Report
Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central
Your Co-op Community Stadium
Saturday 24 October 2023
by Max Passantino
Leamington’s run of three straight defeats was ended with a relatively comfortable victory over rivals Stourbridge on Warwickshire soil.
Form was really out of the window for this encounter, with both sides seeing their games on Saturday postponed. Brakes were without a game for two and a half weeks, the Glassboys hadn’t played in ten days.
It was the visitors who started the brightest and troubled the Brakes defence with only two minutes on the clock. A Stour head rose highest from a corner and with the noisy visiting support thinking the ball would nestle into the net, a number of Brakes bodies came together to clear off the goal line.
Jack Edwards had a golden chance a minute later to give Leamington the lead, but his header flew over the bar. From the resulting goal kick, 17-year-old Alfie Steward - handed his first start for Stourbridge - met a ball up and looped the ball perfectly over the onrushing Callum Hawkins and into the back of the net to give the visitors a lead.
Unsurprisingly, that goal filled the visitors with confidence and Theo Streete was called upon to block Luke Benbow’s attempt from just past the penalty spot. Stourbridge came forward again and, with Leamington committing bodies forward prior to the break down in play, broke four on two but couldn’t find the final ball.
After an action-packed opening ten, Adam Walker was set free but his low drive was saved well by Charlie Price in the visitors’ goal.
Leamington looked more motivated and drew level after quarter of an hour, Henry Landers finishing past Price after another good break after Callum Stewart dispossessed former Brake Alex Prosser before curling an inch-perfect ball to be finished, to send the car park stand, a few soldiers down, into full voice.
It was all Leamington after the goal, Price was called into an acrobatic save tipping an effort past the post and with Callum Stewart having all three of the Stour defenders for pace, he was using that to the best of his abilities but his attempted ball to Landers when sent through didn’t reach its intended target.
The last chance of the half came to the visitors but Hawkins pulled off a world class low save to deny Benbow.
The second half was once again all Leamington. Goalscorer Landers and Stewart linked up well again, the former’s strike from the edge of the box five minutes into the second period deflected wide onto the post.
A particular highlight in recent weeks has been the right hand side, especially when attacking, and the power duo of Meredith and Landers were at it again. Meredith fed through Landers who twisted and turned, finally cutting back an inch perfect ball back to Tyrone Barnett who took too long to get his shot away and eventually was charged down.
Price was called upon again in the Glassboys net to save from close range, but a minute later Leamington broke again down that right side. A perfect cross split the visiting defence and found Barnett who made no mistake. The goal visibly meant a lot to the striker who had previously only scored one goal in the gold and black this season.
Callum Hawkins was called into action, tipping Jack Fletcher’s shot over the bar.
As the clock ticked ever closer to 90, Landers continued his reign of terror over the Stourbridge defence, effectively eliminating any defender before firing his effort just over and into the fans in the Harbury Lane End.
Cally Stewart was next to have an attempt on the Stour goal with Leamington still attacking, but his shot also fell wide.
A Stourbridge free kick cannoned off the post in injury time and that was the closest the visitors got to the goal in the second half, a thoroughly professional performance from Paul Holleran’s side that delighted the manager especially considering the previous three performances.
Attendance: 477
Leamington: Callum Hawkins, Dan Meredith, Josh Quaynor, Ewan Williams (15 Will Shorrock, 93’), Theo Streete, Jack Lane, Henry Landers (12 Joe Clarke, 87’), Adam Walker ©, Jack Edwards, Tyrone Barnett, Callum Stewart
Subs not used: 13 Ethan Pheasey, 14 Jiah Medrano, 16 Junior English
Stourbridge: Charlie Price, Joel Shambrook (15 Dexter Walters, 75'), Harvey Portman, Alex Prosser (16 Brendon Daniels, 76'), Jessy Bavanganga, Joel Kettle, Niall Flint, Reece King ©, Luke Benbow, Alfie Steward (12 Charlie Dowd, 55'), Jack Fletcher
Subs not used: 14 Darryl Knights, 17 Jack Wilson
Referee: Mr Richard Walker
Assistant referees: Mr Aaron Ford, Mr Nicholas Gray
Brakes Man of the Match: Henry Landers.
