FOOTBALL - Mooney strike keeps Leamington in play-off picture after Chorley win - The Leamington Observer

FOOTBALL - Mooney strike keeps Leamington in play-off picture after Chorley win

Leamington Editorial 14th Feb, 2022   0

KELSEY MOONEY’s wonderstrike helped Leamington FC secure a 2-1 win against promotion-chasing Chorley to close in on the play-off places.

Former Aston Villa man Mooney found the top corner to double Leamington’s lead on 13 minutes after Dan Turner had opened the scoring inside the opening minute at the Your Co-op Community Stadium.

The result means the Brakes sit 12th in the National League North table, having ended Chorley’s 11-match unbeaten run to leave them seven points outside of the play-offs.

And Leamington made a perfect start when Turner looped a header beyond Chorley goalkeeper Matt Urwin from Steph Morley’s left-wing cross.




Chorley responded with a pair of chances as both Adam Senior and Connor Hall went close with Brakes keeper Jake Weaver closing down the angle well.

And Leamington doubled their lead before the quarter hour mark when Mooney cut inside his man and curled an effort into the top right corner from the left edge of the penalty area from Devon Kelly-Evans’ long ball.


The Brakes almost trebled their lead when Kyle Morrison headed narrowly wide before captain Jack Edwards also missed the target from a pair of corners.

Chorley halved the deficit on 48 minutes when Brad Holmes stabbed home from a yard out after Weaver was unable to hold onto a flick on from a long throw.

Leamington almost restored their two-goal advantage when Mooney’s first-time shot cannoned off the upright after Turner nudged Morley’s cross into his path.

Weaver then made a couple of important saves to deny Ollie Shenton and Holmes and keep Leamington’s lead intact.

Brakes boss Paul Holleran said: “It’s always a hard earned three points against a side like Chorley.

“I’ve said before, I think they epitomise what you would expect a National League North side to be like – they’re full of experience, know how; and have a sprinkling of quality.

“You’ve got to go toe to toe with them if you’re going to have any joy. We don’t have joy against them too often, but the conditions played a big part today.

“I would say we played the conditions better than they did – I think that would be a fair assumption.”

Leamington are next in action away at Southport on Saturday, February 19 with kick-off at 3pm at the Pure Stadium.

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