2015-2016 Match Centre

Evostik Southern League Premier Division
Creasey Park, Dunstable
Saturday 5th September 2015

Brakes returned to winning ways with an early goal before a second sealed the points right at the death, but in between times Dunstable will have probably been left feeling that they should have taken more from a game that they contributed wholeheartedly to.

Creasey Park was unrecognisable from Leamington's previous visit back in 2009 having undergone a complete facelift, the vast wooden stand which everyone had used to seek shelter from the awful weather that night having been replaced with an impressive looking low roofed building that is now the hive of the club. The welcome was very friendly and hospitable, but those of a blue and white persuasion were probably left wishing that this had not extended to the on pitch activity as Paul Holleran's side seized an early advantage.

Jamale McKenzie-Lowe had fired an early shot wide for the hosts but some smart teamwork saw Leamington move in front on 3 minutes. Richard Taundry found Ben Mackey out on the left with his usual pinpoint accuracy, and while he was forced a little wide the striker held on to the ball and found Lee Moore, who laid it back into the middle for Ross Oulton to make space for a vicious low drive that the unsighted Paul Bastock did superbly well to save with his legs, but Jack Edwards was onto the loose ball in a flash to squeeze it under the veteran stopper and into the net.

Taundry forced Bastock into another smart save from his powerful low swerving drive as Mackey and Moore combined again on the left to similar effect, while Tony Breeden fielded a shot deflected through to him from Adam Watkins at the other end.

Ross Oulton and Jamie Hood both picked up cautions, to add to the growing frustration that Brakes might be gaining a reputation after the glut of red cards in their two defeats so far this season.

Mackey used his strength to muscle a defender out of his path before thundering a shot inches past the post before Dunstable started to become more involved in an attacking sense. McKenzie-Lowe saw a header held by Breeden, who showed great reactions in the next attack to spring across his goal and produce a fine one handed save to deny David Keenlyside's curling shot that looked destined for the top corner.

The Dunstable midfielder was presented with a gilt edged opportunity to level things up early in the second half but somehow directed his first time shot onto the post from right in front of goal when it looked easier to score.

Mackey forced Bastock into a save down at his near post as he got the better of his marker again on the left but the home side continued to ramp up the pressure as they searched for an equaliser, James Mace in particular making a number of timely interventions on debutant Victor Osubu, whose pacey and direct running down the left threatened to cause havoc on more than one occasion. He forced another save from Breeden when connecting with a right wing cross, but hit his shot straight at the Leamington skipper.

Jake Jones was quickly involved in the action after stepping off the bench, winning a corner from which his shot was blocked inside the box, and fellow substitute Michael Williams saw a low shot saved before Osubu came so close to a spectacular leveller for Dunstable, crashing in a shot from the left that Breeden got the faintest of touches on to help it onto the inside of the post. He then sent another effort bouncing across goal and just past the far post as his side piled on the pressure in the closing stages.

Substitute Gary Wharton crashed a volley just wide as he latched on to a loose header from Jones, and a header was deflected behind as the game entered the final throes of injury time. It was from the resulting corner that Breeden got good hands to the ball to punch clear. Lee Moore was first to it and instigated a devastating counter attack, beating his man on halfway and threading the perfect pass through for substitute Will Green to run onto and finish low past the advancing Bastock with almost the last kick of the game. It really was a cruel blow for the hosts, who had put everything into a fine second half performance, but Brakes showed the kind of defence resilience that they will need to display on a regular basis, particularly when a free scoring Stamford visit in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Attendance: 177

Dunstable Town: Paul Bastock © , Zack Reynolds, Luke Pennell, Danny Talbot, James Kaloczi, Shane Blackett, Adam Watkins, David Keenlyside (16 Curtis Shaw, 78), Jamale McKenzie-Lowe (12 Gary Wharton, 78), Steven Gregory (14 Lorenzo Ferrari, 67), Victor Osubu.

Subs not used: 15 Ryan Plowright, 17 Tony Fontanelle.

Leamington: Tony Breeden © , Ben George, Connor Gudger, Ross Oulton (16 Michael Williams, 66), Jamie Hood, James Mace, Rob Ogleby (12 Jake Jones, 70), Richard Taundry, Ben Mackey (14 Will Green, 78), Jack Edwards, Lee Moore.

Subs not used: 15 Kieren Westwood, 17 Lewis Fenney.

Referee: Mr Jacob Miles

Assistant Referees: Mr Jamie Wells & Mr Steven Hughes

Brakes Man of the Match: James Mace.

Evostik Southern League Premier Division
The Carlsberg Stadium
Saturday 29th August 2015

Brakes fell to their second defeat of the season at The Carlsberg Stadium in a topsy turvy encounter that had an inevitable outcome after Rob Ogleby and Jake Jones both saw red.

Paul Holleran was quick to condemn the actions that had cost his side, saying 'We're obviously disappointed because first of all we get an experienced player getting two cautions that were avoidable. Jake Jones has then, according to the Referee, landed on their player and left his leg there. I didn't have a good view of it so I can't comment but I'm bitterly bitterly disappointed that a complete lack of discipline and control today has cost us. We had players missing today but we had enough on the pitch to deal with that situation and we got ourselves into good positions today, but sadly without discipline you've got nothing and the players are fully aware of my thoughts on it. It's not acceptable and not fair on the supporters travelling all the way down there for us to lose control of a game that with the positions we got ourselves into we should have comfortably seen out, but we let them back into it because of a complete lack of discipline today. It's very disappointing and is something that we will have to put right very quickly.'

The contest had started on a far brighter note for Leamington, with Jones clearly eager to make a big impression on his full debut for the club, sending over an early cross for Ross Oulton, also making his first start, to drive just over the bar.

Brakes opened the scoring with the first real chance of the game for either side. Following a free kick some 25 yards out, Richard Taundry headed the ball back towards the penalty area, where it was helped on by Ogleby to Ben Mackey. With the home side expecting an offside flag they were left flat footed as the striker controlled and hooked a shot past young keeper Gary Malone.

The terrier like Jones drew regular applause from the travelling support as he chased lost causes all over the pitch and it was from one such instance that his persistence in keeping the ball in play out on the left touchline that set up another opportunity as he knocked it through for Connor Gudger to cross for Ogleby, who saw his shot blocked.

The home side slowly began to grow into the game however, and a powerful low drive from Craig Daniel stung the palms of Tony Breeden, who was unable to hang on to the ball. Sam Merson then had a couple of chances, blazing the first one high and wide before bursting clear down the right channel, but the angle was against him and with no support nearby Breeden was able to gather his low angled effort.

Daniel drew another save from Breeden early in the second half as he cut in from the right and crashed another shot towards goal. The Leamington keeper was possibly unsighted but got good hands to the ball and collected it at the second attempt.

The width of a post prevented Brakes from extending their lead in their next attack, Taundry's curling cross from the left saw Lee Moore's glancing header strike the woodwork.

Breeden was dealing with most of what was being played into his area but he was powerless to prevent the equalising goal 11 minutes in, Tony Burnett slotting in a right wing cross. Virtually all of the Waders attacks were coming down their right and they were proving very effective. They really should have gone in front soon afterwards when a good advantage was played by Referee Tim Donnellan after a challenge in midfield, the ball again played in from the right but with two green shirted players unmarked in the centre Merson somehow put his shot wide of goal.

Things then started to unravel for Leamington as Ogleby, who had been cautioned in the first for reacting badly to a late challenge, was shown a second yellow card after committing one of his own. It looked like it would be a backs to the wall job to protect what they already had but Brakes stunned their hosts by retaking the lead soon after being reduced to ten men, Jones helping the ball through a retreating defence for Mackey to expertly slot past Malone, to the delight of the travelling support behind the goal.

It was evident that Biggleswade would continue to push forward with their man advantage, and Burnett shot over after a good turn inside the box before Andrew Iwediuno bought parity to the scoreline once again with a neat close range header, inevitably from a right wing cross.

Will Green replaced Mackey as the game entered its closing stages and immediately set about making a nuisance of himself, winning a corner on the left. It was from more play down this side of the pitch that saw Connor Roberts trip Jones inside the box to give Leamington a chance to go ahead for the third time in the match, but Malone stood up well to block Taundry's penalty, which he sent straight down the middle of goal, perhaps leaving Paul Holleran to rue the decision to take Mackey off minutes earlier.

With the home side exuberant at this let off emotions were running high and tempers began to flare again, resulting in Jones being shown a straight red card a very disappointing way for his game to end after he had shown so much promise. He was not happy about it at all and took a while to leave the pitch as players from both sides had their say.

With time almost up it was now a case of whether Leamington could hang on, something which sadly they were unable to do, but the when the winning goal in added time was worthy of winning any game, defender Shaun Hill crashing in a low drive from the right edge of the penalty area into the far corner to delight the home crowd.

The one positive from what turned out to be an afternoon to forget for Leamington is that they will quickly have a chance to put things right when they entertain Bedworth United at home on Bank Holiday Monday.

Attendance: 255

Biggleswade Town: Gary Malone, Connor Roberts, Mark Coulson, Shane Hill, Ryan Frater, Andrew Iwediuno, Craig Daniel, Callum Lewis, Tony Burnett, Ian Rees (16 Michael King, 80), Sam Merson.

Subs not used: 12 Kyal McNulty, 14 Charlie Hunter, 15 Jay Davies, 17 Ryan Blackman, 18 Macsen Fraser

Leamington: Tony Breeden © , Ben George, Connor Gudger, Ross Oulton, Jamie Hood, James Mace, Lee Moore, Richard Taundry, Rob Ogleby, Ben Mackey (12 Will Green, 80), Jake Jones

Subs not used: 14 Kieren Westwood, 15 Reece Mitchell, 16 Ellison Porter, 17 Matt Hill

Referee: Mr Tim Donnellan

Assistant Referees: Mr Lee Jessup & Mr Mark Simmons

Brakes Man of the Match: Jamie Hood