Vanarama National League North
Your Co-op Community Stadium
Tuesday 14th January 2025

There was a rather subdued air around Your Co-op Community Stadium that had been replaced by utter despondency by half time, as after a weather enforced two week break Leamington took on a Chester side that on this evidence look well equipped to make a challenge for promotion. 

The freezing conditions had given way to a rise in temperature that made for an uncharacteristically mild January evening, which meant that this fixture could finally go ahead at the fourth attempt. 

There were two changes from the line up which started the New Year's Day victory over Hereford; with Dan Turner ineligible to play against his parent club due to the terms of his loan deal, while Cally Stewart was also missing. Tim Berridge and Jiah Medrano stepped into the eleven. Chester included Connor Woods, their recent signing from league neighbours Warrington Town, their substitutes bench. 

Coming into the game on the back of an impressive 4-2 win at Buxton on Saturday, the visitors began this one very strongly, and were well rewarded for their efforts. Iwan Murray sent an early sighter whistling just over Callum Hawkins’ crossbar, but on seven minutes they effortlessly carved open the Brakes backline to score their first goal on what was their fifth visit to this corner of Warwickshire. 

Declan Weeks has been the principle supply line to the Seals’ goalscorers this season, and he provided once more as he was slid in behind by Tom Peers to square for Charlie Caton to slot home.

Barely ten minutes had elapsed and Chester doubled their lead. Hawkins did well to parry a ferocious volley from just outside the box by Jack Bainbridge, but the ball looped up perfectly for Peers to nod into an unguarded net with the Leamington keeper grounded.  

Callum McIntyre’s men were simply relentless; penning Leamington into their own half and barely giving them a sniff. Weeks’ low right wing cross was gathered by Hawkins at the second attempt, while another powerful low drive from the same side flashed across goal, with a blue shirted player lunging in at the far post and missing the ball by inches. 

Leamington’s first foray forward came just before the half hour through Berridge, who did well to hold up play on the right before driving low into the centre, where Ewan Williams was just unable to collect. 

Brakes were at least beginning to push their opponents back into their own half a little, but there was no cohesion to their play, and the ball kept coming straight back. Theo Streete was his usual imperious self in the centre of defence, dominating the aerial battles in his penalty area.

The game was effectively over twelve minutes before half time. The ball was played through for Kurt Willoughby, who looked to have been held up by the Leamington defence, but the ball appeared to strike a heel, and Willoughby made the most of his good fortune by slipping the ball past Hawkins into the net. 

Leamington did at least register a shot on target quickly after the resumption; Berridge seeing his shot deflected into the arms of Jimmy Storer, who had been a virtual spectator up to that point. 

Caton’s skidding effort was collected by Hawkins by his left hand post. The Chester bench must have been delighted with their team’s performance, but still demanded more, vociferously challenging every tackle and decision. The only Leamington noise came from Graham Hobbins’ solo performance in the main stand - well done that man. 

Dan Meredith’s wild shot into the North Bank after cutting in from the right sadly summed up his side’s first half performance, and his night was to go from bad to worse as he let the frustration of the evening get the better of him, and Referee Harry Warner brandished a red card. Even the visiting Chester fans were left bemused. To compound the agony, in first half stoppage time a free kick was played in from the left by Weeks, and Harrison Burke stole in unmarked to bundle in a fourth goal and wipe out Leamington’s positive goal difference. A Chester fan on social media remarked that the game felt like little more than a training exercise due to the apparent gulf between the two sides. It was difficult to disagree with him. 

Paul Holleran’s side were clearly going to have to work incredibly hard to avoid going down to their heaviest ever home defeat in the National League North, with the visitors having already equalled a scoreline inflicted by Salford City and Kettering Town in the past. They saw out the first ten minutes without conceding any chances, but Chester still came within the width of a post from a fifth goal when Willoughby crashed a well struck set piece against the frame of the goal. 

There was an almighty cheer from the Harbury Lane End as Berridge won a free kick; the home support resorting to gallows humour in the face of a depressing defeat, but they very nearly had something spectacular to cheer as Williams launched an effort towards goal from inside his own half that was watched all the way by Storer. 

Woods and Ant Lynn were forced to warm up for almost ten minutes on the touchline as they waited to come on, with Chester boss McIntyre leading the applause when the ball was finally put out of play, allowing his new signing to make his debut. There was also a touch of class from the visiting gaffer as he joined the home fans in applauding Jack Edwards off the pitch as he was replaced by Joe Clarke. Unfortunately, Jack’s 437th appearance for Leamington will not be one he will want to remember. 

Brakes were at least putting in 100% effort to prevent any further goals, but they were saved by the woodwork as a fantastic strike from Peers slammed back off the post, with the loose ball being fired straight at Hawkins. 

There was finally something for the Leamington fans to cheer with eleven minutes to play, as the ten men grabbed a goal back. Substitutes Joe Clarke and Will Shorrock combined; the former laying the ball off nicely for the latter to put his laces through a low first time drive that nestled neatly in the far corner. 

Lynn almost got the better of the Chester defence but was unable to get enough purchase on his shot to trouble Storer. 

Clarke’s crunching challenge on Weeks had the visitors calling for a penalty, and the home fans chant of ‘1-0, in the second half’ brought a chuckle from the Chester bench, but the goal had clearly galvanised Leamington to increased effort, and they at least restored some pride in the second half, but the visitors really were full value for an emphatic win. 

Attendance: 423

Leamington: 1 Callum Hawkins, 2 Dan Meredith, 3 Josh Quaynor, 5 Theo Streete, 7 Henry Landers (12 Will Shorrock, 60), 8 Adam Walker ©, 10 Jack Edwards (21 Joe Clarke, 72), 11 Tim Berridge (19 Ant Lynn, 69), 14 George Ward, 16 Jiah Medrano (6 Rob Evans, 46), 17 Ewan Williams.

Subs not used: 20 Jacob Humphries.  

Chester: 26 Jimmy Storer, 3 Harrison Burke, 4 Declan Weeks, 5 Connell Rawlinson ©, 7 Tom Peers (19 Reece Daly, 90+1), 9 Kurt Willoughby, 10 Charlie Caton (17 Connor Woods, 69), 14 Nathan Woodthorpe, 18 Jack Bainbridge (8 George Glendon, 75), 20 Iwan Murray, 25 Kevin Roberrts (24 Noah Wadsworth, 46). 

Subs not used: 12 Dylan Motley-Henry.  

Referee: Mr Harry Warner

Assistant Referees: Mr Lewis Smith & Mr Jack Shepherd

Fourth Official: Mr Michael Pattison

Brakes Man of the Match: Theo Streete.