Report
I am sometimes asked which team has impressed me most this season and the answer is always Leamington. When they came to Top Field, their victory was narrow but impressive. They had excellent organisation, and their game management was as tight as a drum. It was clear that they had experienced players, who were disciplined and unyielding. But they are not infallible and have had results that are a little surprising. Today, however, they were not as stringent in their organisation and two of their goals came in stoppage time, one being a penalty.
We, of course, travelled hopefully, aware of the dismal run of results that is almost as bad as 1950/51 where there were some twenty games that were lost, punctuated by a scrambled draw. Such a draw seemed a possibility today as the team trailed by just a single goal, but such chances that came their way went astray, painfully so.
This was the first game for interim manager Michael Jones, whose selection was much as expected. There was a crew from the BBC who were in attendance to record an item commemorating Leamington manager Paul Holleran’s 700th game in charge, which is an outstanding achievement.
Predictably, the Brakes began at full pelt in front of a good attendance. Called upon to defend, Hitchin applied themselves to good effect in these opening stages. With Wilkinson fouled thee was a free kick, which Gleeson sent forward, producing a half chance, but the Brakes soon regained possession and continued to probe.
Tearle, along the right sent in a cross, but there was no-one there to receive. Better was Meredith’s cross for the Brakes that Horlock had to tip over the bar. The corner was scrambled away. This really was the first real attempt on goal in the fifteen minutes of play so far.
The wing back, Meredith was responsible for some intricate play, culminating in a home free kick that was held by Horlock. Hitchin’s hurried clearances yielded possession but so far the hosts had not penetrated. They won a corner, which Shorrock sent in, but again, the Hitchin defence held firm. After twenty-three minutes it was notable that there had been no serious attack on goal until Georgiou weaved through and Wilkinson’s attempted shot brought a corner. This resulted in a clearance and Horlock needing to stretch low to snuff out the chance.
Cotter then lost possession unnecessarily and there was a decent shot from Meredith that only just cleared the bar. A home free kick saw Horlock punch it clear, but they pressure was still on and somewhat unrelieved.
Shorrock and Horlock collided in the penalty area, and when we resumed there was a home eager that inexplicably went over the bar. It should have been the opening goal, so a bit of luck for the visitors. There were ten minutes of this first half remaining, which would no doubt be tense. An attempt on goal from Hitchin would have been very welcome, but the prospect seemed remote as any forward balls to the front runners was but bleak in prospect.
It came as no surprise when, in the thirty-ninth minute, the Brakes took the lead with a well-placed header from Tyrone Barnett. Then Tearle received a caution for a rash challenge on Walker. Georgiou, on a run won a free kick that amounted to very little.
Just two minutes were added, and we still waited for a Hitchin attempt on goal. It did not come, and the interval was indicated.
There was a Hitchin substitution in the form of Lewis Barker for Jack Bateson. The Brakes resumed in an attacking mode, and Shorrock had a reasonable shout for a penalty, after being displaced whilst in possession. The ball was mostly in the Hitchin half and a second goal for the hosts seemed a distinct possibility.
There was Hitchin free kick that again came to nothing, and Wilkinson’s attempt to send in a cross was thwarted. A defensive header from Georgiou fell nicely for the hosts who had two attempts on goal followed by a corner. Good defending by Ciaren Jones prevented what could have been the second goal and Hitchin were preparing another substitute. Tearle was replaced by Bell and successive Leamington attacks were broken down by their own inaccuracies. They clinched a free kick, just outside the area and we wondered if the set piece might be successful.
Jones took responsibility and the effort was decent but unsuccessful. It was the first shot on goal for the visitors. Snelus managed a crafty pass to Georgiou who was effectively muscled off the ball. Syme, with plenty of time sent a cross into a vacant area and then Quaynor was cautioned for preventing progress from Snelus. The free kick was a fair one, but Syme’s header went astray.
There was another shout for a home penalty and the referee merely signalled an offside. Then Barnett headed over the bar following a corner. Galliford replaced Gleeson for the final minutes. There flowed an unsuccessful Hitchin attack that left three players sprawling in the eighteen-yard box, but all was well with them, and my scheming mind imagined a late equaliser for the Canaries, however undeserved.
Horlock saved a measured shot from Stewart and Wilkinson, almost unforgivably missed a sitter from close range. Then, with man of the match Meredith brought down, the hosts were gleeful at the penalty award and Barnett sent Horlock the wrong way to ensure the points for the hosts.
To rub in the proverbial salt, a third goal, made by Meredith whose perfect pass gave Williams a tap in. So, yet another defeat for Hitchin, with two goals coming late in stoppage time. This showed that the hosts had striven for fluency and to my estimate they had not played as well as they had at Top Field. But there is no doubt at all that Leamington deserved the points and our only consolation is that our relegation rivals Sudbury lost to Kettering who leapfrog us in the table.
Our meekness up front saw some improvement in the second half, and Wilkinson’s miss for the equaliser was a serious one. So ends Michael Jones’ first game in charge and he will be disappointed, since his team had trailed by just the one goal for so long. Ciaren Jones’ shot from the set piece might have just squeezed in. But this is all speculation, and we still look to end this most dismal set of results and we must try again against Telford at Top Field next week.
LEAMINGTON
Callum Hawkins, Daniel Meredith, this reporter’s man of the match, Joshua Quaynor, cautioned, Joseph Clarke, Theodore Streete, Robert Evans, Ewan Williams , GOAL, 90+5, 3-0, cautioned, Adam Walker, captain, Callum Stewart, (Devon Kelly- Evans), Tyrone Barnett, Two goals, one being a penalty, (90+ 3, 2-0), 39, (1-0), (Jiah Medrano), William Shorrock, (Henry Landers). Substitutes not used – Connor Taylor, Zach Taylor.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, captain, Kye Tearle, cautioned, (Bradley Bell), Layne Eadie, Toby Syme, Jack Bateson, (Lewis Barker), Ciaren Jones, Stan Georgiou, Hitchin star man today, Stephen Gleeson, (Isaac Galliford), Jack Snelus, Kavan Cotter, cautioned, Finley Wilkinson. Substitutes not used – Dan Emovon, Oliver Lynch.
Referee – Mr Richard Walker, assisted by Mr Matthew Joyce and Mr Ben Wilkinson.
Attendance 625.
REPORT BY PIPEMAN