Vanarama National League North
Flamingo Land Stadium
Saturday 25th February 2023

By Paul Edwards

Leamington visited Scarborough for the first time since October 1981 to take on Athletic in their latest Vanarama National League North fixture. The two sides had shared the points in the reverse fixture in Warwickshire back in November after a 1-1 draw.

Paul Holleran had made two changes to his starting eleven that began the draw at AFC Telford United on Tuesday evening, with Liam Cross replacing Ben Usher-Shipway and Jack Edwards returning from his suspension in place of Theo Streete as squad changes were necessary to protect players. Devon Kelly-Evans moved to an unfamiliar left back role as Louis Hall sat out the final match of his suspension.

The afternoon could barely have got off to a worse start. Jack Lane had his name taken by the Referee inside the opening minute for a challenge on Kieren Weledji right in front of the Scarborough bench that could well have seen him sent off had it taken place later in the game.

Ted Cann was called into the action early on to push away a diving header from Seadogs’ skipper Michael Coulson following a free kick into the box from Lewis Maloney, before blocking a low ball into the box, but the game was actually quite end to end before the opening goal of the afternoon on eight minutes.

It appeared a little too open for Luca Colville to drive a shot in to the near post, where Cann could only parry into the path of Weledji, who poked the ball home despite the best efforts of the grounded Kelly-Evans.

Lane was on hand to head off the line after Colville had spotted Danny Greenfield running in behind the Leamington defence on the left, finding him with a superb pass. The shot beat Cann but his team mate was well placed to get the ball away.

It was of little consequence however, as the hosts were rampant, and went two goals up on 11 minutes when Maloney found Weledji with a raking crossfield pass into the penalty area. The ball appeared to strike Kelly-Evans on the arm as he stepped in to try and close his man down, but the Referee allowed play to continue, and Weledji danced past Lane before stabbing wide of Cann into the net.

Unfortunately Mace was unable to continue, and the manager was forced into a change that he had probably hoped not to have to make, bringing Streete on to replace him.

Brakes looked shell shocked, as were their travelling supporters. There were half hearted shouts for a penalty from the stands as Liam Cross went down in stages inside the box; and when Ollie Hulbert held the ball up and tried to turn the ball was handled by a defender, but again no decision was forthcoming.

Scarborough looked dangerous every time they went forward, and a left wing cross sailed very close to goal, with Cann scrambling to cover it. The on loan keeper was beaten again when Greenfield cut in from the left to find Weledji over on the right inside the box, with Kelly-Evans trailing in his wake, but the rampaging right back’s aim was every so slightly off on this occasion as his header struck the post to deny him what would have been a remarkable first half hat trick.

Brakes seemed unable to clear their lines without handing the ball straight back to their opponents, and from a drop ball just inside the Leamington half, Glynn was almost the beneficiary as the ball came straight back to him, cracking in a powerful shot from distance that Cann did well to hold.

The ball was recycled again from another cross as the hosts continued their all out assault; Kieran Burton this time with the header that was pushed over the bar by Cann, who then stuck out a leg from the corner to deny Bailey Gooda at point blank range as he headed down towards goal at the far post.

The Leamington keeper was having a very busy afternoon, and were it not for his razor sharp reflexes Brakes could have been on the end of a cricket score before half time. He diverted another header from a long throw into the box onto his crossbar and behind.

Despite the plethora of Scarborough chances, Leamington hung on grimly and suddenly hauled themselves back into the game just before half time. Ironically it was the outstanding Weledji who gave the ball away in attack, allowing Jack Edwards to set Hulbert off on a run through the centre. He checked back and found Edwards, who moved the ball out to Dan Meredith (who was making his 100th appearance for the club) on the right, and his low cross between two defenders was helped on by Cross to Dan Turner, who reacted quickly to control and stab through the legs of a defender on the line to halve the deficit and breath life into Leamington’s game.

They countered well as a Scarborough attack petered out inside their penalty area, Cann sending Turner scampering down the left, and he nudged the ball inside for Sam Perry to burst through midfield and find Hulbert, who cut inside Burton and stung the palms of keeper Joe Cracknell.

Brakes have come out on the wrong side of so many fine margins in games this season, and their poor finishing ultimately meant that they would do so in this game, as Turner had a superb chance to level things up early in the second half. Cracknell’s kick forward was met by Edwards, whose header dropped over the Scarborough defence straight into the path of Turner, who skipped past Gooda but could only shoot straight at the goalkeeper. It was a glorious opportunity, and he knew it as he put his head in his hands.

Another chance went begging as Lane rose highest to attack a right wing corner from Kelly-Evans with a thumping header that whistled just the wrong side of the post.

Weledji passed up a gilt edged opportunity for his hat trick when Maloney’s whipped free kick into the box on the left was inadvertently helped on by Meredith to him on the edge of the six yard box, but perhaps not expecting the ball to reach him, he could only direct it over the bar.

Just past the hour mark Scarborough restored their two goal cushion. Brakes were back in numbers but once again were the architects of their own downfall as they contrived to give the ball away, and were punished as Colville somehow managed to find Weledji running in behind on the right with a defence splitting pass, and he pulled the ball back for skipper Coulson to slot home.

Streete saw an overhead kick deflected behind, and Edwards tried his luck with a decent effort from range as Leamington attempted to respond once more, but their miserable afternoon was complete when Scarborough added a late fourth. Colville looked to have been crowded out by Edwards and Kelly-Evans some 20 yards from goal, but he had enough of the ball to find substitute Alex Wiles with a cute backheel. Wiles then charged between Lane and Adam Walker, Lane almost stopping him, before Streete was also beaten and Wiles slotted beyond Cann at his near post.

‘The goals we conceded, the way we started the game, was miles away from where we needed to be,’ said the manager afterwards. ‘It feels like the players have almost accepted that today, and when they look back at the way we conceded those goals they will be very disappointed.’

Attendance: 1,508

Scarborough Athletic: 1 Joe Cracknell, 2 Kieren Weledji, 14 Ryan Qualter, 6 Bailey Gooda, 15 Kieran Burton, 3 Ashley Jackson, 4 Lewis Maloney, 11 Luca Colville, 10 Kieran Glynn (18 Simon Heslop, 85), 22 Danny Greenfield (9 Jake Charles, 77), 7 Michael Coulson © (27 Alex Wiles, 70).

Subs not used: 13 Matt Bancroft, 5 Will Thornton.

Leamington: Ted Cann, Dan Meredith, Devon Kelly-Evans, Sam Perry, James Mace (15 Theo Streete, 13), Jack Lane, Liam Cross (12 Ben Usher-Shipway, 77), Adam Walker, Ollie Hulbert, Jack Edwards ©, Dan Turner.

Subs not used: GK Dan Moore, 14 Joe Clarke, 16 Junior English.

Referee: Mr Paul Cooper

Assistant Referees: Mr Ryan Boult & Mr Alex Sawden

Brakes Man of the Match: Ted Cann.