Birmingham Senior Cup Third Round
The Trico Stadium
Monday 20th January 2025

Leamington visited Redditch on a chilly Monday evening to contest a place in the next round of the Birmingham Senior Cup. With both clubs having one eye on the bigger picture in their respective campaigns it was a low key affair, with some new faces in the Brakes side once more. 

Matt Clarke made seven changes to his side which had defeated Kettering Town on Saturday; with former Brakes trialist Marvellous Onabirekhanlen handed a start. 

While Leamington have enjoyed some memorable occasions in this competition in recent years, the priority this season is clearly to consolidate in National League North, and Paul Holleran made ten changes to his starting eleven from Saturday’s victory over Darlington, with only Dan Meredith, in an unfamiliar midfield berth, starting the game as he will miss the next three due to his red card against Chester. 

There were three debutants in the Brakes side, with five of the seven players who had made their debuts in the previous round against Halesowen also involved. Warwick University players Tom Hubner and Felix Banke-Wallis made up the central defensive partnership, while recent signing from Wolves Owen Farmer also made his debut. 

Ten minutes in, and Leamington were ahead. Shorrock got clear down the left, and delivered a low ball in to the near post, where Lynn stole in ahead of his marker to steer a deft strike under Ollie Taylor for his third goal of the season. 

Lynn almost snatched a second a few minutes later as a corner from the right somehow found its way through a crowded penalty area to him at the far post, but Taylor was able to parry. 

Redditch were level with their first serious attack on 18 minutes, when a corner into the Leamington six yard box initially appeared to be claimed by Pheasey, but he was unable to keep a grasp on the ball on a crowd of players, and Ryan Boothe prodded into the far corner. 

The home side began to enjoy far more of the possession after the equaliser, and almost went ahead when a skidding low drive from Nick Clayton-Phillips crashed against the post. 

Redditch were ahead 8 minutes before half time when Onabirekhanlen rolled Hubner with ease on the right and charged into the box, drilling a low strike under the dive of Pheasey into the net. 

Banke-Wallis was quickly forced to hook another shot off the line from Boothe, and the ball was returned again by Clayton-Phillips, Pheasey saving and gathering at the second attempt. 

Shorrock then found Farmer in space in the centre, the young striker being allowed to advance and strike a powerful effort towards goal that was straight at Taylor. It was a rare foray forward from Leamington, who had been second best since conceding the first goal, and they went into the dressing room a goal behind. 

The hosts went close to a third goal again at the beginning of the second half when skipper Kyle Rowley’s far post header from a left wing corner found the side netting. Joe Clarke then headed Jiah Medrano’s free kick on target, but straight at Taylor. 

George Burroughs was the first player to be cautioned for a shove on Meredith, who had set off on another of his lung bursting runs upfield. Medrano then kept pace with Clayton-Phillips as he ran in on goal, stealing the ball off his toe as he shaped to shoot. 

Lynn was then played in on goal at the other end, and with the Redditch defence waiting for an offside flag, he shot straight at Taylor. 

Substitute Robbie Paratore then slipped the ball left for Farmer, in space inside the box, but he blazed his shot high over the bar into the terrace. 

Pheasey came almost to the edge of his penalty area to claim the ball ahead of Onabirekhnalen, but Redditch sealed the win in the closing minutes when a ball in from the left bypassed several Brakes defenders, and was tucked home from close range by Boothe. 

Despite the defeat the young Brakes players acquitted themselves well against some seasoned non league players, but the focus will now turn to Saturday, and a trip to Rushall.

Attendance: 352

Redditch United: 1 Ollie Taylor, 2 Brad Burton (9 Lewis Strafford, 64), 5 Kyle Rowley ©, 10 Nick Clayton-Phillips (17 Alfie Wilkes, 85), 11 Ryan Inman (4 Kartell Dawkins, 75), 12 George Burroughs, 15 Marvellous Onabirekhanlen, 18 Finn Flanagan (14 George Atwal, 46), 16 Ryan Boothe, 7 Aurio Neto-Teixeria, 20 William Grewal-Pollard. 

Subs not used: 13 Jack Price (GK). 

Leamington: Ethan Pheasey, Tom Connell, Jiah Medrano, Joe Clarke © (16 Ethan Ritchie, 72), Tom Hubner, Felix Banke-Wallis, Harry Lloyd (15 Robbie Paratore, 58), Dan Meredith (14 Tim Berridge, 68), Ant Lynn, Owen Farmer (17 Tobias Cousens, 74), Will Shorrock. 

Subs not used: 12 Theo Streete.

Referee: Mr Liam Corbett

Assistant Referees: Mr Ashley Devonport & Mr Danny Meers

Fourth Official: Mr Cameron Danks

Brakes Man of the Match: Tom Connell.