LeamingtonFC.co.uk - 2015-2016 Match Centre

Dales Lane, Rushall
Saturday 18th July 2015

The build up to the season opener on August 8th continued at Dales Lane where Brakes put in a decent display after a slow start and were only denied a win by a second half penalty.

With Jamie Hood joining absentees Lee Moore, Ross Oulton and Ben George there was an opportunity for Paul Holleran and Liam O'Neill to take a look at trialist Michael Williams on the right side of defence. Namesake Danny also made an appearance from the bench in the second half, while youngsters Matt Warner, Reece Mitchell and Ellison Porter also got more game time.

The game kicked off in glorious sunshine and it was the hosts who made most of what was a quiet start, taking the lead 21 minutes in when Chad Degville-Cross fired in a low drive that deceived Tony Breeden, who was left stranded on the opposite side of his goal as the ball found the bottom corner.

Leamington began to come into the contest more after this, with Rob Ogleby, who put in an impressive amount of work again, flicking in a shot with his back towards goal that was easy for the keeper. He had time to be far more clinical with the next opportunity that came his way however, latching on to a ball in from the left by the industrious Jake Jones to fire in a shot that struck a defender but fell kindly for him to calmly side foot a second effort into the corner to level things up.

With 5 minutes to half time Brakes were awarded a free kick just inside the Rushall half after Jack Edwards was pulled back as he surged through midfield. Richard Taundry floated the dead ball into the penalty area and there was Edwards to direct a cushioned header into the net to put his side ahead.

Ben Mackey had a largely frustrating afternoon as he was hampered by several questionable offside decisions from the match officials, but an intelligent advantage played by the Referee allowed Taundry to cut the ball back for Jones, whose well struck low drive was parried by Rushall's substitute keeper. Taundry then played Mackey in on the left but he was also denied by the keeper, who pushed a powerful effort behind for a corner.

The hosts made a raft of changes in the second half which reduced their threat, but they took a chance to level things up when Michael Williams handled in the area on 71 minutes, allowing Alex Reid to fire the spot kick just out of Breeden's reach. Jack Edwards felt he had a similar shout for a penalty when he appeared to be constructively removed from reaching the ball by a defender, but no decision was forthcoming.

This was a good test for Leamington against a side who have consistently done well in the Northern Premier League over the past few seasons and will be looking to do so again this year.

Rushall: Mimai, Christophorou, Martin, Tolley, Wilkinson, Caines © , Fitzpatrick, Taylor, Delaney, Farquarson, Degville-Cross.

Substitutes: 12 Townsend, 13 Brown (GK), 14 Duggan, 15 Brown, 16 Reid, 17 Williams, 19 McGrath.

Leamington: Tony Breeden, James Mace, Connor Gudger, Joe Magunda, Jamie Tank, Michael Williams, Jack Edwards, Richard Taundry (14 Matt Warner, 86), Rob Ogleby, Ben Mackey (12 Ellison Porter, 79), Jake Jones (15 Reece Mitchell, 82).

Sub not used: 16 Martyn Naylor.

Townsend Meadow
Tuesday 14th July 2015

'Only pre season' it may be, but those Brakes fans who made the short hop across to Hampton Road witnessed their team record a win for the first time since the 5-1 hammering of Colwyn Bay back on February 28th.

Last season is gone now but it was nice to be able to see goals and an all round confidence returning to the players who were involved in it. There were some promising early signs of good link up play going forward, the ball being moved around well.

Lee Moore and Ross Oulton were absent from Saturday's starting line up but there were first run outs of pre season for Tony Breeden, Jack Edwards and Ben Mackey, while young Matt Warner started the game at left back, allowing Connor Gudger to push forward.

Midland League Division 1 Racers stunned their visitors by taking advantage of a lack of communication at the back on 3 minutes to take the lead. There did not look to be any danger as the ball was moved back to the edge of the penalty area but Jamie Hood, James Mace and Jamie Tank all appeared to leave it for each other, allowing the nippy Warwick number 9 to pinch possession and lift the ball over the advancing Tony Breeden with a smart finish.

Prior to this Mackey almost made the perfect start, chesting down a ball into the 6 yard box in the opening minute and forcing a save out of keeper Conal Dowling at his near post.

The equaliser was not long in arriving however. Only a couple of minutes had passed when Jack Edwards forced two corners, meeting the second with a powerful header towards goal which was diverted into the net by an unfortunate Racing Club defender.

Connor Gudger was a whisker away from firing Brakes ahead when he took Mace's header down well on the edge of the box, a neat touch creating space for a rising drive which skimmed the top of the crossbar.

Richard Taundry was next to go close, curling in a low free kick that rippled the side netting. Rob Ogleby then extended the keeper with a well struck half volley that Dowling pushed around the post.

Mackey got his comeback goal on 36 minutes, heading home from close range after Mace had nodded a corner back into the 6 yard box. The hosts responded with a rare shot that cleared the bar before Mace set off on a marauding run through the centre, exchanging passes on the edge of the box before threading one through for Mackey on the right, but Dowling was equal to the striker's curling shot towards the far corner.

The keeper could do nothing about Leamington's third goal a moments before half time however, Mackey picking the ball up midway inside the Warwick half before looking up and sending a perfect pass through for Ogleby to latch onto, and advancing into the box he picked his spot and fired past the keeper low into the net.

Tony Breeden had been forced into a save just before half time from a shot across goal, but he found a free kick struck from a central position around 25 yards out more comfortable to deal with as the half got underway. The chances began to come thick and fast at the other end however, Mackey finding the net again after Gudger played him in, only to be flagged offside while Ogleby snapped up a second goal after the Warwick defence suffered a similar nightmare moment to their counterparts when scoring the opener. With a defender missing his kick and Dowling unable to hold onto the ball, the summer signing had the easiest of tasks to smuggle the ball home from close range.

Taundry was unfortunate with another well struck free kick after Mackey was fouled just outside the box, the ball deflected inches over the bar, while Mackey himself looked odds on to grab a second goal at the far post only to lose his footing at the last moment. He was still able to poke the ball back towards Jake Jones, who drew a flying save from Conal Dowling. The keeper then denied Ogleby a hat trick goal with another top drawer stop as the Leamington man bore down on goal.

acing Club's skipper for the night prevented an almost certain fifth goal when he stretched to divert Ogleby's centre for Mackey after a quick burst down the right. Edwards then saw a shot blocked on the edge of the box, before Dowling denied Jones as he burst through on goal, opting to try and lift the ball over the keeper rather than pick out Ogleby to his right.

Another smart touch from the tall frontman saw him hammer a low drive towards goal that was met by an equally good save from the overworked Dowling, who would deny Jones again before the final whistle.

Attendance: 212

Leamington: Tony Breeden, James Mace (16 Martyn Naylor, 69), Matthew Warner (15 Reece Mitchell, 55), Richard Taundry, Jamie Hood, Jamie Tank, Jake Jones, Jack Edwards, Rob Ogleby, Ben Mackey, Connor Gudger (12 Joe Magunda, 60).

Subs not used: 14 Ellison Porter, GK Matt Hill.

Racing Club squad and officials unknown.

New Windmill Ground
Saturday 11th July 2015

Stafford snatched a late winner in this first outing of pre season for both clubs courtesy of substitute Ryan Wynter's header.

The tempo of the game was as you would expect with both sets of players feeling their way back into things after the summer break. Leamington were without the likes of Jack Edwards, Tony Breeden, Ben George and Ben Mackey, while summer recruits Ross Oulton, Rob Ogleby and Jake Jones were all in the starting eleven, along with the returning Jamie Hood.

There were few chances of note for either side over the course of the afternoon, and while a couple of late challenges caused brief flare ups there was little to trouble referee Ben Cooke.

One of Stafford's new recruits Ben Haseley was the first to try his luck at goal, the prolific former Halesowen Town man firing across goal and wide of the far post, but he had his first goal in his new colours on 17 minutes when he was allowed ample time and space to fire a shot past Lewis Fenney in the Leamington goal.

Jake Jones had already drawn appreciative applause from the home crowd for a positive run up the left wing, and he levelled things up on the half hour, latching onto the loose ball after Jamie Tank's shot was blocked to crash his shot high into the net following a free kick.

Ogleby missed a good chance to put Leamington in front when he headed wide from a central position in front of goal, and he sent Brakes' best chance of the second half a whisker wide of the upright after being set up by Jones.

Stafford substitute Jazz Luckie fired straight at Fenney after a good turn, but there was one final chance for the visitors, keeper James Wren playing a free kick into the box which was missed by the advancing Fenney and headed into an empty net by substitute Ryan Wynter.

Leamington: Lewis Fenney, James Mace, Connor Gudger, Joe Magunda © , Jamie Hood, Jamie Tank, Ross Oulton (14 Josh Micklethwaite, 73), Richard Taundry, Rob Ogleby, Lee Moore (12 Ellison Porter, 78), Jake Jones (15 Reece Mitchell, 83)

Subs not used: 16 Matthew Warner, 17 Martyn Naylor, 18 Trialist, GK Matt Hill.

Stafford Rangers: Adam Whitehouse (James Wren, 46), Sam Griffiths, Alex Curtis, Tom Morris, Leon Miles, Jermaine Johnson, Judd Ellis, Nathan Rooney, Nick Wellecomme, Ben Haseley, Alex Melbourne.

Subs: 12 Dan Cope, 14 Jazz Luckie, 15 Ryan Edmunds, 16 Luke Male, 17 Ryan Wynter, 18 James Dance, 19 Christian Dacres, 20 Wayne Daniel, 21 Stuart McNaught.

Attendance: 242

Referee: Ben Cooke

Assistant Referees: Ryan Williams & Ian Croston