Vanarama National League North
The Pure Stadium
Tuesday 12th April 2022

This game was a tale of two injury time goals, as a ninety third minute penalty from top scorer Dan Turner ended a wretched four game losing streak for Brakes as they put a dent in Southport’s play off ambitions at Haig Avenue.

The late second half substitute was calmness personified as he stepped up to slot home the pressure kick after combining with fellow sub Devon Kelly-Evans, who was tripped as he shaped to shoot. The Southport players were crestfallen but there were no complaints, and Turner sent Cam Mason the wrong way to spark joyous celebrations between the players and the two man media team behind the goal.

Previous trips to this corner of the North West have yielded nothing other than heavy defeats, so to leave with a point in this manner felt like a victory.

With a paper thin squad due to injuries and with the final run of fixtures being close together, Paul Holleran rotated his squad to full effect, making six changes to his starting eleven following Saturday’s long winded journey to Spennymoor, bringing in Jake Weaver, Melis Bushaj, Connor Taylor, Callum Gittings, Junior English and Charlie Williams.

This was a meeting of two out of form sides, with Southport having won only one of their last eight games, with Brakes winning two of theirs, so perhaps understandably the first half was largely an edgy affair with neither giving much away.

English put himself about in typical bustling fashion, and almost got through on goal with 11 minutes played, only for a defenders boot to poke the ball out of play for a corner.

A menacing black cloud hovered ever closer to the stadium in the opening quarter, and when the heavens opened they did so with full force. Weaver was forced to push Southport’s first corner of the evening behind.

Leamington registered the first serious effort on goal of the evening when Jack Lane’s fierce effort was deflected behind, while a contentious free kick awarded to the hosts to the right of the penalty area sailed over everyone and out of play.

The two number sixes exchanged yellow cards, with the Referee perhaps not fully taking into account the sudden change in conditions. The booking for Lane resulted in a free kick which Josh Hmami directed straight at Jake Weaver.

Good work on the right from the tireless Dan Meredith saw him earn two strikes at goal, the second of which appeared to be blocked by keeper Mason. Southport were unable to fully clear their lines, and Jack Bainbridge gave away a free kick in a decent position with which Williams was narrowly off target.

Bushaj sent a first time drive into the Jack Carr Stand behind the goal from a loose defensive clearance, while the ball was driven into the back of the Sandgroudners net by Joe Parker following a slow, deliberate build up down the left as Brakes picked their moment to find an opening, but Parker was adjudged to be offside from Williams’ cross.

As the first half entered its final throes the Southport pressure began to build, and from the second of successive corners struck the inside of the far post before clipping the crossbar as the follow up was driven in.

It was from another flag kick that Tharme powered in a header almost on the stroke of half time to give the hosts the lead - a punch in the guts for Leamington as they had arguably been the better side until the closing minutes.

The opening twenty minutes or so of the second half passed without any real incident. Niall Watson’s dangerous low ball across goal was nudged behind by Weaver, who gave a confident display between the posts.

With time beginning to trickle away Devon Kelly Evans was introduced, and he floated an inviting free kick into the box which was begging to be finished off, but nobody got close enough to make the connection.

Williams saw a left wing corner headed off the line as Leamington pushed forward once more, but the home side came close through Chris Doyle’s shot which needed to be cleared off the Leamington goal line.

Jack Edwards and Dan Turner were brought on to beef up the Brakes forward line as the game entered its final stages, and Kelly Evans almost immediately played Turner in on goal - a timely intervention from Dylan Vassallo denying him the chance to shoot.

Meredith’s half volley was deflected behind as it looked for all the world that Leamington were about to suffer a fifth straight one goal defeat. Southport had the chance to seal the points as they countered in injury time. Substitute Jack McGowan was involved, with Hmami squaring for Bainbridge, who fired horribly high and wide.

He was left to rue that miss as Leamington finally won themselves a break, and Turner stepped up to bag his fifteenth goal of the season.

‘I thought it was a really good game - really open,’ said Holleran afterwards. ‘Southport and Leamington have had a fairly similar pattern to our season; albeit they have a few more points on the board. We’ve both got young squads; both have lost players; both have suffered with injuries.

‘Their deliveries from set plays were tremendous and they probably could have put us to bed with one or two other chances they had, but we kept playing, we kept probing. ‘We’ve made a few changes tonight to try and utilise the squad and give those players coming back from injury a little bit of a breather, because playing Saturday-Tuesday-Friday is difficult at this stage of the season.

‘I kept harping on after the last few games how well the boys have done, and just when you think they’re down and beaten they come back. They did fantastic tonight. The boys coming in did really well - the two young boys, Melis and Charlie - you’ve got Junior up there on a high line who was fantastic; and Connor coming in on the right. Jake Weaver gave a good accomplished performance in goal. The boys coming on off the bench gave us a different dimension. I think Southport will be disappointed that they didn’t win the game, but there’s an argument that our performance probably deserved something as well.

‘There’s going to be a lot of tired legs and tired minds going into the last few weeks and we’ve just got to keep going, but I think the most pleasing thing tonight is how well the lads who haven’t been playing regularly for us have done. You have to trust them, and it shows character from us to make those changes after our recent run. I’m looking forward to the game (against Brackley) on Good Friday - it will be a great occasion.

‘Our problems on the road have been well documented. I could give a number of excuses, but I don’t look for them. You just keep working hard, keep trying to do the right things. I’m a big believer in hard work rewards. There were some big performances tonight and I'm really really pleased. We’re looking forward to the next few weeks, putting in a big effort, and trying to get a few more points on the board.’

Attendance: 779 (23 Brakes)

Southport: 1 Cam Mason, 6 Doug Tharme, 14 Chris Doyle, 5 Adam Anson ©, 2 Charlie Oliver, 16 Dylan Vassallo, 18 Jack Bainbridge, 15 Josh Hmami, 11 Tyler Walton, 9 Jordan Archer, 17 Niall Watson (21 Jack McGowan, 68).

Subs not used: 4 Russell Benjamin, 13 Tony McMillan-Snelson, 19 Michael Carberry, 20 Ryan Corrigan.

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Dan Meredith, Melis Bushaj, Joe Clarke ©, James Mace, Jack Lane, Connor Taylor (12 Devon Kelly-Evans, 65), Callum Gittings, Junior English (15 Dan Turner, 84), Joe Parker (14 Jack Edwards, 78), Charlie Williams.

Subs not used: GK Callum Hawkins, 16 Stephan Morley.

Referee: Mr Kristian Silcock

Assistant Referees: Mr Michael Johnson & Mr Shaun Taylor

Brakes Man of the Match: Junior English