Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central
Your Co-op Community Stadium
Monday 1st January 2024

Two of Warwickshire’s biggest non league clubs locked horns in league action for the first time in almost four years in the opening fixture of the new calendar year.

Paul Holleran made just one change from the Boxing Day eleven which started at Stratford, replacing Tyrone Barnett with Will Shorrock, while Nuneaton, fresh off the back of a long trip to Suffolk just two days earlier, made two changes to theirs; benching former Brakes loanee Milan Butterfield and Isiah Osbourne and replacing them with skipper Scott McManus and Prince Mancinelli. To the visitors’ credit, they showed no ill effects from the quick turnaround whatsoever, and were probably the better side over the course of the afternoon.

The game began at a pace you would expect from a local derby, Ewan Williams heading an early right wing centre over the bar from a good position, while Cameron McWilliams darted clear on Nuneaton’s right to send in an equally dangerous ball that won his side a corner.

There was a flashpoint in the centre circle with a little under 15 minutes on the clock when Cally Stewart and Kyle Storer clashed, with Storer, clearly annoyed at the robust challenge on him, appearing to lash out at the young Brakes striker as the two went to ground. After a brief pause to proceedings Referee Luke Scott booked Storer and Leamington skipper Adam Walker.

Matt Stenson appeared perplexed with team mate Jaden Charles as a corner conceded by Jack Edwards was launched dangerously in to the far post. Stenson looked to be favourite to try and head inside the post, but the two team mates simply got in each other's way, and the ball hit the side netting.

Nuneaton continued to have the upper hand in terms of attacking play; a quickly taken free kick failing to hit the target, while Storer was perhaps fortunate not to receive a second booking after going in late on Williams.

Dan Meredith curled in Leamington’s first effort on target just before the half hour, but it was straight down the throat of keeper Dan Jezeph.

In truth the first half was a disappointing affair from two clubs supposedly challenging for promotion. There was no lack of effort or endeavour from either side, but with defences on top, chances were at a premium. The raucous atmosphere which had greeted the players entrance onto the pitch had quickly disappeared, but with the conditions deteriorating and the rain beginning to fall, Stenson came closest to breaking the deadlock as he saw his header clip the top of the crossbar.

Storer’s early second half cross from the left was met by the head of Leroy Lita, but his glancing header was straight at Hawkins.

Brakes worked the ball out to Joe Clarke some 15 minutes in, but he skewed his shot horribly off target, while Josh Quaynor’s free kick struck the defensive wall. Meredith then fired a cross-shot behind. There was more intensity from Leamington, but very little to excite the crowd. There were brief bursts of singing from the visiting contingent, while the home fans were strangely subdued.

Henry Landers headed over the bar, with some quizzical looks towards the Referee following as substitute Tyrone Barnett looked to be having his shirt pulled. At the other end McManus set up Stenson for a close range shot that Hawkins scooped into his grasp at the second attempt in a congested penalty area, and the former Leamington striker came close again when his long range strike was deflected just past the right hand post, with Hawkins scrambling across his goal to cover.

In the closing 15 minutes there were finally some goals for the crowd to cheer. Stewart once again showed that his diminutive frame does not prevent him from scoring goals as he rolled his marker to lash a low drive across Jezeph into the far corner.

The lead lasted little more than three minutes however, as second half substitute Butterfield crashed a powerful low drive into the bottom corner to bring the score level once more.

Hawkins produced a fantastic save in the closing minutes to divert Lita’s deflected shot over the crossbar, while the Boro’ players believed they had a shout for a penalty from the resulting corner.

Victor Nirennold hooked a half volley well wide with the game in to added time, and a dangerous break involving McWilliams and Kane Richards ended with Stenson somehow failing to put the ball in the net. Lita was then screaming in frustration at Charles as he lashed a shot into the side netting instead of squaring it to him.

Nuneaton really went for it in the final moments, but the game ended in stalemate, giving both clubs something to build on as 2024 begins.

Attendance: 781

Leamington: Callum Hawkins, Dan Meredith, Josh Quaynor, Joe Clarke, Jack Edwards, Theo Streete, Henry Landers, Adam Walker, Cally Stewart, Ewan Williams, Will Shorrock (16 Tyrone Barnett, 60).

Subs not used: 12 Jiah Medrano, 14 Connor Taylor, 15 Dominic Brown-Hill, 17 Dan Baldwin.

Nuneaton Borough: 1 Dan Jezeph, 2 Cameron McWilliams, 3 Jaden Charles, 4 Kyle Storer, 5 Victor Nirennold, 6 Scott McManus ©, 7 Kane Richards, 8 Leroy Lita, 9 Matt Stenson, 11 Prince Mancinelli (13 Milan Butterfield, 60), 18 Lathaniel Rowe Turner.

Subs not used: 10 Bilal Yafai, 12 Finley Osborn, 15 Luke Curtlin, 20 Isiah Osbourne

Referee: Mr Luke Scott

Assistant Referees: Mr Mariusz Tomon & Mr Paul Mihalache

Brakes Man of the Match: Jack Edwards.