Vanarama National League North
Deva Stadium
Saturday 12th November 2022

By Paul Edwards 

Brakes gained a modicum of payback for their injury time defeat at the Deva Stadium last season with a dramatic late equaliser to deny Chester three points.

In some ways it was just reward for staying in the game right to the end, and with the home fans getting ready to celebrate victory the majority of the 2,200 plus crowd were left deflated, while in the corner of the Deva Stadium the travelling Brakes support was jubilant.

There was one change to the starting eleven; Adam Walker returning in place of Joe Clarke.

The first 45 minutes were instantly forgettable, with very little action in either penalty area and neither side giving an inch in defence. Kurt Willoughby headed Declan Weeks’ right wing cross wide at the far post when it looked simpler to score, but the assistant referee’s flag was raised in any case.

Rackeem Reid headed Louis Hall’s left wing centre over the Chester crossbar before a scrambled shot inside the Leamington penalty area following another corner saw the ball roll through to Callum Hawkins.

Reid was putting in his usual tireless performance, chasing down every ball played forward, and he laid it off superbly to Walker some 20 yards out but he got his first time effort horribly wrong, the ball ending closer to the corner flag than goal.

The scrappy theme continued with neither side ever really on top. Brakes were doing their best to counter when they won possession but came up against a very well organised Chester defence, with the same applying when the hosts pressed forward.

Devon Kelly-Evans decided to try his luck from 30 yards with his options for a pass limited, and his rising drive flew over the crossbar.

While there had been little to light up the first half it did not take long for that to change as the second got underway. Declan Weeks was afforded a little too much room to fire a fine strike past Hawkins to hand Chester the advantage, though a deflection did not help the Brakes keeper in his efforts to keep it out.

Leamington had their best chance to score shortly after the goal when Charlie Williams slipped Kelly-Evans in behind the Chester defence, but Harry Tyrer got down well to deflect his shot behind for a corner.

The momentum was with the home side however, and after a ball in from the left had flashed across goal and just past the far post, Iwan Murray sent a free kick just past the upright before Willoughby drove powerfully into the Harry McNally terrace as Chester countered quickly. Anthony Dudley then forced a save from Hawkins after a neat exchange of passes with Kole Hall.

Tyrer was alert to get down and push Jack Edwards’ downward header away from a free kick played into the Chester box as Leamington searched for a leveller late on, with Paul Holleran throwing on both Tom Hewlett and Dan Turner, making his first appearance since late September after injury.

It looked like their chances were spent, but somehow midway through additional time Leamington piled forward, caught Chester on the back foot and Louis Hall rammed in the equaliser off Tyrer’s legs, the ball spinning into the roof of the net to the utter delight of the vocal travelling support.

In the dying embers Tyrer just about managed to keep Edwards’ header from a left wing free kick the right side of the goal line as Brakes threatened to snatch a last gasp winner, but a point was certainly not to be sniffed at under the circumstances, and keeps the unbeaten streak going.

‘It was a super point,’ said Paul Holleran after the game, ‘And a deserved point I think. I thought the first half was cagey. Callum (McIntyre, Chester manager) has done a brilliant job. We came here today, and you could feel that Chester were together. They’re a good side. The crowd was electric as well - it was a good non league atmosphere.

‘The first half wouldn’t have been one for the purists, but we were having a good spell in the Delcan Weeks has put a few in against us from 25 yards over the years, especially when he was at Kiddy, so I just think that when it’s dropped to him we need to do better getting to the ball quickly. But, it’s a great goal, so there’s two sides to the coin with that one. There’s mine with my defensive head on and then there’s that one, but it’s an interesting one from that point. We’ve responded well, even before the substitutions. We’ve had a couple of good chances - the header and when Devon went through one on one - a great save by the keeper that was.

‘The pleasing thing for me was when we made the subs we changed the system, and we’ve gone again against a good side. We’ve pushed them back, and correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think that apart from the goal that Declan scored they've had many other shots on target, whereas we’ve had 3, 4, 5? The goal came from an overload and the subs have made an impact - we’ve changed the system and they’ve made an impact.

‘Listen, we all want to win football matches but sometimes you have to look at it realistically, and with that performance, the character again to score another late goal - it ticks a lot of boxes.

‘It was a real bonus for us today to get Dan Turner back on the pitch. We’ve tread carefully with him, and the moment he came on he gave us a different dimension. I think with Jack (Edwards) and Dan, they’ve had to drop deep in the final third in front of their defensive five unit.

‘I’m probably more pleased with that point than any away from home because they’re a good side, and the change of system and change of players has caused them problems. It’s lovely for Louis (Hall). He’s done great for us since he’s come in and it was a good finish, like his goal against Banbury. I was glad it fell to him.

‘It’s another good day for us on our travels. We’ve got a few home games now, and if we can pick up a few wins these away points are even better aren’t they?’

Attendance: 2,238 (75 Leamington)

Chester: 1 Harry Tyrer, 4 Declan Weeks, 6 Alex Kenyon ( 5 Harrison Burke, 77), 9 Kurt Willoughby (18 Joe Lynch, 10 Anthony Dudley, 12 Kevin Roberts, 16 Kieran Coates, 20 Iwan Murray, 21 Kole Hall, 22 Ollie Heywood, 49 Liam Edwards.

Subs not used: 2 Jamie Morgan,11 Adam Thomas, 14 Danny Devine,.

Leamington: Callum Hawkins, Dan Meredith, Louis Hall, Simeon Maye (14 Joe Clarke, 73), Theo Streete, Jack Lane, Charlie Williams (12 Tom Hewlett, 77), Adam Walker, Rackeem Reid (16 Dan Turner, 73), Jack Edwards ©, Devon Kelly-Evans.

Subs not used: 15 Junior English, 17 Connor Taylor.

Referee: Mr Jonathan Maskrey

Assistant Referees: Mr Tom Wall & Mr William Vaughan

Brakes Man of the Match: Devon Kelly-Evans.

Photos ©️ Rick Matthews - Chester FC