FOOTBALL: LEAMINGTON’S unbeaten league run extended to seven games on Sunday as Paul Holleran’s men put three past bottom club North Ferriby United.
The timely win extends Brakes’ gap between themselves and the drop zone to five points following 16 games.
Brakes made a strong start to Saturday’s game when star midfielder Jack Edwards struck following Kurtis Revan’s long throw.
North Ferriby threatened briefly when Ross Barrows drove the ball in from the right, forcing Tony Breeden to save at his near post.
Patched up Connor Gudger then curled a well struck free kick just wide of the post after Revan was brought down by Simon Russell on the edge of the box.
Revan posed all sorts of problems for the visitors with his pace and direct running, and he won a penalty for Leamington on the half hour mark when he was brought down by Jake Skelton.
Top scorer Rob Thompson-Brown stepped up to the spot and calmly slotted past Durrant to give Brakes a comfortable advantage.
There was brief panic when Breeden was forced to tear off his line to clear as the ball was played dangerously across goal, with Callum Rzonca closing in.
Thompson-Brown curled a free kick over the bar just before half time while Curtis Bateson drove a shot just over the bar from the left wing right on the whistle.
The result was put beyond doubt on 56 minutes when Revan’s turn allowed him to move towards the penalty area, where he was fouled to gift Brakes a second chance from the spot.
Thompson-Brown went the same way with his second spot kick, Durrant guessed correctly – but he was unable to keep the ball out despite getting a good hand to it.
The visitors came close to clawing a goal back late on, Breeden saving from Stephen Brogan after the initial shot was blocked, before Darnell Bailey-King pounced on a back pass but shot straight at the Leamington skipper.
Thompson-Brown was presented with a great chance to grab his hat-trick when a neat back heel from Callum Gittings on the edge of the box resulted in the striker curling his strike high over the bar.
Substitute Colby Bishop then beat his man on the edge of the box but rolled a weak effort straight at Durrant.
The striker then just managed to get his head on the end of a ball into the box, glancing a header into the goalkeeper’s hands.
Leamington: Tony Breeden ©, James Mace, Connor Gudger, Callum Gittings, Jamie Hood, Junior English, Kieran Dunbar, Jack Edwards (15 Joe Magunda, 70), Kurtis Revan (14 Colby Bishop, 77), Liam Canavan (12 Richard Taundry, 70), Rob Thompson-Brown.
North Ferriby United: Ross Durrant, Ross Barrows, Stephan Brogan ©, Russ Fry (16 Mitchell Langton, 77), Jordan Cooke, Jake Skelton, Simon Russell, Curtis Bateson, Kuda Muskwe, Joel Ambalu (12 Jake Picton, 69), Callum Rzonca (15 Darnell Bailey-King, 60).
Attendance: 529
Picture: Sally Ellis.
