors made a double change as they continued to boss possession, but still Leamington continued to boldly stand up to whatever was thrown at them.

Despite their territorial dominance the game appeared to be up for the visitors with just over 20 minutes to play. Tom Allan, who a few short weeks ago was sat in the stand at Alfreton as they took on Brakes, lost out to the tireless Turner, who charged through on goal and finished confidently beyond Wright to bag his seventh of the season.

Jimmy Spencer lashed in a fierce low strike from the left which unfortunately for him was right into the arms of Weaver, who was in no mood to give up his clean sheet, as he plucked a decent cross from Allan out of the air. The Brakes keeper denied Spencer again in added time, parrying another vicious effort before smothering the loose ball.

It capped off an impressive display from Holleran’s side, who will be hoping that the National League give the go ahead for the game against Kettering to take place this Saturday.

‘You feel for Farsley,’ said Holleran after the game. ‘I do question the fixtures. I get Covid, I get FA Cup, fixtures have to be moved and you have to deal with things but I think at the start of the season when Farsley are coming here as part of the fixture list and Leamington are going to Farsley on a Tuesday after Christmas I just think there could be a little more common sense with that. Sadly they’ve been caught up with the closure on the M1. We tried to be as helpful as we could, but I would say that’s affected them a little bit, but taking nothing away from us - they’re a good side Farsley. Down the middle of the pitch you’ve got to be really strong, aggressive and competitive to stay with them, and then it’s being brave enough to try and go down the channels and play wide, and that’s where I was really pleased with us tonight - I thought the combinations out wide - the quality - was tremendous. We’ve had some good performances here this year but that one was right up there. It’s been a good night for us.’

Attendance: 401

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Josh Martin, Dan Meredith, Joe Clarke, Kyle Morrison, Jack Lane, Joe Parker (12 Devon Kelly-Evans, 74), Joe Willis, Dan Turner, Jack Edwards © (15 Callum Gittings, 81), Kieran Cook (14 Kaiman Anderson, 68).

Subs not used: 16 Stephan Morley, 17 Junior English.

Farsley Celtic: 21 Harry Wright, 2 Jordan Richards, 3 William Hayhurst, 5 Tom Allan, 6 Adam Clayton, 7 Dave Syers © (28 Liam Loughlan, 60), 19 Adam Barton (29 Nassim Kherbouche, 78), 14 Tyler Walton, 4 Lewis Turner, 9 James Spencer, 17 James Hanson (11 Luke Parkin, 60).

Subs not used: 26 Rhys Westcarr, 23 Mitchell Fox.

Referee: Mr Oliver Mackey

Assistant Referees: Mr Alan Berrow & Mr Thomas Staten

Brakes Man of the Match: Joe Parker.