Leamington nick one-nil win against tough Timbers

Team: Gettings; Dhesi, Gregory, McFarlane, Burgess (Adams); Thompson, Hanrahan, Mort, Shearsby; Agar (Nicholls), Blake

Leamington won a hard earned three points at Mile Flat to keep up with the pace at the top of the table, as the top four teams all came out with victories.

We arrived at the ground around forty minutes before kick-off, with the team coach nowhere in sight. A few of the players who had made their own way were stood patiently waiting. Thankfully, it arrived in good time, and the team were able to get their warm up in before 2.45.

The match started scrappily, and Leamington were perhaps fortunate not to fall behind after five minutes, when Handrahan's rotund number ten was adjudged to have been offside when nudging the ball past James Gettings. We thought he was off, but others were not so sure. Timbers were not to be taken lightly, as they had come away from Webb Ellis Road, Rugby with a point the previous week.

Leamington pressed and probed, and Chris Hanrahan wasn't too far away with an audacious long range effort on fourteen minutes. Brian Agar,just off balance, had a soft effort cleared off the line, as Brakes attacked again. The decisive goal came on eighteen minutes, Steve Thompson, re-instated on the left hand side, crossed for Josh Blake, whose initial effort was blocked, but when the ball came back to Thompson, he sent it back in from the by line for Blake to bundle it home from close range for his third goal in two games since his return from suspension. The home side appealed for hands, but to no avail.

Neither goalkeeper was unduly troubled in the first half, but Handrahan tried several long range efforts, one of which sailed just over the bar. The number ten blatantly dived in the Leamington box as he tried to get past Harj Dhesi, then jumped up giving eyeballs to Leamington's number three, who did not even make contact with him! Another quick attack by Brakes saw Thompson played into space well on the left side by Blake, but his shot was too high. The majority of the game was being played in midfield, and the ball was being given away too often, by both sides. Handrahan attacked again through the centre, and the shot was tipped round by Gettings for a corner.

Leamington started the second half brightly, and threatened several times to extend their lead. Agar had a shot blocked, and attempted to hook the rebound in whilst still grounded. Thompson, who was involved with a lot of Leamington's good work, had another effort clear the bar, and Handrahan tried to hit back on the counter attack. Another Thompson centre was knocked back by Barry Shearsby to Hanrahan, who hit a twenty yard volley on target, that was blocked by a defender. Blake was next to threaten, passing to Shearsby, who just failed to get a foot to the ball, and Blake's effort was also blocked. Handrahan's keeper dominated his area well in the second half, as he was first to a number of free kicks and high balls in. He also possessed one of the biggest kicks we have ever seen!

Leamington continued to dominate possession, but could not find that killer second goal. Substitute Paul Nicholls worked well with Shearsby to present a header for Thompson, but he didn't quite connect properly, and sent it wide. The last few minutes ticked by without too much incident, but Timbers won a free kick about thirty yards from goal. However, they blasted their chance for an equaliser against Nick Mort in the wall, and Leamington played out to gain another precious three points in the battle for the title. Well done lads.

NBB Man-of-the-Match: Hanrahan

Match report by Paul Edwards