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Saturday 12th April 2025 

Paul Holleran admitted that although he had seen improvements, this was a 90 minutes that had been another tough watch as Leamington played out a fourth successive game without finding the back of the net as they scrapped their way to a no score draw against a visiting Radcliffe side who are virtually assured of National League North football next season themselves. 

There were just two changes to the eleven which kicked off the defeat at Peterborough Sports, with Henry Landers and Jack Edwards replacing Matty Richards and Will Shorrock, who both dropped to the bench. 

Callum Hawkins confidently claimed a second minute corner from the left into his six yard box, while in a scrappy opening there were two half chances for Leamington; the first for Tim Berridge, whose low strike deflected behind for a corner off the legs of a defender, while Ewan Williams drove well over from a half cleared long throw from Rob Evans. 

David Ball fired wildly into the field behind the North Bank for the visitors, as both sides attempted to take some control in the game. 

Lois Maynard, one of a number of hugely experienced players to have turned out under the Radcliffe management team of Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley at their previous clubs, would have been almost certain to score had he connected with a right wing corner right in front of goal. 

The antics of right sided defender Olly Thornley in winning free kicks for his side certainly earned the ire of the home support in the Mick Brady Stand, as he appeared to go down at the slightest contact, holding his face after one such challenge with Josh Quaynor just past the Leamington dugout. Theatrics aside, he actually had a very good game. The Radcliffe bench was adamant that he had received an elbow, but Quaynor received only a talking to. 

George Glendon delivered an inviting ball in from the right that whistled across the face of goal in front of striker David Ball. Jordan Hulme then headed well over from another right wing cross, summing up an opening 45 minutes that had been largely underwhelming and lacking in control and goalmouth incident. 

The second half commenced in much the same fashion, but Ball had the best opportunity of the afternoon so far when he peeled off the back of the Brakes defence to latch on to a high kick forward from his goalkeeper Mateusz Hewelt, but he directed his half volley wide of the left hand post with Hawkins watching on in relief. 

Danny Greenfield’s sweet half volley that kissed the underside of the bar on its way into the net was ruled out; the offside flag being raised before the ball was struck. 

George Ward’s slightly miscued strike was close for Brakes, who forced a first save of the afternoon from Hewelt when Berridge laid off for Adam Walker to advance and send a low drive towards the far bottom corner that was claimed by the Radcliffe stopper. The visitors hit back swiftly, with Greenfield firing just wide. 

The game was starting to liven up a little as a contest now, and both sides began to make changes to personnel in an attempt to swing things in their favour. Substitute Brad Jackson’s neat turn on the edge of the box saw him curl a right footed effort just wide for the visitors. 

Leamington were almost able to counter when Thornley misjudged the bounce of the ball, allowing substitute Will Shorrock to send Landers scampering clear up the right, but he was tracked by Maynard, who blocked his attempted shot and prevented the corner. 

Williams’ acrobatic effort inside the penalty area was blocked late on as Leamington pressed, but Maynard was picked out from a late right wing corner for Radcliffe, this time thumping his header a whisker over the crossbar. Williams then planted a header just wide at the far post as Brakes won a corner on the left, but was penalised. The midfielder then met another corner from the opposite side at the far post, but the ball bounced up and narrowly over the crossbar; with the final whistle sounding seconds afterwards as Brakes moved level with their best points tally in the National League North. 

‘It was a difficult afternoon for everybody, whether you were playing in it or watching it,’ said the manager afterwards. ‘It was hard to get any control of the ball really. We always knew it was going to be a difficult game. There would have been lots of difficult games up and down the country today I’d have thought - and you’re hoping that you can just defend your box well. When the game is like this you’re not going to get opened up with too much quality because it’s hard to get hold of the ball and play through, so if you just concentrate, defend set plays well and stay switched on then you’ll keep a clean sheet. It was probably similar to the King’s Lynn game, but we were sloppy at the end of that game. I was really pleased as we’ve just been on a little blip of a run recently, certainly with the two previous games. Yes we’ve had a couple missing, but we’ve been dangling legs out and turning backs, making poor decisions with the ball. It was difficult today but it was better. Games like today, when you’re involved in them you don’t want to lose them, because they’re frustrating to play in, and they’re frustrating for a coach or a manager because you know what you want the players to do, but they just can’t do it. 

‘The biggest pluses - you can’t lose sight of the fact that it’s a clean sheet, it’s another point on the board. We’ve defended our box well - they’ve had a couple of moments, we’ve had a couple of moments. I think a draw’s about right. Callum’s done well, the back four have done well; we’ve competed in the middle of the park. There’s been moments, that’s all there were today, but I think the things we can control we’ve done better today than we have in the previous games, so that’s something we can take out of the game. 

Attendance: 654

Leamington: 1 Callum Hawkins, 2 Dan Meredith, 3 Josh Quaynor, 6 Rob Evans, 7 Henry Landers, 8 Adam Walker ©, 10 Jack Edwards (21 Joe Clarke, 67), 11 Tim Berridge (12 Will Shorrock, 71), 14 George Ward, 17 Ewan Williams, 24 Owen Farmer (19 Ant Lynn, 82). 

Subs not used: 4 Matt Richards, 5 Theo Streete. 

Radcliffe: 1 Mateusz Hewelt, 4 Richard Smith, 5 Olly Thornley, 6 Lois Maynard, 7 Josh Hancock (2 Brad Jackson, 71), 8 George Glendon (17 Tom Walker, 71), 9 Jordan Hulme © (28 Regan Riley, 84), 16 David Ball (10 Ant Dudley, 65), 20 Matt Carson, 24 Matt Sargent, 34 Danny Greenfield. 

Subs not used: 3 Scott Duxbury. 

Referee: Mr Joe Woolmer

Assistant Referees: Mr Jordan Tindall & Mr Owen Moreton

Fourth Official: Mr Mehul Karia

Brakes Man of the Match: Ewan Williams.