Vanarama National League North
Your Co-op Community Stadium
Tuesday 20th August 2024
Brakes welcomed Billy Heath and his Alfreton Town team for their first midweek home fixture of the National League North season. The Derbyshire club have had something of an indian sign over Leamington in recent years, winning all five meetings since an astonishing last minute comeback win from a 3-0 half time deficit during the covid pandemic shortened 2020/2021 campaign.
To match the well known physical and aerial threat of the visitors Paul Holleran made three changes to his starting eleven; bringing in his old warhorses Theo Streete and Jack Edwards for their first starts of the season, while Ant Lynn made his full debut after coming on as a late substitute in Saturday’s win over Spennymoor. Rob Evans, Tim Berridge and Will Shorrock dropped to the bench, while Joe Doyle-Charles, fresh from serving a two game suspension picked up while at Coalville Town last season, also took his place among the substitutes.
Heath’s side came close to making the perfect start to the game when Adam Lund’s ball into the box from the left found David Moyo at the far post, the former Brackley Town man forcing a smart block from Callum Hawkins at his near post. From the resulting corner Reds skipper George Cantrill headed wide.
The home support were raucous from the kick off, and their team responded, going toe to toe with their visitors for the duration of the game, steadfastly refusing to be overawed.
The first chance of the game for Brakes arrived on fifteen minutes. George Ward headed a cross out of his penalty area, and Cally Stewart held up play well before rolling his man and sending Ewan Williams streaking up the right. He in turn fed Dan Meredith, whose cross was headed straight at Alfreton keeper George Willis by Stewart. The young striker, probably the smallest player on the pitch, was really putting himself about, outmuscling players twice his size as he tore about the pitch in typical fashion.
It was a measure of the effort being put in by the Leamington players that over twenty minutes had been played before the next chance for the visitors; Cantrill firing wide following a left wing corner.
There would always be plenty of perceived injustice from the crowd in a game of this nature when challenges were missed or ignored by the officials, and the volume was cranked up a notch as Meredith received a booking seconds after Edwards had been brought down midway through the Alfreton half. The next infringement from the visitors that earned Leamington a free kick was met with loud ironic jeers.
Meredith’s dead ball was played right into the danger area at the far post, and Williams got up highest to send a looping header towards goal. Willis felt he was bundled into as he attempted to claim the ball, and it was hacked away from goal.
Stewart was clattered by Cantrill in the centre circle as he sent Henry Landers scampering clear up the right, the Referee wisely waiting for the Brakes man to crash a strike just over the bar before going back to brandish his yellow card at the Alfreton man.
A sustained spell of pressure from Leamington ended with Ward playing the ball back out to Meredith, and striding back into the box to meet the cross with a firm header that was held by Willis.
Max Hunt came close for the visitors as half time approached, poking a shot across goal before Billy Whitehouse crossed from the right for Moyo to head just wide at the far post.
The two sides would have to go some to match the first half intensity, but the game restarted at a similar pace. Hawkins had been largely redundant since the opening minute, but he showed he was 100% alert as he produced a fantastic save to deny a thunderbolt from Adam Lund, who then saw a header cleared off the line by Adam Walker from the resulting corner. Unfortunately from the next flag kick the visitors moved in front, as Lund headed the ball back across goal for the in-rushing Moyo to crash into the net from almost on the line. It was incredibly frustrating for Leamington given the effort they had put in, but they had to start again.
And start again they did. Ward had seen a looping effort held by Willis, but beat his namesake ten minutes after Brakes had gone behind with a spectacular curling strike from the left that sailed into the far top corner to level things up.
He then almost bagged a quickfire second from a left wing corner, clattering the crossbar with a powerful close range header.
Hawkins came to the rescue in a goalmouth scramble, pouncing on the ball to prevent Alfreton from regaining the advantage. The visitors put more pressure on the Leamington defence with long throws and corners, but Brakes held their nerve this time.
Moyo met a Whitehouse left wing cross with a miscued header that dropped wide, while Doyle-Charles came on for his debut, replacing Edwards, who had put in a real shift.
Just when it looked like Brakes would hold out for a well earned share of the spoils, they decided to go one better and take the lead with four minutes remaining. Willis saw a low shot through a crowd of bodies from Stewart, but could only parry into the path of Lynn, who gleefully snatched the chance to fire home and spark wild celebrations in the Harbury Lane End as the players did likewise by the corner flag.
With the game into six minutes of additional time it was far from over; Abbey flashing a powerful drive across goal and inches wide.
The danger was still not over however. Another exocet long throw from Lund caused chaos in the penalty area, and Abbey was there to apply the finishing touch.
It was bitterly disappointing for Brakes after going ahead late on, but in truth a draw was a fair result from what was a great advert for the National League North - a thoroughly entertaining game with both sides giving absolutely everything for 90 minutes.
Attendance: 585
Leamington: 1 Callum Hawkins, 2 Dan Meredith, 3 Josh Quaynor, 5 Theo Streete, 14 George Ward, 8 Adam Walker ©, 17 Ewan Williams, 9 Cally Stewart, 10 Jack Edwards (4 Joe Doyle-Charles, 83), 7 Henry Landers (6 Rob Evans, 89), 19 Anthony Lynn (11 Tim Berridge, 90+ 4).
Subs not used: 12 Will Shorrock, 18 Teddy Rowe.
Alfreton Town: 1 George Willis, 2 Josh Clackstone, 23 Nathan Newall, 8 George Cantrill ©, 3 Max Hunt, 5 Adam Anson, 22 Billy Fewster (14 Jed Abbey, 74), 4 Adam Lund, 7 Billy Whitehouse, 20 David Moyo, 10 Liam Waldock (9 Jake Day, 89).
Subs not used: 18 Ahmed Salam, 12 Harrison Perritt, 6 Dwayne Wiley.
Referee: Mr Ashley Clarke
Assistant Referees: Mr Daniel Clenton & Mr Mitchell Cartwright
Fourth Official: Jamie Stevenson
Brakes Man of the Match: George Ward.
