Pre Season Friendly
Your Co-op Community Stadium
Saturday 2nd July 2022

By Max Passantino

They say football is a game of two halves, and this certainly proved to be the case as Mark Robins brought his full strength Coventry City side to Leamington to open pre-season in front of a record breaking 2131 fans at Your Co-op Community Stadium, a new ground record.

With Paul Holleran absent, the rest of the backroom team took charge of the Brakes and gave a first run out in the gold and black for Theo Streete who joined from Telford this summer, with a trialist in the starting lineup at left back. Brakes had only two training sessions prior to the game. 

Mark Robins named two different sides for the visitors, and Robins wasn’t messing around with strong sides named in both halves. Both Gustavo Hamer and Callum O’Hare featured with the rumour mill constantly spinning in the background with possible moves away, but there was no place in either lineup for Viktor Gyökeres, but the Swedish striker was at the game. 

The Sky Blue Army were in full voice in the Harbury Lane End as the game kicked off, however they weren’t prepared for what was to come a minute later. Jack Edwards looped a header across the box from a lofted cross and Dan Turner was there at the back post to tap in past Simon Moore who has over 200 EFL appearances to give Leamington the lead.  

As Mark Robins alluded to in his post match interview, Leamington “could’ve been 4-0 up in the first half” and the onslaught on the Coventry goal continued after Turner’s opener. Former Coventry man Devon Kelly-Evans had the chance to deliver in a couple of corners in the first five minutes with Leamington’s aerial prowess allowing Jack Lane to free from his marker but head wide. 

The whole of the ground thought it was two soon after Dan Meredith played Devon Kelly-Evans through one-on-one with Moore and Kelly-Evans slotted the ball under the Sky Blues custodian but Jack Burroughs did superbly to clear the ball off the line. DKE was clearly up for it against his former club and he had a chance to score again soon after but diverted his point blank header wide.  

The trend of the half being all Leamington continued as Devon Kelly-Evans was once again making Simon Moore earn his keep, forcing him into a sharp save from an angle. Coventry fan Jack Edwards was the next to have a chance and his effort was cleared off the line. Martyn Waghorn tried to get the Sky Blues going but his two attempts were saved by Jake Weaver, the first time the Brakes keeper had been troubled.

Theo Streete made his first appearance for Leamington and was left with a late challenge from Tyler Walker that looked nasty, with Streete having to receive treatment. Martyn Waghorn slid in what City fans thought was the equaliser but Waghorn, who scored on his only other appearance at Your Co-op Community Stadium back in 2013, was adjudged to be offside, which gave Leamington the lead at half time.

The Sky Blues named a completely different side in the second half, still first team players and their freshness told as they started the second half much better than they had played in the first. Matty Godden was the danger as he started quickly, forcing Jake Weaver into another early save.

There were signs of Leamington’s first half play still shining through despite the increasing tired legs as Adam Walker twisted and turned into the box whilst nutmegging Fankaty Dabo but his cut back couldn’t find a teammate. Leamington lived to regret their missed chances as Matty Godden equalised on the hour mark, guiding a close range header past Weaver.

Godden had a goal ruled out a couple of minutes later, but took his next chance legally as he made it two for the visitors. Jake Weaver kept the scores close as he made more saves, Sheaf testing him low on a number of occasions. Portuguese forward Fabio Tavares must have been reminded of his days at Curzon Ashton playing on National League North grounds, and he made it three with another close range header.

The visitors were denied again by Leamington’s effective offside trap with ten to go, Godden again having a goal ruled out. Jake Weaver was still performing high late on as he denied Callum O’Hare with a fingertip save onto the crossbar, with Trialist C also blocking a Sky Blues shot minutes later. 

Simeon Maye was brought into the game late on - his first time back out since 2nd October 2021, and he entered the field of play alongside Toby Nicoll who made his first appearance having progressed well through the academy. Referee Elliott Swallow finished the game into injury time to confirm the Sky Blues’ win.

Attendance: 2131 (New ground record)

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Dan Meredith, Trialist A (17 Simeon Maye, 89), Joe Clarke (13 Alex Prosser, 45), Theo Streete, Jack Lane (19 Trialist C, 73), Charlie Williams (18 Connor Taylor, 73), Adam Walker (14 Bailey Fuller, 67), Dan Turner (15 Trialist B, 74), Jack Edwards (12 Junior English, 57), Devon Kelly-Evans (16 Toby Nicoll, 89)

Subs not used: 20 Ethan Pheasey

Coventry City First Half: 1 Simon Moore, 2 Jack Burroughs, 4 Michael Rose, 22 Josh Reid, 3 Jake Bidwell, 12 Marco Rus, 7 Gustavo Hamer, 8 Jamie Allen, 17 Kasey Palmer, 19 Tyler Walker, 9 Martyn Waghorn

Coventry City Second Half: 13 Ben Wilson, 23 Fankaty Dabo, 21 Ryan Howley, 15 Dom Hyam, 20 Todd Kane, 14 Ben Sheaf, 6 Liam Kelly, 16 Ricardo Dinanga, 10 Callum O’Hare, 11 Fabio Tavares, 24 Matty Godden 

Subs: 31 Cian Tyler, 27 Aiden Finnegan, 18 Will Bapaga

Referee: Mr Elliott Swallow

Assistant Referees: Mr Joe Larkin & Mr Richard Cutts

Brakes Man of the Match: Jake Weaver