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By Paul Edwards

Leamington returned to action after a three week weather enforced lay off, and slipped to a three goal defeat at the hands of promotion chasing King’s Lynn Town that was not quite as clear cut as the scoreline might suggest.

Paul Holleran handed a debut to Ollie Hulbert as he looked to the Yeovil Town loanee to provide the goals his team have been needing so badly this season.

The visitors almost scored inside the opening minute. A long throw from Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, a late call up to the King’s Lynn starting eleven after former Stratford Town man Ben Stephens picked up an injury in the warm up, caused panic in the Brakes defence, but fortunately Callum Hawkins was alert, and produced a fine save from Tommy Hughes’ low drive before scrambling straight to his feet to punch the ball off the head of another attacker.

The high flying Linnets kept up their blistering opening and were rewarded with a rather bizarre opening goal on six minutes. It was awarded to Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose header from a ball into the box somehow bounced up and squeezed past Hawkins by his right hand upright as Aaron Cosgrove advanced looking to take advantage of any loose ball.

The Leamington keeper was probably relieved that for the sticky surface of his goalmouth moments later, as he stooped to claim a low shot; the ball ricocheting off his shins and very nearly over the goal line.

Brakes were simply unable to keep hold of the ball in the opening exchanges as King’s Lynn determinedly attempted to build on their early advantage. When they did gain possession they were forced to launch it long, and more often than not it came straight back at them as the Lynn defenders dealt with it with easily.

The first glimpse of goal came on 18 minutes when Hawkins’ long kick forward was met by the head of Jack Edwards, who glanced the ball towards goal towards Turner, but keeper Paul Jones was off his line quickly to snuff out the danger.

Hulbert was denied his first sight of goal by another swift dart from his line by Jones. During a brief stoppage for Hawkins to receive some treatment, Holleran relayed new instructions to his troops, and it appeared to have the desired effect as play restarted, Hubert holding the ball up on the edge of the box before laying it off to Louis Hall, who delivered a decent ball in which was half cleared as far as Adam Walker, who saw his attempted volley blocked.

There were definite signs of life from Leamington now; Jones having to punch a cross from Walker off the head of Edwards.

The Brakes bench believed there was a legitimate shout for a penalty as Walker looked to be clipped right on the edge of the box, but Referee Michael Crusham was unmoved.

A good turn from Turner saw his shot blocked at source, Liam Cross’s follow up effort also being blocked before Jack Lane’s low first time drive was held by Jones.

Cross fired an ambitious volley well over the bar as Edwards headed Meredith’s right wing cross down for him inside the box, but having weathered the early storm from the visitors Brakes were right back in the game as half time approached. Edwards sent a thumping volley from 18 yards straight at Jones from Hulbert’s knockdown for Leamington’s best chance of the first half.

The game restarted at some pace, with Leamington picking up where they left off and cranking up the pressure.

Hall did well to win the ball back on the left, advancing into the box before driving it in low for Hulbert to stab first time over the bar on the stretch.

Turner and Hulbert were both unable to get quite enough purchase on their shots to trouble Jones as Brakes continued to hold the upper hand.

Hawkins produced a fantastic save from the Oxlade-Chamberlain as the goalscorer threatened to add to his tally with a fine header from a right wing centre as King’s Lynn constructed their first decent attacking move of the second half.

Cross came as close as anyone to snatching an equaliser as he pounced on the ball on the right edge of the box to send a snapshot across goal that whsitled inches past the far post with Jones struggling to get across his goal.

A incisive dart into the box from Joe Clarke and a thunderous strike saw Jones claw the ball away from goal as the Leamington pressure continued, but they were hit by the sucker punch of a second goal for the visitors with 21 minutes to play, and what a sucker punch it was. Cosgrove watched a ball up the right from Michael Clunan over his shoulder before unleashing a truly stunning volley that flashed past Hawkins before he had chance to move. It came completely against the run of play, but was indicative of the kind of moments that promotion chasing teams can produce when they are under the cosh. From a Leamington perspective it was simply rotten luck, having fought so hard to first stay in the game and then get on top and create chances, that they were undone by a goal of such quality.

Hughes sent a powerful effort straight at Hawkins as the visitors began to regain the upper hand as the game entered its closing stages.

Jones saved from Hulbert’s flick on, but sadly Brakes were the architects of their own downfall with five minutes to go as they conceded a third. Substitutes Devon Kelly-Evans and Simeon Maye both surrendered possession, and the Linnets countered with Oxlade-Chamberlain involved once more, but it appeared a little too easy for Spencer Keller, who had entered the action at the same time, stepped inside both Meredith and Streete before curling a shot beyond an unsighted Hawkins to confirm Leamington’s heaviest home defeat of the campaign, but not the one that they deserved in the slightest as they could justifiably claim to have been the better side for a good chunk of the game. Unfortunately their inability to convert the chances they created cost them dearly, while the visitors were clinical with theirs.

‘I thought it was really good game. Conditions were difficult,’ said the manager afterwards. ‘I said it before the game, and before we played them last time- they’re a really good side because they can mix it up, they can play different kinds of football. The first fifteen minutes we struggled with their box system, but when we got a grip of that, I think it was probably the best we’ve played, from about 15 minutes to nearly 70. It was a real good contest - it was end to end, we went toe to toe, but the difference is at 1-0 down we had some good chances and half chances, and the combination of good goalkeeping and better connections from us have stopped the game going to 1-1. We were a bit open second half but I wanted us to have a go. You’ve got to be a bit braver in some of these games.

‘We’ll look back at the second goal and be disappointed because there was a foul on Jack (Edwards) but it was a good finish from the boy to be fair. Probably one or two of my substitutions I had my eye on the next two home games; trying to get one or two players back on the pitch that need to get back on the pitch, but it’s a funny one really. You’re getting beat 3-0 at home, but there was so much to like about it.

‘I thought Ollie Hulbert led the line well. His link up play was good. Dan got involved in the game, Liam (Cross) had a couple of good opportunities. I thought our midfield three got a grip of the game……… So much to like, but the difference between the sides was that in the final third they were really clinical. We threw a lot of balls into their box during that period and their two centre halves were excellent. From their point of view it was a really good away performance, from our point of view, when you get opportunities like that you’ve got to take at least one of them to put the pressure back on them. From their perspective it was a polished away performance, they dealt with us well and you’ve got to give them credit for that.

Attendance: 661

Leamington: Callum Hawkins, Dan Meredith, Louis Hall, Joe Clarke (14 Simeon Maye, 81), Theo Streete, Jack Lane, Liam Cross (12 Devon Kelly-Evans, 81), Adam Walker (15 Ben Usher-Shipway, 87), Ollie Hulbert, Jack Edwards ©, Dan Turner.

Subs not used: 16 Junior English, 17 James Mace.

King’s Lynn Town: 1 Paul Jones, 5 Adam Crowther, 6 Josh Coulson, 3 Tyler Denton, 22 Oliver Scott (12 Tai Fleming, 40), 17 Arron Jones, 7 Michael Clunan ©, 20 Tommy Hughes, 10 Josh Barrett (35 Jordan Ponticelli, 68), 16 Aaron Cosgrave (23 Spencer Keller, 81), 2 Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Subs not used: 15 Ben Stephens, GK Samuel Blair.

Referee: Mr Michael Crusham

Assistant Referees: Mr Niall Fenton & Mr David Crutchlow

Brakes Man of the Match: Adam Walker.