February 8, 2025
Today’s match in the National League North saw a meeting of 17th vs 18th, in what is the closest Oxford City have to a local derby in National League North. These diaries last reported on Oxford City at the end of November when The Hoops beat Farsley Celtic 4-1 to move out of the bottom four.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2024/11/oxford-city-4-1-farsley-celtic-att-389.html
Since then City had played 8 league matches, winning three, drawing three and losing two. The wins had come against Spennymoor ( H 3-0 ), Rushall Olympic ( A 2-1 ), and Marine ( H 1-0 ) on Tuesday evening. The draws had been against sides currently in the top seven, 2-2 at leaders Darlington, 0-0 at Chorley and 1-1 at home to Kidderminster Harriers, whilst the defeats had been both at home to top 5 sides, 0-2 to Brackley and 0-5 to Curzon Ashton.
The Hoops had also won three rounds of the FA Trophy, overcoming step 4 Hadley ( H 2-1 ), step 3 Biggleswade Town ( A 3-0 ) and Forest Green Rovers ( H 1-0 ). Forest Green Rovers were the leaders of the National League at the time and had played in League Two last season. Oxford City now had a home quarter-final tie against Conference side Woking to look forward to, whom they beat at home in the National League last season, and they now stood two matches away from Wembley.
Midfielder Louis Walsh was no longer with The Hoops and in the meantime had joined Bishop’s Stortford.
Leamington FC
Leamington can trace their history back to 1933 as the works team of Lockheed, Borg and Beck, and their nickname of The Brakes comes from the products the company made. When the company was renamed Automotive Products in 1973 the side, who were at the time in the Southern League, became AP Leamington. Leamington became founder members of the Alliance Premier League but soon entered a downward spiral, and when they lost the use of their Windmill Ground in 1988 whilst members of the Midlands Combination, the club went into abeyance.
The club was reformed in 2000, starting at the bottom of the Midlands Combination at the New Windmill Ground and worked their way up the non-League pyramid. The Southern League Premier Division was won in 2012/13 to achieve promotion to National League North, where they stayed for two seasons before being relegated back to the Southern League.
Leamington won promotion from the Southern League Premier Division Central last season. After finishing third, they won the play-offs by beating Redditch 1-0 at home and AFC Telford 1-0 away, to return to National League North.
Leamington This Season
Leamington started the day with an overall 9-5-13 record, being 8-2-4 at home but a poor 1-3-9 away, by some distance the worst in the division. Their 8 goals away from home was the joint worst, alongside Marine.
Leamington were on a run of 7 consecutive away defeats and had just 3 wins and 10 defeats in last 13 league games. They had failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 14 matches and in their last match, The Brakes slumped to a 0-2 home defeat to struggling Marine.
The away points had come at Marine ( 0-0 ), Warrington ( 1-1 ), Farsley Celtic ( 1-0 in a match played at Alfreton ) and Kings Lynn ( 0-0 ).
In the FA Cup Leamington eliminated step 4 NPL Division 1 East side Carlton Town 1-0 at home but exited the competition 0-1 at step 3 Harborough Town of the Southern League Premier Division Central.
In the FA Trophy, The Brakes beat Kings Lynn 2-1 at home but were eliminated by National League Rochdale 0-2, also at home.
Leamington’s average league attendance so far was 662, compared to 568 for Oxford City.
One possible reason for the recent poor results could be top scorer Callum Stewart joining Shrewsbury Town in January after scoring 14 goals in the season. Stewart was the top scorer in the league at his time of departure and had scored a hat-trick when the two sides met in September.
In the absence of Stewart, ex-Banbury United forward Henry Landers was the top scorer still at the club with 5, with the next best on 3 goals being centre-back George Ward.
Ex-Port Vale forward Dan Turner returned to the club on loan from Chester City in December whilst midfielder Jack Edwards first played for Leamington in 2014 and played against City in 2014/15, when Zac McEachran was in the Hoops side.
Midfielder and captain Joe Clarke was ex-Wrexham, Brackley and Tamworth, full-back Dan Meredith was a youth player at West Bromwich Albion, and forward Owen Farmer was on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Previous Meetings
These two sides had previously meet 11 times in league fixtures, with the home side generally having the edge. Matches in the three seasons between 2009/10 and 2011/12 were played in the Southern League Premier Division, and in National League North in 2013/14 and 2014/15. In total Oxford City had 3 wins, Leamington had won 4 times and there had been 3 draws.
Leamington had scored four goals in each of their last three home encounters, including when the teams met back in September, when they were victorious 4-1, and Oxford coach was Sam Cox was sacked in the aftermath.
In contrast, The Brakes had won only once at Court Place Farm, 3-2 in 2010/12. Fatbear had seen two of the meetings, a 1-1 draw in 2009/10 and a 3-1 victory for The Hoops in 2014/15 on New Year’s Day after Leamington had won 4-0 on Boxing Day !
Matchday Information
According to AA Route Planner, the journey from Leamington Spa to Oxford is 45 miles and should take 52 minutes down the M40. Around 70 or so Brakes fans had congregated in the Macron stand for the kick-off and were making a lot of noise, whilst there were others dotted around the ground. The Leamington twitter account stated there were 150 of their supporters at the game, so fair play to them !
Tickets for today’s match were £15 online or £17 at the gate for seats, or £13 or £15 for standing, and the programme was £3.50. A cup of tea was £2.20
The weather at the 15.00 kick-off was a typical winter’s day with drizzle and a hint of mist. The temperature was 5 degrees, but it felt colder.
Bet365 made Oxford City 17/20 favourites, with Leamington at 5/2 and the draw at 12/5
Leamington made four changes from last week with Meredith, Clarke, Farmer and Tim Berridge coming in for Edwards, Theo Streete, and Will Shorrock, who were on the bench, and Adam Walker, who was not involved due to a suspension for a red card. Oxford City were unchanged from the side that started against Marine.
Leamington were wearing yellow and black stripped shirts, with black shorts and socks, whilst Oxford City were in their usual blue and white hoops.
Match Report
Leamington kicked off attacking the clubhouse end and quickly put the home defence under pressure. A long throw was hurled into the Oxford City area where Jalen Jones made a clearing header, but Leamington reworked possession and Turner wriggled his way into the area, but good defending from Chi Ezennolim resulted in a free kick to The Hoops.
In the third minute a Leamington free kick in a promising position was smashed into the defensive wall by Landers, leading to Robert Evans sending a cross from the left towards the far post, where Ezennolim headed uncertainly off for a corner. When the corner was delivered, Landers fell to the floor, and whilst the Leamington supporters screamed loudly for a penalty, the Leamington players were not particularly interested, and neither was the referee. Another cross from Evans was this time was well caught by keeper Kai McKenzie-Lyle.
It was a good start from the visitors, and little had been seen from the home side until Tom Scott played a pass for Josh Ashby to run onto inside the Leamington area, but Evans was covering and put the ball out for a corner. Jones managed to get a head to the corner beyond the far post and the ball bounced to Reece Fleet on the edge of the area, but his shot was blocked.
Farmer then ran onto a long ball and went to ground and again the Brakes fans called for a penalty, which the referee waved away. Good interplay in the right-hand channel by Leamington led to a good cross from Meredith and a vital touch was needed to prevent it reaching the Leamington attacker at the far post.
City appeared to have survived the initial onslaught and were slowly getting into the game, although play was scrappy, with neither side able to hold on to the ball for too long.
Leamington had the first shot on target when Turner put Landers clear on the right inside the area, but the shot hit the legs of the keeper and went off for a corner. The set-piece was sent long, but Landers put his header a couple of yards wide.
Meredith went on a strong run down the right wing, but his low cross was cleared by Jones. Shortly after Meredith played a good ball into Turner but control 8 yards out was lacking, and the ball rolled gently to the City keeper.
Oxford City were unusually trying to play long balls towards Corie Andrews and Josh Parker rather than trying to play their way through the middle of the pitch, but it was having little impact against the Leamington rearguard. Farmer then tried his luck from 30 yards, but his effort struck a defender and bounced harmlessly through to Mckenzie-Lyle.
In the 29th minute the home side finally put a move together as Aaron Drewe threaded a ball for Burley to run onto, but no-one was at the far post to tap in the low ball across the goalmouth. It was the most dangerous play of the game so far. Drewe then got the better of Joshua Quaynor close to the corner flag but Meredith was on hand to head away the cross.
Two minutes later a long ball out of the Oxford City defence was headed on by Parker and Andrews ran clear to have a one on one with keeper Callum Hawkins. Andrews attempted to go round the keeper but was brought down. It was a penalty and a yellow card for Hawkins. The Hoops usual penalty taker Parker picked up the ball but there was then an argument with Andrews over who was going to take the spot-kick. Andrews won the debate but saw his tame kick well saved by Hawkins, diving to his right to push the ball away. If you are going to over-rule the normal penalty taker, then you better had score, and Andrews failed.
City were enjoying a good spell and Parker released Drewe on the right, but Ward made a fabulous interception to prevent Andrews having a tap-in at the far post from the low cross from Drewe. Ashby then ran onto a pass from Drewe near the right-hand corner flag, but his cross sailed over the far post for a goal kick
City continued to press and Drewe, Scott and Coyle were all involved as the ball was played in and around the Leamington area, but the Brakes were eventually able to clear. When Leamington broke, Coyle did well to get his head to a chip ahead from Meredith intended to give Landers a run down the right wing.
Meredith was looking influential and another ball from the right-back found Landers, who turned on the edge of the area, but the shot deflected off Jones high and wide for a corner. Ewan Williams headed the corner well wide from beyond the far post.
With two minutes still to be played before the interval, another neat flick from Parker put Andrews clear again, who again tried to go round keeper Hawkins. This time the keeper got a foot to the ball and when Andrews regathered and tried to beat Hawkins a second time, the keeper was able to dive on the ball. Another great chance squandered by the home side.
As the game drifted into added on time, McKenzie-Lyle went to claim a cross from the left wing and whilst in the air Landers clattered into him. Although a free kick was awarded, a bout of handbags followed. In Rugby Union Landers would have been sent to the sin bin for ten minutes for taking a player out in the air, but in football a yellow card was shown. McKenzie-Lyle also saw yellow for his reaction.
The game was still goal-less as the teams headed for the half-time oranges. For most of the half Leamington had looked the better side, but the three best chances had fallen to Oxford City.
The Hoops made one change for the second half, with Alfie Potter replacing Parker.
Three minutes into the second period, Oxford City won possession in midfield and it looked as if they would spring forward, but Ashby lost the ball and from the Leamington counterattack, Jones needed to head Landers’ cross off for a corner. Farmer again hit the deck very easily, perhaps something that is coached at Wolves, as the Brakes fans appealed again for a penalty, but again the referee wasn’t falling for it. The ball went out for a throw-in to Leamington, from which Burley mis-timed his header, and was only able to direct the ball off for a corner.
The corner was played short, and then returned to Landers, who sent a ball bouncing across the penalty area, which everyone missed, and the ball ended up nesting in the far corner for a slightly fortuitous goal. 0-1 after 51 minutes.
Oxford City looked to hit back quickly but the quality of their play was poor. Burley was put into a good position on the right but could only cross straight to the Leamington keeper. Ashby then decided to go for a rugby style 5 metre lineout by kicking for touch near the corner flag shortly after which Jones hoofed an aimless long ball straight to the Leamington centre-backs.
Oxford City coach Ross Jenkins had clearly seen enough and introduced play-maker Zac McEachran with Scott being the unfortunate player to be hooked.
Jones tried to stretch for a ball slowly rolling away from him but only succeeded in bringing down Turner. From the free kick from 30 yards, Landers could only send the ball several yards over the bar but at least kept it inside the stadium.
At the other end, with 58 minutes on the clock, Coyle sent a cross from the left towards the far post and Quaynor bravely headed away under pressure from Drewe.
The visitors were still in control and Farmer sent a 25 yarder well wide, and then both Ward and Williams got their heads to a corner, but a free kick was awarded to Oxford City.
City’s sloppy play continued as Ezennolim played a ball down the left-hand touchline but Andrews’ control near the corner flag was poor and the ball went out for a throw to the Brakes. However, in the 67th minute a similar ball by Coyle reached Potter who was fouled near the corner flag by Ward. The free kick was headed back across goal by Jones, but the shot from Coyle just inside the area was blocked, and Leamington were able to clear after a scramble.
Coyle then played a smart through ball to put Andrews clear with just keeper to beat, but incredibly Andrews decided to turn away from goal, and by the time he had got the ball under control the defence had recovered, and the chance had gone.
With 70 minutes played Turner ran onto a long ball out of the Leamington defence and cut inside from the left onto his right foot, but his shot from the angle of the penalty area was saved low down at his near post by McKenzie-Lyle.
Potter and Ashby combined nicely down the Oxford City right, but Leamington’s defence was able to clear the danger but shortly after Coyle, Andrews and Potter were all involved before the ball reached McEachran just outside the Brakes area. The midfielder struck a low shot just inside the keeper’s near post to level the scores. The move had come after Coyle had won possession midway inside the Leamington half. 1-1 with 74 minutes played.
The home side now had the upper hand and Potter, Andrews and Coyle all combined to set up a right wing cross to flash across the 6-yard line.
With 12 minutes remaining Williams screamed in agony and stayed on the floor after challenging Ashby for a loose ball, but the referee saw nothing untoward as City broke into the Leamington half. McEachran was able to run to the byline, but his pullback was put out for a corner. Interestingly, when he saw the City attack, Williams got up and ran back to the edge of his area before collapsing after the ball went out of play. Foolhardy bravery or gamesmanship, who knows !
The corner went beyond the far post to be met by Jones, but his header was straight at the keeper. Burley, Drewe and Potter exchanged passes to tee up Ashby but his 25-yard effort hit Andrews. Keeper Hawkins was able to react though and changed direction to make the save.
With 8 minutes remaining a potentially decisive Leamington through ball was well read by Jones, who was able to get ahead of two attackers to play the ball back to McKenzie-Lyle, who cleared for a throw-in.
A minute later Leamington played a ball into the right-hand channel which Williams controlled and then played across the goalmouth to be met by Turner. His first effort was saved from close range by McKenzie-Lyle but Turner was able to back heel the loose ball into the unguarded net to give the Brakes the lead with a classy finish. 1-2 with 83 minutes played.
Leamington could have extended their lead two minutes later when Turner was put clear down the left, but rather than look up and play the ball to the unmarked Landers on the far side, he opted to go it alone and Jones made the tackle.
With time running out, Jones was now playing as an emergency centre-forward for The Hoops, and after Burley won a corner, a header from Jones went back across the goalmouth and was cleared. A cross from Drewe then saw Hawkins flap needlessly under no pressure and he was relieved to see Meredith clear the loose ball.
Five added minutes were to be played, but as The Hoops pressed, a corner was partially cleared and as Coyle stretched for the loose ball just inside the area he made contact with Williams, who went down as if poleaxed. The referee showed a red card to Coyle, but apparently it was a second yellow with Coyle having been booked for an earlier infringement which Fatbear had not noticed. Certainly, it was worthy of a yellow card but no more as Williams made a Lazurus like recovery to continue without the need for any treatment.
The final play of the game was also amusing. An Oxford City corner was cleared, and Leamington had a 2 on 1 break inside their half. Ezennolim challenged Evans, who rather than simply playing a ball to his teammate to run clear, opted to go down for a free kick rather than go for a decisive goal. Ezennolim was duly shown a yellow card and the game finished shortly after, but it was quite instructive to see that even at step 6 the mentality is to go down to win a free kick rather than go and try to score a goal.
At the final whistle, Leamington were deserved winners to bring an end to their away losing streak and to leapfrog above Oxford City in the table. However, perhaps a strength and conditioning coach is needed to prevent some of their frail lads being pushed about by these brutes in National League North !
For Oxford City, perhaps it was a game too far after two tough games in the week and maybe the side could have been freshened up. They wasted some good chances but only played some decent passing football once McEachran had been introduced. They should also make it clear that Andrews should not take any more penalties this season !
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLV-T2j_aYM
Oxford City : McKenzie-Lyle - Burley, Jones, Ezennolim – Drew, Ashby, Fleet, Scott ( McEachran ), Coyle - Andrews, Parker ( Potter )
Leamington FC : Hawkins – Meredith, Ward, Evans, Quaynor – Landers, Williams, Clarke, Farmer ( Shorrock ) – Berridge ( Edwards ), Turner ( Lynn )
True reflection of the Game.
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