Report

By Paul Edwards 

Brakes produced a storming performance to put an end to a seven game winless run in all competitions as they came from behind to record a first ever win over AFC Fylde, who themselves had been on a thirteen game streak without defeat prior to kick off.

Paul Holleran made two changes to his starting eleven, with Jack Lane returning from suspension and Ben Usher-Shipway coming back into the side. Kyle Morrison was taken out of the visitors’ starting line up just before kick off, presumably due to injury, denying him the chance to face his former team mates.

Rackeem Reid was inches from connecting with a flick on from Simeon Maye in the opening seconds as Brakes looked to get off to a flying start, but it was Callum Hawkins who made the first save of the afternoon as he got down well to save Danny Philliskirk’s header.

Reid was denied a strike at goal by a fantastic challenge as he shaped to shoot, while the visitors saw a long range effort deflected behind for a corner.

Louis Hall was in the thick of a battle with Morrison’s replacement Connor Barrett, and got into the penalty area on the left, pulling the ball back to try and find a team mate when firing towards goal looked to be the better option.

Dan Meredith’s powerful low long range strike fizzed just past the post, and when Reid was clattered one the left edge of the area, Devon Kelly-Evans’ free kick into the box was snatched off the head of Theo Streete by keeper Chris Neal.

The promising start became redundant however as Fylde took the lead on the quarter hour. Taking a touch onto a pass downfield, Nick Haughton bent a fantastic strike into the top corner which Hawkins could do nothing about - the sign of a man in form, as the league’s top scorer certainly is. It was tough on Leamington, but they continued in the same vein in which they had started the game despite the visitors having the better of things in front of goal.

There was a big shout for a penalty which the home fans felt had been missed by the match officials when Streete received a two handed shove in the back as he prepared to connect with the ball inside the Fylde box.

Hawkins was forced into another save before Neal fumbled Hall’s low ball into the six yard box at the other end, and Lane sent a first time effort from a half clearance wide of the target from distance.

Leamington really were having a right good go at their full time opponents, and Meredith saw another shot blocked, with Streete sending an audacious overhead effort over the bar before the half time whistle.

Brakes set their stall out quickly on the resumption; Reid winning a corner in the opening minute. The striker was enjoying a highly productive home debut, and came within inches of capping it with a goal when he latched on to another knock down from Maye to lash a vicious low strike across goal that flew inches the wrong side of the far post with the aid of a slight deflection.

Hall was shoved over the in box as the corner was played in; the protests were loud but again the Referee was not interested. Streete then agonisingly rolled a shot straight into Neal’s arms from a free kick played into the box, but the offside flag was raised to spare his blushes.

Fylde had the ball in the back of the net for a second time moments later but were also denied by a raised flag before they were reduced to ten men on 73 minutes when Barrett clattered into Hall after the ball had gone and was given his marching orders.

Two minutes later things went from bad to worse for the Coasters as Leamington drew level. Goals from Joe Clarke are rarer than hen's teeth, but when they do come along they tend to be memorable, and just his third in 185 games for the club was certainly that as he rose to meet a left wing corner and thunder a header in off the underside of the bar to the delight of the Harbury Lane End.

Those of a Gold and Black persuasion sensed that this game was now there to be won, and the manager threw on Tom Hewlett in place of Reid, who received a rousing ovation for his performance.

Adam Walker saw a piledriver deflected behind and Maye headed over from the resulting corner as Leamington maintained the pressure, and they got their reward with three minutes remaining when Usher Shipway’s was picked up by Streete, who crashed in a shot that was blocked by grounded Fylde substitute Will Hatfield, and Referee Daniel Lamport pointed to the penalty spot. The visiting players were incredulous, and Hatfield thumped the turf in disbelief. It was one of those decisions which you could sympathise with to a degree as if it had gone the other way, the reaction would have been similar.

All manner of gamesmanship tactics were employed to delay the taking of the spot kick in an attempt to unsettle Hewlett, but the Burton Albion loanee had made up his mind which way he was going, and despite Neal getting a hand to the ball he was unable to keep it out, and Leamington were on course for victory. With the visitors having lost their discipline somewhat, Brakes were able to keep the ball exactly where they needed it to see out the remaining few minutes. There was an explosion of joy at the final whistle, the players clearly elated while there was a display of raw emotion rarely seen from the manager as he gave his clenched fist salute to the fans.

‘We showed signs of this in the last hour at Chorley last week, where certainly in the second half we showed more purpose to our game, more intent. It’s probably helped us not having any midweek games - we’ve worked really hard on Tuesdays and Thursday the last couple of weeks.

‘The lads are a real good, honest bunch, and even in the first half when we were down 1-0 - when you’ve got players like that putting the leg work in; the amount of effort they put in. I was so happy that in the second half, they got what they deserved today. I’m the first to stand here when we’ve been a bit fortunate or we haven’t been good enough, but today I thought from minute one we were excellent. We played with a real purpose and lots of energy, and I think the best side won. That performance is the most complete performance of the season. What’s the difference between that and the last few performances? I think we have cut out the individual errors, I think our pressing was better, there’s been a bit more quality. The team’s evolving - there’s young players with legs in there. We’ve got to throw the ball out more, pass a little bit more, which we did.

‘We’ve beaten good full time sides here before but we’ve had to sit deep and soak it up a bit. Today I think we’ve really gone after them. I’m so delighted with that performance, I really am, and I’m delighted for the players. They’re a great bunch of kids.’

Attendance: 517

Leamington: Callum Hawkins, Dan Meredith, Louis Hall, Joe Clarke ©, Theo Streete, Jack Lane, Ben Usher-Shipway, Simeon Maye, Rackeem Reid (12 Tom Hewlett, 78), Adam Walker, Devon Kelly-Evans.

Subs not used: 14 Kieran Cook, 15 Connor Taylor, 16 James Mace, 17 Junior English.

AFC Fylde: 1 Callum Neal, 33 Pierce Bird, 28 Harry Davis, 17 Connor Barrett, 14 Luke Conlan, 8 Danny Philliskirk ©, 10 Nick Haughton, 20 Tom Walker (24 Will Hatfield, 62), 23 Danny Whitehead (4 Curtis Weston, 77), 27 Siya Ligendza (9 Danny Rowe, 69), 19 Luke Charman.

Subs not used: 7 Joe Rowley, 15 Kyle Morrison,.

Referee: Mr Daniel Lamport

Assistant Referees: Mr Lewis Mansfield-King & Mr Matthew Jackson

Brakes Man of the Match: Dan Meredith.