Pre Season Friendly
Your Co-op Community Stadium
Wednesday 19th July 2023

Paul Holleran’s squad continued their preparations for the new season with a well contested contest against Leicester City’s Under 21 side.

Ben Usher-Shipway is certainly showing the effects of a full pre season programme, and he was the driving force behind Leamington’s bright start to this game. Picking up possession on the right inside the opening 30 seconds, he drove the ball into the penalty area, where it was picked up by Cally Stewart, who at the second attempt drove it right across the goal line.

Usher-Shipway then cut in from the right wing to fire in a shot that looked to have taken a deflection as it clattered off the frame of the goal.

The livewire winger provided another cross which was met by the head of Jack Edwards only to be cleared away, while Foxes keeper Chituru Odnunze held a shot in from the left by Adam Walker.

The Leicester youngsters simply couldn’t get going in the opening quarter of an hour, misplacing passes and struggling to get the ball off a confident looking Brakes side. They almost created an opening on 20 minutes when Twanda Maswanhise’s shot was blocked in the box.

Devon Kelly-Evans bent a free kick into the area from the left after Walker was clipped. Stewart was left holding his head in his hands as he came very close to opening the scoring once more, the ball rolling just wide of the upright.

There was a brief moment of panic when Joe Clarke turned and passed the ball straight to Maswanhise, who accelerated towards goal, but his touch let him down, allowing Theo Streete to come across and intercept, turning back towards his own goal before clearing his lines.

There was plenty of pace in the Leicester team when they pushed forward, and Callum Smith held a low driven cross to his near post on the left from Deniche Hill.

Stewart then thumped a first time strike well wide as Tyrone Barnett helped hold the ball up on the edge of the box for him, before Jack Lane strode out of his own half to let fly from 30 yards, the ball thundering just past the post.

The workrate and endeavour throughout the Leamington side was superb; Stewart in particular showing fantastic anticipation on more than one occasion when the ball was loose to get there first and direct it towards a team mate.

The game became more open towards half time; Usher-Shipway seeing a shot blocked inside the Leicester area before Armani Richards did likewise at the other end as a well contested first 45 minutes came to a close.

Kelly-Evans’ free kick forced a flying save from Odunze as Leamington registered the first effort of the half, while Usher-Shipway fired in a shot that was deflected behind for a corner following some great work down the left from Walker. However, the visitors made four changes at the interval, and seemed to possess even more frightening pace than they had on the rare occasions they got forward in the first half. Their full time professional quality shone through here, as Deniche Hill supplied an inch perfect through ball for Maswanhise to power on to down the left. He advanced into the area and beat Smith with a low strike into the far corner.

Smith was well positioned on the edge of his penalty area to cut out another scything through ball moments later as the Foxes youngsters threatened to take control of the game.

Brakes remained undaunted however, and as the final 25 minutes were ushered in by the first of a plethora of substitutions from both sides, Leamington’s Trialist A fired a half volley into the arms of Odunze.

Leamington’s perseverance paid off with ten minutes to go as they hauled themselves level with a strike from Walker that would surely be a goal of the season contender if it had come in a competitive fixture. Picking up possession on the edge of the box he displayed some fine footwork as he danced into the box past several challenges before thumping the ball into the top corner.

This was a really good workout for Brakes against a clearly talented young Leicester side, with some good individual performances. Next up is a trip to Rugby Town on Saturday.

Attendance: 327.

Referee: Mr Jack Shepherd

Assistant Referees: Mr Richard Cutts & Mr Joe Larkin

Leamington: Callum Smith (Ethan Pheasey, 85), Jack Edwads, Jack Lane, Joe Clarke (12 Junior English,  67), Theo Streete, Adam Walker ©, Ben Usher-Shipway (16 Trialist A,  67), Devon Kelly-Evans, Callum Stewart (17 Zach Taylor, 83), Tyrone Barnett (14 Connor Taylor, 75), Josh Quaynor (15 Jiah Medrano, 67).

Leicester City U21: Chituru Odunze, Lewis Brunt ©, Deniche Hill, Ben Nelson, Paul Appiah, Tom Wilson-Brown, Armani Richards, Brandon Cover, Kian Pennant, Zac Booth, Twanda Maswanhise.

Substitutes: 12 Jayden Joseph, 13 Arlo Doherty, 14 Misrad Ali, 15 Ben Grist, 16 Jack Lewis, 17 Trialist A, 18 Trialist B, 19 Trialist C, 20 Trialist D, 21 Bobby Amarty, 22 Henry Cartwright.