Sat, 17 Jan 2009 @ The New Windmill Ground. vs Soham Town Rangers (3-1). British Gas Business Southern League Midland Division. By P Edwards.
To the relief of most of the 582 present inside the New Windmill Ground, Brakes built up a 3-1 advantage over their visitors from Soham, and held on to it to completion, earning them another three priceless points prior to the long awaited trip to Nuneaton Town on Tuesday night. Thankfully the strong winds that were building up during the afternoon did not ruin the game as a spectacle, and the crowd rushed off to their cars and the welcoming warmth of the clubhouse, happy that the team had returned to winning ways despite not firing on all cylinders for ninety minutes.
Stuart Herlihy and Ryan Parisi were bought into the starting line up in place of Marcus Jackson and Josh Blake. Guy Sanders was still not in the squad, but was out having a kick about before the match, which was good to see. With Richard Morris likely to be out for around a month, Richard Anstiss made his first league start for the club.
The opening half an hour was possibly one of the most uneventful seen at the ground for some time. Lea Jordan in the Soham goal certainly saw far more of the ball than his opposite number did, as Leamington made most of the early running without creating too many clear cut chances. Mark Bellingham was halted by the customary offside flag, and Jamie Towers sent in a good looking cross which was claimed by Jordan. Bellingham then took on Aaron Turner on the opposite wing, but his cross was deflected into the keeper's hands. Jai Stanley looked to play in Bellingham with a ball through the right channel, but the in form striker was wide of the target with his shot. Liam Reynolds also shot wide of goal after being hurried into striking the ball following a pass by James Husband. Jordan was then forced into his first real save of the game when he blocked a shot from Bellingham down at his near post. Leamington were asking questions of the Soham defence, but the final, telling ball seemed to be lacking.
There was a brief scramble in the penalty area as Soham showed up in attack for the first time, and Jamie Towers was forced to put the ball out for the first of two corners in succession. Another shot from Bellingham, this time after turning his marker, went wide of the mark, and Scott Carter sent in a shot from outside of the box forced Richard Anstiss into a save. Luke Corbett was inches away from giving Brakes the lead when he rifled in a first time shot from thirty yards that was deflected behind for a corner.
There was a very quiet period of play after this where nothing of any real note happened for five or ten minutes, before the game sparked into life on the half hour. Luke Corbett was a willing runner all afternoon, and his pace got him to a ball played down the right in front of a defender. He flashed a ball across the face of goal which was smuggled away from Bellingham and behind for a corner, from which Jamie Towers headed over. The wing back got himself into a good position in the next attack, however, and he directed James Husband's cross towards goal with his head, and the ball was helped into the net by unfortunate Rangers' skipper Scott Johnson, who was positioned on the goal line.
It really should have been two shortly afterwards, when Mark Bellingham sent in a low ball from the left which just avoided the boot of James Husband, but found Corbett at the far post. His first time shot was rising, and struck the crossbar and ricocheted away to safety.
Paul Jones shot wide from out on the right as Soham looked to get back into the game, but they found themselves walking off at half time further behind, as Andrew Coleman was adjudged to have shoved Mark Bellingham in the back as he rose to meet a cross, two minutes from the end of the first half. There were not too many complaints, as Bellingham was certainly impeded, and he picked himself up to send Jordan the wrong way from the penalty spot, looking relieved as he took the acclaim of the Harbury Lane End.
Carter tested Anstiss again from outside the area as the visitors began the second half brightly, and they hauled themselves back into the contest on 51 minutes with a goal that the Brakes defence may not want to see a replay of. They were simply out muscled by the big Soham number 10 Darren Jimson, who showed he has the skill to match his giant frame, holding off a challenge and turning well to fire a pass across the area for Paul Jones to slot home. From a Leamington perspective, it was not a good goal to concede, and briefly they appeared to be shaken at having their lead cut in half. Liam Reynolds got a boot in to make a fine challenge which took the ball away from Scott Johnson on the left of the penalty area after he was found in space by a team mate.
Luke Corbett ballooned a good chance over the bar after the ball was cut back to him by Bellingham, and Andrew Furnell tried to head a good cross back into the far corner, but Anstiss was alert to the danger. Jordan saved a smart effort from Jai Stanley, before Leamington extended their advantage again on 70 minutes, and this time they held on to it. A cross in from the left by James Husband was not properly cleared, and after several attempts to force it into the net, Jamie Towers was the man who got the goal, from close range at the far post.
The final twenty minutes saw further attempts to add to the scoreline repelled by Soham. Mark Bellingham smacked in a shot that Jordan gathered at the second attempt, and Stuart Herlihy saw his powerful goal bound header from the edge of the area, saved. Bellingham saw another shot saved after a mazy dribble inside the area. Jamie Lenton and Mykel Beckley were given some valuable playing time, and the two combined as Beckley back heeled Lenton in for a cross as he cut inside the covering defender, and his ball to the far post was blocked by Jordan as Jai Stanley tried to volley it inside the post.
This was a good result against a Soham side who are having a solid first season at this level, and they may surprise a few more teams before the season is out. It was vital to keep the run going before the trip to Liberty Way on Tuesday evening, for what is an important game for Leamington. If they are able to emerge from that battle with their unbeaten run intact, it will be another great achievement in what has been a fantastic Midland Division campaign so far. Jason Cadden will no doubt ensure his troops are up for the challenge.
Leamington: Richard Anstiss, Jamie Towers, Ryan Parisi, Adam Cooper, Martin Hier, Stuart Herlihy, Liam Reynolds (Marcus Jackson, 68), Jai Stanley, Mark Bellingham [C], Luke Corbett (Mykel Beckley, 78), James Husband (Jamie Lenton, 74).
Subs not used: Josh Blake, Glenn Webb.
Soham Town Rangers: Lea Jordan, Aaron Turner (Simon Flanz, 82), Scott Johnson [C], Andrew Coleman, Glenn Fuff, Adam Weston, Martin Bromwich, Scott Carter, Andrew Furnell (Will Seymour, 78), Darren Jimson, Paul Jones.
Subs not used: Kentoth Gray, Daniel Sterna, Sean Greygoose.