Vanarama National League North
Your Co-op Community Stadium
Saturday 15th January 2022

Brakes were beaten by an AFC Fylde outfit who looked fully back to their imposing best as they eased to victory over Paul Holleran’s side, who nevertheless put up brave resistance and never stopped battling, but were unable to prevent another game without a win.

There were three changes to the starting eleven from the opening fixture of the new year against Gloucester - Joe Clarke and Devon Kelly Evans returning from injury to start, while Cheltenham Town loanee Dylan Barkers stepped into midfield to make his debut.

Jake Weaver made a brave punch ahead of Coasters skipper Alex Whitmore as the promotion chasing visitors inevitably took the game to their hosts in the opening stages.

For all their possession though it was Leamington who got the first real sniff of a chance just before the quarter hour. A misplaced pass was picked up by Sam Wilding just inside the Leamington half, and he played a neat ball over the top for Kelsey Mooney to run on to, but the pace of the ball took it through to keeper Bobby Jones.

A couple of soft free kicks given away by Brakes presented Nick Haughton with a chance from a free kick, but his shot was curled into the arms of Weaver.

Former Brakes man Sam Osborne went down a little too easily in the penalty area as Fylde worked him into a promising position inside the box; and he was flagged offside moments later as Danny Whitehead mazy run towards goal ended with a fierce low strike that Weaver could only parry into the path of his former team mate, who was unable to force the ball home.

A fine interception from Morley saw him clip the ball over a Fylde man before charging up the left and crossing for Mooney, who was too far out to get enough power on his header to trouble Jones.

The Fylde keeper would have had his heart in his mouth seconds later however, as good play from Barkers saw Wilding force a corner, from which Barkers’ header at the far post drift into the side netting.

Fylde pressed forward from, and Haughton drew another save from Weaver with a stinging low drive from distance.The Brakes keeper could only parry the ball away however, but Morley was on hand to mop up. Unfortunately he immediately gave the ball away, and it was played back out to Osborne on the right side of the penalty area, and he curled a measured right footed strike into the net off the far post to give the visitors the lead. Other than a brief raise of his hands the midfielder did not celebrate in front of the fans who were only able to watch him from afar as he starred for their team last season.

To their credit Leamington didn not let their heads drop, and Fylde were made to work hard to sit on their lead. Dan Meredith’s low drive from the right was eventually collected by Jones.

Morley tried his luck from distance early in the second half with a bullet of a strike that was unfortunately straight down the throat of Jones at his near post.

A scrappy passage of play saw Osborne fire high and wide from a decent position. The visitors continued to press however, and doubled their lead just past the hour when a recycled right wing cross was powerfully headed home from almost on the goal line by Whitmore.

The game quietened down a little after this, with chances at a premium, but the slick Coasters rarely looked in any danger, despite Jack Lane hooking a well struck volley not too far wide in a rare Leamington attack.

Fylde were inches from a third when Ben Tollitt drove the ball low across goal to the far post to substitute Jack Sampson, who looked to have the simple task of nudging it home, but he was somehow denied by a grounded Morley, and Leamington cleared their lines.

The pressure continued, and Sampson was played in on goal again, this time beating his man and Weaver, but dragging his shot just the wrong side of the far post to the disbelief of the visiting contingent.

Attendance: 505

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Dan Meredith, Stephen Morley, Joe Clarke (15 Callum Gittings, 71), Kyle Morrison ©, Jack Lane, Devon Kelly-Evans (14 Kieran Cook, 79), Sam Wilding, Kelsey Mooney, Dylan Barkers (16 Junior English, 71), Dan Turner.

Subs not used: 12 Joe Parker, 17 James Mace.

AFC Fylde: 21 Bobby Jones, 6 Alex Whitmore ©, 7 Ben Tollitt, 8 Danny Philliskirk, 10 Nick Haughton (15 Jack Sampson, 79), 11 Sam Osborne (14 Nathan Shaw, 75), 12 Luke Joyce, 17 Jack Evans, 18 Dan Pike, 25 Jamie Stott, 31 Danny Whitehead (26 Owen Robinson, 86).

Subs not used: 5 Emeka Obi, 23 Harvey Gregson.

Referee: Mr Matthew Scholes

Assistant Referees: Mr Matthew Perry & Mr Mark Pearson

Brakes Man of the Match: Dan Meredith.