Sat, 24 Nov 2007 @ Champion Hill, home of Dulwich Hamlet FC. vs Fisher Athletic (2-1). FA Carlsberg Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round. By P Edwards.
After the disappointment of Tuesday nights game against Stourbridge, this performance was more like the Leamington we know and love. The contrast could not have been more different.
The form of our Blue Square South hosts had given reason for some optimism prior to the game. Only 2 points collected out of the last 18 is not great form in any league. They sit two levels above Brakes in the Pyramid, but the team had achieved a similar result at Ossett Town in the FA Cup two years previously, and there was hope that they could do it again at Champion Hill, the home of Fishers landlords Dulwich Hamlet.
There were a couple of changes to the side from Tuesdays game, with Martin Hier returning after injury. The team coach arrived a little late, so the kick off was put back ten minutes or so to give them time to prepare. This did not seem to have caused any disruption, as Brakes started the match by far the better of the two sides. There were early shots on goal for Ben Mackey and Russell Dunkley. Jamie Towers was also played in down the right hand side, but his cross was saved by home keeper Simon Overland.
The home side then shocked the majority of the 390 strong crowd by taking a fourteenth minute lead. The Brakes defence were almost statuesque as what looked like a well rehearsed training ground corner kick move saw the ball played to the Fish number 10 Gavin Tomlin, and he slotted home.
This set back did not deter Leamington however, and they continued to dictate the pace of the game. Jamie Towers saw a dangerous cross cut out at the near post, with Josh Blake lurking, and Adam Cooper headed wide from another corner. Liam Reynolds was the first name to go into the Referees notebook for what was more of a clumsy challenge than a malicious one. The midfielder was involved in a move that nearly led to an equaliser, when his ball into the area saw Dunkley battle to hold the ball up, and Josh Blake swivelled to shoot over the bar. Blake then laid the ball off for Ben Mackey to send a firm shot goal wards, but Overland was right behind it. The pressure continued on the home goal, with Stuart Herlihys shot seemingly bound for the bottom left hand corner until it was deflected wide.
The siege finally paid off on 39 minutes, as Josh Blake rose majestically at the far post to head home a left wing corner. It was no more than Brakes deserved for their first half performance. They really took the game to their hosts, and knocked them out of their stride.
Leamington could have gone in for half time 2-1 up, as following another effort from Blake that was blocked at the expense of a corner, Towers played the ball short to Marcus Jackson, who moved forward and struck a vicious curling effort that was heading for the top corner until the fingertips of Overland touched it onto the crossbar.
The second began with the game following the same pattern as the first. Jamie Towers was finding acres of space down the right, and was being fed the kind of balls that allowed him to surge down the wing and cause panic in the Fisher defence. On the other side, Marcus Jackson was having a storming game, winning the ball back and dancing past challenges as if they werent there.
Fisher looked as though they might be getting on top for a short period, and their number 6 Kenny Beaney was unfortunate to see a shot sail narrowly wide of the post. His next effort forced a flying Rich Morris to touch it over the bar. Stuart Herlihy and Marcus Jackson found themselves rather harshly cautioned during the half, but by and large the Referee controlled the game well.
The never say die attitude that Brakes seem to have had in the last few Trophy games was to shine through though, and they forced a winner in the seventy ninth minute when a precision free kick from inside Brakes half by Richard Morris found Josh Blake, who sent a looping header past Overland and into the top corner to send the travelling hordes from Leamington wild. It was no more than they deserved for a fantastic performance. They looked more likely to add to their tally than Fisher did to equalise, and the final whistle bought a huge roar from three sides of the ground, and was the cue for excited talk about who we might draw in the next round.
Once again the team have showed that in a one off game they are more than a match for any side, and they have done themselves, the club, and the supporters, proud.
Attendance: 390
Fisher Athletic: Simon Overland, Simon Jackson, Gilbert Nuako, Nicholas Plumain, Gavyn Dayes, Kenny Beaney, Sean Batt, Luke Hickie [C], Jeff Goulding, Gavin Tomlin, Wesley Thomas.
Substitutes: (some used but not recorded by the writer!) Tom Pepper, Andre McCollin, Kieron Murtagh, Adam Linsey (GK), Wayne Burnett.
Leamington: Richard Morris, Jamie Towers, Arron Parkinson [C], Adam Cooper, Martin Hier, Stuart Herlihy, Liam Reynolds, Ben Mackey, Josh Blake, Russell Dunkley (Martin Thompson, 86), Marcus Jackson.
Substitutes not used: James Husband, Ryan Parisi, Craig Dutton, Chris Gibson.
- MotM Marcus Jackson shone in an outstanding team effort. .