Vanarama National League North
The Bee Arena
Saturday 18th March 2023

Brakes paid their first visit to the Bee Arena to take on Peterborough Sports. Paul Holleran named an unchanged starting eleven from Tuesday’s draw at Farsley Celtic.

The hosts came into the game on the back of a fine victory on the road at Chester in midweek, and Jordan Crawford’s low right wing cross forced Ted Cann into an early touch of the ball at his near post.

A recycled left wing cross at the other end saw Devon Kelly-Evans’ shot blocked on the edge of the box, before Liam Cross fired a free kick wide of the target.

The Turbines came close to opening the scoring when Dan Jarvis struck the inside of the post with Cann rooted to the spot in the centre of his goal, but mercifully the ball bounced to safety.

Ollie Hulbert put in his usual tireless shift for little reward, and did well to set up Kelly-Evans for another strike that was blocked. Louis Hall then forced a corner on the left off Iziah Bazeley, from which Sports’ keeper Peter Crook flapped at but couldn’t claim. Theo Streete was unable to capitalise, however.

Dan Turner was heavily involved in most of Leamington’s good work in the game, and won a free kick on the right which was played in by Cross. Streete won the ball at the far post but was adjudged to have fouled Peterborough player-manager Michael Gash in doing so.

Turner then won Brakes’ second corner of the afternoon, Kelly-Evans keeping it in at the far post before Hulbert’s shot was blocked.

There was a moment of danger for Leamington when Hall was isolated with Jordan Nicholson just outside the penalty area, but Cann saved the shot.

Turner won a free kick right on the very edge of the area on the left as he was virtually piggybacked by a defender; with Kelly-Evans seeing his dead ball strike touched over the bar by Crook. However, the fine margins which have gone against Leamington in many of the games that have gone against them this season did so again here, as within a couple of minutes they found themselves behind.

The home side moved upfield swiftly, and Jarvis saw his header pushed over the bar by Cann. From the resulting corner Brakes couldn’t fully clear their lines, and Nicholson recycled the ball for Ryan Fryatt to head in from close range.

It was a disappointing way for the first half to end given that Leamington had given as good as they had got, but unfortunately the second half was a different story.

It began well enough, with Turner cutting in and firing low towards goal; Crook holding the ball at his near post. Brakes’ top scorer then almost caught out the Turbines’ keeper with an audacious effort from distance that Crook was able to recover after fumbling, with no other player near him.

Gash then saw a shot blocked for the hosts before they doubled their lead. The Leamington bench were incensed as they believed there had been a foul in the build up, something which many of the home support acknowledged, but there was no denying it was a great strike, Crawford lacing it home with the outside of his right boot after a slick build up.

Another effort hit the side netting before Sports put the game to bed on 73 minutes, Bazeley finishing confidently after Cann had saved well in a one on one with substitute Maniche.

Adam Walker saw a shot saved and fired another over the bar in the closing stages, but in truth Leamington finished well beaten, and could have conceded a fourth late on when Gash somehow fired wide from close range when it looked easier to score.

With a long trip to Spennymoor on the horizon on Tuesday evening there is very little time for Brakes to pick themselves up from the canvas, but that is what they will have to do. The saving grace today was that of the bottom six, only Kettering and Blyth were able to pick up a point.

Attendance: 

Peterborough Sports: 1 Peter Crook, 2 Iziah Bazeley, 45 Nathan Fox, 4 Ryan Fryatt, 20 Connor Johnson, 6 Dan Lawlor ©, 7 Jordan Crawford (29 Johnnson Gyamfi, 77), 17 Connor Kennedy, 23 Michael Gash, 16 Dan Jarvis (10 Abduramane Sano, 69), 11 Jordan Nicholson (22 Josh McCammon, 77).

Subs not used: 5 Richard Jones, 14 Hugh Alban Jones.

Leamington: Ted Cann, Dan Meredith, Louis Hall (15 Kelsey Mooney, 76), Sam Perry (14 Jack Edwards, 76), Theo Streete, Jack Lane, Liam Cross, Adam Walker, Ollie Hulbert, Devon Kelly-Evans, Dan Turner (17 Ben Usher-Shipway, 83).

Subs not used: 12 Joe Clarke, 16 Junior English.

Referee: Mr Shaun Taylor

Assistant Referees: Mr Ryan Boult & Mr Louis Stamp

Brakes Man of the Match: Dan Turner.