Vanarama National League North
Scarborough Sports Village
Saturday 22nd February 2025

Leamington’s recent good run of form came to an abrupt halt as they were well beaten on the North Yorkshire coast. It would be fair to say that this corner of the country is not high on the list of our favourite places to visit for football matches, having shipped four goals on our first ever visit, and three on this occasion; the worst defeat on the road so far this season. 

Buoyed by three wins and a draw from their last four games, Brakes made the long journey to take on a Scarborough side sitting one place and five points below them in the National League North table.

Rob Evans, Ewan Williams and Tim Berridge were recalled to the starting eleven, with Matt Richards having picked up an injury, and Theo Streete, Jack Edwards and Owen Farmer dropped to the bench.  

The going was always going to be tough with a blustery coastal wind and a patchwork artificial surface that  has clearly seen better days, but nevertheless, Leamington started brightly, and engineered their first opportunity of the afternoon in the twelfth minute when Dan Turner did well to manoeuvre the ball into the path of Berridge from the left, his team mate crashing a first time drive just over the crossbar. 

The home side created their first chance on the quarter hour, and unfortunately scored from it. The hosts worked the ball well down their right, leaving Richie Bennett free in the centre to stroke home a low first time effort into the net - a disappointing goal to concede from Leamington’s perspective. 

A moment that encapsulated the afternoon in general came when the Seadogs were able to fresh air kick in their own penalty area and still counter attack and force Callum Hawkins to concede a corner. 

Will Shorrock deflected another goalbound effort behind, while Henry Landers received a booking for helping Sam Reed into the advertising hoardings. 

Brakes were struggling to adapt to the playing surface, consistently selling each other short with passes in the first half and allowing their opponents to nip in and take the ball. 

Williams managed to get a shot off after cutting in from the left towards the end of the first half, but based on recent performances it was a below par display. 

It was proving far too easy for Scarborough to scythe through the Leamington defence, and Hawkins was called into action once more, saving from Jack Waldron. He was relieved when Harry Green executed a sublime turn on the edge of the box on the left, but dragged his shot wide of the far post. 

Waldron poked home into the bottom corner from the edge of the box just prior to the hour mark for Boro’s second, the hosts again finding it simple to work their way through the blue shirts in front of them. 

Stephen Walker sent a good effort just over the bar as the home side queued up to take shots at the Brakes goal, but the game was well and truly up for Leamington with thirteen minutes to go when Colville dropped to the turf at the slightest contact from one of three surrounding Brakes defenders, and the same player stepped up to dispatch the spot kick. 

‘The best team won by a country mile,’ said Paul Holleran in the aftermath of a disappointing afternoon. ‘It was probably too easy to play against us; too many gaps. We didn’t look anything like we have been looking over the last few weeks. I think there was an element that they (Scarborough) are beginning to get players back, and they’re beginning to look like a very good team, which we all know they are; and I think there’s an element that we, just, I don’t know.. Long day out for us, the pitch was horrific, and we never got to grips with the game, regardless of all those little ingredients. We were just too passive today.

‘It was a disappointing day, and one of the reasons I made all the changes really, I could see where the game was, and with one eye on Tuesday really, sort of just trying to save some legs and give people a bit of a breather really. I think it’s a day where you’ve got to take your medicine and move on. 

‘I’ve been watching a lot of Scarborough’s games recently and that’s the best I’ve seen them for some weeks. I think we contributed to that as well, but I don’t want to be too critical really, as we’ve been alright over the last few weeks. I know there’s elements of it with losing Matty this week and with Dan still not back that affects us. The players got on the coach very early this morning and then spent a long time travelling up here; I thought we looked a bit stiff, and then the surface, it’s really really difficult. We struggled to get a hold of the ball and string passes together, and the ball kept getting away from us. 

‘I think it’s one of those that I think we need to put to bed and focus on the next two games, on Tuesday and Saturday. I think you can’t really overthink this one too much. We just need to regroup and get ready for Tuesday night.’

Attendance: 1,430

Scarborough Athletic: 1 Ryan Whitley, 22 Jack Waldron, 5 Will Thornton ©, 11 Luca Colville (9 Euan Mulhern, 82), 17 Darren Dom Tear (21 Billy Marshall, 82), 18 Stephen Walker, 8 Alex Purver, 26 Richard Bennett (14 Alex Wiles, 78), 24 Mackenzie Maltby, 10 Harry Green (7 Kieran Glynn, 85), 31 Sam Reed. 

Subs not used: 3 Michael Duckworth.

Leamington: 1 Callum Hawkins, 3 Josh Quaynor (16 Jiah Medrano, 66), 6 Rob Evans (5 Theo Streete, 75), 7 Henry Landers (24 Owen Farmer, ), 8 Adam Walker ©, 11 Tim Berridge, 12 Will Shorrock, 14 George Ward, 17 Ewan Williams, 21 Joe Clarke (10 Jack Edwards, 57), 23 Dan Turner (19 Ant Lynn, ). 

Referee: Mr Oliver Noonan

Assistant Referees: Mr Jack Birch & Mr Jonathan Gill

Fourth Official: Mr Matthew Langdon

Brakes Man of the Match: Will Shorrock.