Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central 
Play Off Semi Final 
Your Co-op Community Stadium
Wednesday 30th April 2024

Leamington edged out a battling Redditch United side to reach the Southern League Premier Division Central Play Off Final, where they will travel to the New Bucks Head to face AFC Telford United on Monday, where both sides will have the opportunity to bounce back to the National League North at the first attempt. 

This was a game that neither side really deserved to lose. Brakes were not always at their best, but they defended like trojans, and with a penalty shoot out looming they found a way through courtesy of Jack Edwards’ 107th minute goal. It was harsh on the visitors, who had certainly forged the better of the few clear opportunities there were in the game, but in these types of high pressure scenarios it is not necessarily about the performance, but finding a way to win by any means necessary.  

Unsurprisingly Paul Holleran opted to stick with the same eleven which kicked off the final day victory over AFC Sudbury. Redditch were without their talisman, top scorer and former Brakes midfield man Reece Flanagan, who was forced to take a watching brief from the sidelines after picking up an injury in their win over Needham Market. 

The opening exchanges were typically cagey, indicative of the occasion and what was at stake, with neither side threatening or conceding any chances. Some very robust challenges were let go by Referee Luke Scott, who conversely penalised Jack Edwards for a soft one on Musa Ceesay, as the initial boisterous atmosphere from both sets of fans gave way to nervous tension; the shouts of players ringing out over the hum of the crowd. 

The opening effort on goal came after 20 minutes, Henry Landers forcing a save from Adam Harrison down at his left hand post. 

Landers also had the next attempt, a free kick curled just over the bar from distance after Ewan Williams had been brought down by one heavy challenge too many. 

Williams was receiving some rough treatment from the Redditch defence, and Jordan Cranston was penalised over by the right hand corner flag, leading to a free kick which Williams headed behind with the aid of a deflection. The resulting corner came to nothing. 

A sublime turn by Cally Stewart right on the touchline to beat his man set up Landers for a drive that was blocked at source, while Williams fired well wide into the advertising boards behind the goal. 

The first real sight of goal for Redditch came right on half time when the ball ran kindly for former Guiseley man Aram Soleman, but his first time drive sailed high over the bar. 

Danny King headed a left wing corner wide as Redditch began the second half brightly, and Soleman thumped in an effort from the left corner of the penalty area that was well held by Callum Hawkins. 

Ceesay could count himself fortunate not to receive a second yellow card, but Josh Quaynor was equally fortunate seconds later as he received a booking for bringing down Johnny Johnston as he tore towards the penalty area in a lightning quick counter attack up the left. 

Both sides made changes to protect their booked players, and Redditch threatened again when Johnston motored into the box on the left and drove towards Hawkins’ near post, Rob Evans, sliding in to take the sting out of the shot. 

Stewart went down in the Redditch penalty area as he nicked the ball off substitute Tyrone Barnett’s toes, but there was more of a shout from the crowd than any of the players for a potential spot kick. 

Dan Meredith put in a potential goal saving challenge as he superbly blocked Soleman’s first time strike as the ball was pulled back from the right. 

Meredith was then in the thick of things at the other end as he won a free kick right on the right edge of the Redditch box after a coming together with Brad Burton. Quaynor curled the dead ball into the defensive wall. 

Williams set off on a run from just past half way, evading challenges and passing up the options either side of him to drive a shot into the side netting. 

Redditch had undoubtedly been the better side in terms of chances created and attacking play during the second half, but as in the first half, it was the defensive units on either side that were standing out. 

With neither side able to find a winner in regulation time this finely balanced semi final moved into 30 minutes of extra time, and the goalmouth incident began to increase. 

Redditch came the closest either side had been to breaking the deadlock six minutes in when Danny King’s right wing cross fell to Alex Cameron, whose goalbound strike was helped onto the post by a fantastic save from Callum Hawkins. 

Play switched quickly upfield, and the ball was played into the box for Barnett to head powerfully towards goal, but he was denied by an equally fine save from Adam Harrision. Theo Streete headed over from the resulting corner. 

Finally, in the 107th minute, the deadlock was broken. Barnett attacked the ball as it was swung in from wide on the left by Quaynor with a powerful looping  header that was superbly pushed onto the bar by Harrison, but Jack Edwards stole in to bundle the ball into the net to the delight of the majority of the 1,155 crowd. 

Leamington were in their element now they had something to protect, and to the backdrop of a raucous Harbury Lane End, they set about defending their lead with relish. To a man, the defence were imperious, and Redditch, who had fully played their part, had nothing left to give in response. 

‘I’m certainly pleased,’ said the manager after the game. ‘I always felt this one might go all the way. Possibly the nature of the game - nobody wants to lose it. As much as you want your players to be positive, nobody wants to lose the game. 

‘I thought both defences structures were on top. Both were very disciplined. I said to the players at half time that I thought a couple of moments of quality might win it, and we did have a couple of moments. We got some decent deliveries in with Tyrone coming on. They’ve had their couple of moments; theirs didn’t go in and ours has. They’ve had a good finish to the season. It was one of those nights - they could have won 1-0 or we could have won 1-0. I’ve been involved in a lot of these games, and I’m yet to be involved in a good one. I’m probably into double figures in play off games! So I knew what was coming. 

‘When you’re in a game like this - the 14 players that have played tonight - they’ve got to be switched on to what you’re doing - they’ve certainly got to defend our box well because of their threat with decent deliveries, and the targets they’ve got. When we’ve needed Callum Hawkins he’s pulled off a fantastic save, just like their boy did from Tyrone I think. It was a good bit of quality from us. It’s something we do quite a lot; if you get the ball in the right areas. You can’t call it the second phase, it hits the bar, but then Jack is there again, he’s done it so many times in his four hundred and odd games, he’s come up with important goals for us, and it’s another important one tonight. So the season goes on for another game! It’s an amazing effort by the players because I honestly thought that this year we might have to rebuild a bit and consolidate, but this group never stops amazing me. The application they showed tonight to ensure that they didn’t get beaten, didn’t concede a goal. It’s another clean sheet for Callum, and you’ve always got a chance in these play off games if you keep the back door shut. It was a wonderful effort. 

‘It will be a tough game at Telford. Probably in the second half of the season they’ve been the best side in the league haven’t they? Their home form is really strong; we know what’s coming, we’ve been there before, many a season. I think the important thing for us - it’s taken a lot out of us tonight - we’ll be in at the weekend; we’ve got to recover, get everyone going again. We’ll certainly set out to be better than we were a few weeks ago at Telford, and I think we will be, but what an occasion. It’ll probably be a sellout. I think with their home form and current form they’ll probably start as favourites, but we tend to do alright in the play offs.’ 

Attendance: 1,155

Leamington: Callum Hawkins, Dan Meredith, Josh Quaynor, Ewan Williams, Theo Streete, Rob Evans, Henry Landers (12 Joe Clarke, 97), Adam Walker © (14 Devon Kelly-Evans, 85), Callum Stewart, Jack Edwards, Will Shorrock (16 Tyrone Barnett, 68). 

Subs not used: 13 Ethan Pheasey (GK), 15 Jiah Medrano. 

Redditch United: 1 Adam Harrison, 2 Brad Burton, 5 Calum Flanagan, 6 Ryan Wollacott, 12 Morgan Owen, 10 Danny King, 14 Aram Soleman, 16 Alex Cameron, 17 Johnny Johnston (9 Zidan Sutherland, 108), 18 Jordan Cranston, 19 Musa Ceesay Ceesay (4 Gift Mussa, 68).  

Subs not used: 11 Adriel George, 15 Matthew Fulloway, 13 Kieran Boucher (GK). 

Referee: Mr Luke Scott

Assistant Referees: Mr Nicholas Gray & Mr Phillip Lindsay

Fourth Official: Mr Jason Porter

Brakes Man of the Match: Theo Streete.

Photographs by Keith Clayton