Leamington 2-1 Curzon Ashton: Brakes end winless run with euphoric last-gasp winner

Local non-league side Leamington ended a four-and-a-half-month wait for a league win by defeating Curzon Ashton at Your Co-op Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

A fine effort from Scunthorpe United loanee Max Brogan on the stroke of half time was ultimately cancelled out by a late sucker punch from visiting striker Jimmy Spencer, but the Brakes were not to be denied as Tim Berridge netted a 94th-minute winner to send the home support into bedlam.

Hoping to put right an extraordinary 8-0 reverse at home to Telford United a week before, the visitors got off to an encouraging start by forcing Leamington ‘keeper Rogan Ravenhill into a number of smart saves early on.

It was soon the hosts’ turn to fashion a pair of half-chances in search of the lead. The best effort saw Dan Meredith embark on a swashbuckling run up the right flank before delivering an inviting cross in the direction of Brogan, whose header failed to truly test former Brake Callum Hawkins in the away net.

Brogan ignored the supporting advances of two of his teammates before firing an unstoppable effort past Hawkins

The visitors really grew into the game as the half progressed, as Spencer and then Alex Curran forced Ravenhill into two more sprawling stops. Despite keeping control, they were made to pay for their wastefulness just before the break.

Carrying the ball some fifty yards up the pitch from his own penalty area, Brogan ignored the supporting advances of two of his teammates before composing himself and firing an unstoppable left-footed effort beyond Hawkins, his first in Leamington colours.

It took the away side until the 68th minute to really threaten an equaliser, but once again Ravenhill was equal to what was thrown his way. Parrying only as far as Ben Darby from Curran’s initial low drive, the stopper picked himself up to somehow tip the second effort over the bar from all of six yards.

But moments after Archie Crowther had failed to double his side’s lead from a similar range, Leamington’s luck finally ran out.

This time, Spencer made no mistake in front of goal after being picked out by a cute headed flick-on from Curran, smashing the ball home from close range.

Leamington certainly offered little in the attacking third throughout the remainder of regulation time, but the signalling of four additional minutes brought with it a renewed desperation.

For home players and supporters alike it was a moment of pure jubilation

Some combative defensive work earned the Brakes one last spell of possession in the middle of the park, and within three passes Adam Walker found himself bearing down on the opposition back four. Finding Berridge in acres of space on the left flank, the striker’s deflected effort wrongfooted Hawkins and miraculously found the right side of the near post.

For home players and supporters alike it was a moment of pure jubilation – and relief – that had been months in the making, ever since a victory over Southport by the same scoreline all the way back in September.

Leamington next return to Your Co-op Community Stadium in February to host Oxford City on the 7th

In reality, a first three points since then does little for Leamington’s hopes of remaining in the Enterprise National League North beyond the current campaign, since Oxford City and Peterborough Sports, two relegation rivals, each picked up priceless results the very same afternoon. At the very least, though, Saturday’s performance proves that the Brakes won’t be going down without a fight.

Leamington next return to Your Co-op Community Stadium in February to host Oxford City on the 7th, which will follow on from a gruelling midweek trip to Chorley to begin the month.