Vanarama National League North
PIMS Park
Saturday 5th April 2025
Leamington slipped to their third consecutive defeat without scoring as Peterborough Sports rattled in two well taken second half goals at PIMS Park.
There were four changes to the eleven which started against King’s Lynn, with Dan Meredith, Josh Quaynor, Adam Walker and Ewan Williams all returning.
The first half was an open affair with chances at both ends, but there was no escaping the fact that there was a distinct end-of-season feel to the game, with both sides safely ensconced in mid-table.
Williams played Will Shorrock in for the first chance of the afternoon in the opening couple of minutes, but Turbines’ keeper James Pardington did well to block a decent strike with his legs to deny Brakes a perfect start.
The impressive Matthew Bondswell, who barely let Meredith past him all afternoon, delivered a cross into the box for Will Van Lier to place his header wide of the target for the hosts’ opening attempt of the game.
Former Leamington man Kaine Felix, now playing for his hometown club, crossed from the left for Mark Jones to head into the side netting.
Rob Evans’ first long throw into the box from the right saw Williams drive low towards goal after a couple of ricochets; the ball deflecting inches past the left hand upright. Felix was then the first player into Referee Harry Warner’s notebook after he scythed down Williams with a late challenge, George Ward met the free kick with his head, but directed the ball wide from a good position.
It took just four minutes of the second half for Sports to open the scoring; Michael Gyasi meeting Jones’ lay off just outside the box and arrowing a powerful drive into the bottom left hand corner.
The same player sent another effort wide of the target, but the home side were looking relatively comfortable holding onto their lead, with Leamington unable to penetrate the orange and black wall in front of them. Gyasi saw another shot held by Hawkins at close range.
Substitute Max Booth wrapped up the points for the hosts inside the final ten minutes as he latched onto a punt forward in acres of space to poke the ball past Hawkins, barely three minutes after he had entered the field of play.
Brakes did at least put the home defence under pressure in the closing minutes. Tim Berridge did well to rob a defender on the left before advancing into the penalty area and cutting back for Farmer to drag a first time effort well wide. The same player sent another shot off target before substitute Tyler Winters’ cross was directed straight at Hawkins by Alfie Atherton.
Evans saw his strike in the final minute of added time held under his crossbar by Pardington, who simply wasn’t tested enough all afternoon, and the hosts moved closer to finishing in the midway position in the table that is looking a little further away from Leamington after this result.
Attendance: 260
Peterborough Sports: 40 James Pardington, 3 Eliot Putman, 4 Ryan Fryatt ©, 8 Will Van Lier (16 Alfie Atherton, 72), 9 Mark Jones (25 Max Booth, 80), 11 Kaine Felix (18 Michael Kamara, 85),14 Hugh Alban Jones, 22 Michael Gyasi (27 Tyler Winters, 89), 23 Michael Gash, 33 Matthew Bondswell (7 Jonas Mukana, 86), 34 Sam Straughan-Brown.
Leamington: 1 Callum Hawkins, 2 Dan Meredith, 3 Josh Quaynor, 4 Matt Richards (21 Joe Clarke, 61), 6 Rob Evans, 8 Adam Walker ©, 11 Tim Berridge, 12 Will Shorrock, 14 George Ward (5 Theo Streete, 86), 17 Ewan Williams (19 Ant Lynn, 77), 24 Owen Farmer.
Subs not used: 7 Henry Landers, 20 Jacob Humphries.
Referee: Mr Harry Warner
Assistant Referees: Mr Christopher Reeson & Mr Ashley Tyne
Fourth Official: Mr Alistair Wilson
Brakes Man of the Match: Owen Farmer.
