Leamington vs Rushall Olympic - National League North - Match Highlights - August 26th 2024

hello and good afternoon from your cup Community Stadium I'm Shan kashmore next to me this afternoon is Craig Barns and you join us on this bank holiday Monday in the National League North it's last season's playoff winners lington versus the team that won it the season before them Russell Olympic last Tuesday night lemington had all three points stolen from them at the death as a Jed Abby header meant the game with alfon here fin 22 that meant that the braks made the long journey North just 48 hours ago seeing if they could make it three unbeaten back in this division just past the half hour Barrow fired in a shot that was blocked by the head of Evans but from the loose ball will Hatfield launched himself Airborne to fire in a spectacular right footed effort to give Darlington the lead but at the full time was it was fair to say the host Darlington were well worth the three points despite that slender margin sending the breaks to their first ever defeat at the home of Darlington Blackwell Meadows as for Russ Olympic we having lost all three of their opening games this season they took on a team lington faced the week before in spendmore town and gave the Moos the same kind of stern test the breaks had these two share a PED in many a away to lington and Russell Olympic overall the tail of the tape is three wins for lemington one for Russell when these two first ever met competitively and one draw on the fa trophy of the 1516 campaign so it'll be a corner over on the far side that Martin will go across to take left footed out swinger for the the picks early in this first half Martin swings in the corner towards the near post Yan Williams is there again with a great defensive header gets it all the way out of trouble Stewart can't get onto the loose ball Rush will pick it up again on the edge Campbell hooked away this time again by Yan Williams who's done his defensive duties well there and now Russ will pick it up just on halfway up towards bembo doesn't quite win it cleanly Russ wch w a free kick nothing doing as qua picks it up on this left hand side tries to send one long and search him for beish Chase ber and Wilkinson do battle in the end Wilkinson was not quite comfortable over the ball couldn't really get a chest or a foot or a head on it and in the end is just headed it behind for a corner lington take the corner quickly in towards the near post Russell weren't set King manages to clear away from his near post lemington will pick it up again with qua inside the russal half quain is going to swing one in all the way towards street street brings it down the penalty here in towards ber that toward street it's going to be street street has a go lemon won a penalty they feel that barage was B down I think they're only going to get a corner ber still appealing Adam Walker appealing it certainly looked dubious the referee I think was more tempted by the advantage than anything else and it'll be a corner only to lemington and it'll be taken over on the far side Rob Evans stands over it and I think quain is going to go and swap with him but certainly appeals for a penalty in the opening 15 minutes here for leming well it's great play wasn't it lovely ball from quar down this near side the lington left Tim barage did brilliantly up against the defender moves much more Stout and stockier W the corner and Havoc was caused from there nearly resulting in a goal and a penalty throw in for rushell deep inside the lemington half quickly going to be taken by McAllan is it no he leaves it to Campbell and he throws it in towards the feet of King King has it taken off his toes by shuro who's now backed up into the corner and just has to chip one out for a throw in again and now Russell can try and set up and reload this throw in this time mallan does take it King collected on this right hand side by Martin in towards the edge of the box where King Mak some space for himself has a go and it's easily held by Hawkins he had to watch it all the way it just moved a little bit in the air but in the end he easily clutched it into his chest and now quickly releases Meredith over on the far side Meredith over halfway keeps on going in towards Doyle Charles Doyle Charles Meredith again Meredith all the way to the edge fantastic Challenge on him by Ashton offer over on the far side side and now lemington will have a chance again for Rob Evans to take a long throw I think Adam Walker has potentially just said a little bit too much or it might be Callum Stewart who's just being pushed away by Adam Walker because the referee Jonathan masre has just called Walker over to have a word and I think there still a little bit frustration because thaton definitely feel they should have had a penalty a couple of minutes ago Evans throwing towards Street bounces Walker left footed volley oh what a strike Adam Walker Le Take the Lead at yart Community Stadium and it's courtesy the captain in his 116th appearance he gets into double figures for goals for the club that's his 10th and he won't have hit too many sweeter left footed half FY from Adam Walker flew past goalkeeper Paul White it's all come from a throw in on the far side from Rob Evans it missed everyone but it certainly didn't miss the left footed foot of Adam Walker who just lashed it into the back of the net how composed was Adam Walker there I mean he just bypassed everybody as you say in a blink of an eye there was Adam Walker half flying it back of the net the keeper didn't stand a chance don't think he even moved Wilkinson Center back a center back to offer and then offer gives it away to Stewart and now lemington are breaking with a little bit of intent Stewart in towards ber ber holds it up inside the penalty here he was never really settled to receive it but then Callum Stewart just charges his man down straight away and lington win it back great play from Stewart Doyle Charles out towards Meredith on the far side Meredith just calms things down sends it down the line in towards Stewart Stewart seemed to be failed that'll be a free kick really good play from lemington because it could have been two or three occasions there where they lost the ball and they were hit on the counter but and there's a player in the book as well maybe for a mixture of descent and the challenge I think it may have been Brad bu who's been book for russan Olympic his header has been sent back to him by George Wilkinson and this time he bowls it out the first time of asking stra to the head of Adam Walker so now they go down the line this time do the picks with boo again though it's really loose and it's poor from Russia they give it straight to Stuart inside their own half Meredith chips one in towards shuro shuro takes a great touch shuro finds the back of the net white couldn't keep it out he got a touch but Russell have been the makers of their own downfall give the ball away inside your own half at your peril give it to Callum Stewart that's an even worse idea cuz Callum Stewart used the pace used the agility fed it in towards shuruk shuruk great touch inside the penalty area just to get away from his man and then he sent it past the outstretch glove of Paul White lington double their lead it's will shck it's lington 2 russan Olympic nil and that will mean the world ter him having been released by rushall last year around the same sort of time when lington picked him up after he had got Rush promoted to this division it's a lovely touch Inside the Box dispatched with his second and put the brakes as you say two goals up it's the old football cliche isn't it we've said it before you always score against your old club and will shck who signed last summer from Russ Olympic who he helped win promotion in that 2223 season where the wide front man has come back to haunt them because he's hit the back of the net and he's managed to double lemington advantage that's will shock's fifth goal in his 36th appearance for the club and you can bet your bottom dollar he'll be Mighty happy with that one there a a young player who he's asked to play numerous positions across the front line he's thrived in all of them again Callum Stewart having a really good afternoon over on that right hand side he's won the throw in which Evans will take Evans in towards the penalty area Street went down Doyal Charles wins the head it's going to come down to shck just over the top little grin on his face from will shock I think he knew he could have done better I think his eyes lit up as the ball fell down onto his left foot but he just lashed it over the top of White's crossbar from all of seven yards out yeah he thought he was in Dreamland there didn't he having scored one against his former Club I think he thought you know bang here we go but uh yeah he's just got his foot under it a little bit and uh Over the Bar it [Music] went throwing in towards boo in towards the near post Beno Has It Go and it's touched in it's mallan and well it all came from nothing really Russell worked it neatly down the left hand side Brad Bo whipped a knit ball in towards the near post bembo tried to get a touch on it and in the end Madan just came bundling in about two yards out and tapped it into an empty net it's lemington 2 russan Olympic one Liam McAllan has pulled a goal back and after he chipped in for a goal at the weekend against spny Moore toown he's managed to get himself on the score sheet once again lington 2 Russia Olympic one and there was no way he was missing that it was literally on the goal line when he touched it in coming in from the by line it was good him play from Rush sh cross came in and there's the goal to make it 2-1 Evans winds it up hurs it in towards Edwards Edwards climbing a little bit falls down towards barage ber left footed drive straight into the gloves of Paul White barage did well just to hold his manof just to buy himself a little bit of space managed to turn on it and the left footed Drive was safely into the gloves of Paul White The russal Keeper look like it might be an Lyn of course five Subs that can be used Off the Bench this season which I think there's a massive benefit to teams at this level as Callum Hawkins goes long up towards Stewart Stewart being wrestled and hauled down and Bo could be in trouble here he's going to make his way into the book and bu has already been booked and Bo is given his marching orders well I wasn't sure who picked up the yellow card in the first half over on the far side I thought it might have been Brad boo but there's no doubt who's picked up the second yellow card it's boo again long ball forward Stewart a nuisance as always he managed to just roll boo a little bit tried to get away from him and then clear as day boo had a whole load of his shirt second yellow card he was booked in the first half of the free kick on the far side and Brad bu gets his marching orders and goes for an early shower and Callum Stewart has a little look around and says to the russal players I'm not entirely sure what else I could have done he was all over me the referee was ideally placed as well Jonathan masre there was no doubts about it from him he sauntered over pulled the yellow card out boo knew what was following it was the second yellow it was theed red rushell 2-1 down and down to 10 men well he can have no complaints about it can he really Stewart was just too quick for him it was a proper like rugby tackle wasn't it all over his mid Rift trying to bring him down really trying to just delay him trying to stop him and uh nothing wrong with what Stuart that is he was just hauled down street stays forward Lyn and Edwards in there Edwards trying to make a run from Deep Edwards hurs it in towards Edwards who wins the flick on sh roock at the far post ball up scrambled punched away going to fall down to Evans good drive good block really good block as well because it cannoned off the body of the number five Ashton offler Rob Evans hit it strong sweet and true but it goes out of play for another throw in on the right hand side can Russ win themselves a corner so lington need to make sure they defend their box well the ball will come in from Charles lemington 21 to the good in towards the near post headed goward and headed just wide well there's a warning sign for lemington really good deliv from Charles into a dangerous area and time seem to stand still really as the number two who's just come on Cameron McWilliams got a glancing header on it but it was a yard or so wide of Callum Hawkins far post and we were saying about Charles's deliveries weren't we about 1015 minutes or so is a good ball in there and lington are going to have to be super super careful from set pieces and from the height that Rush all have introduced with their substitutions Rose stall one Ro Bears down on the goal Road crosses in towards a dangerous area really well B though they took it off the toes of Charles who just doed on it and now Charles will try and spring it up towards the Topman Jerry McDonna McDonna gets around the outside of Evans McDonna oneon-one good save by Hawkins made himself bigger than near post quizzical looks towards both linesman and referee but nothing given as McDonna got goals side of Evans Evans went down then McDonna tried to stand up Callum Hawkins at the near post and slide it under his body but Callum Hawkins stood big and strong and blocked the Jack the effort then gathered up the loose ball it was a decent save but it potentially wasn't the best finish in the world from Jerry McDon and uh this naivity nearly read its head again didn't it because lington just couldn't quite get back enough but Hawkins superb um to stop the breaks conceding a second goal Paul Hollin pointing down the far end of the pitch he wants this ball nowhere near his goal but lemington Give It Away only as far as qua does the ball forward come from Russell an Lyn look like he was coming back from an offside position but nothing doing and joyle Charles will chip it into a channel for Stewart to CH too much on it collected by white we tick towards full time is there a chance left for Russell in this game no there is not the long ball forward from Paul White the goalkeeper is greeted only with the full-time whistle lemington have really had to dig deep in this second half potentially deeper than Paul Hollin would have liked but in the first half lemington took a 2-n lead into halftime goals cominging from Captain Adam Walker and former Russell Olympic Man William shuro and then at the start of the second half Russell made things interesting they managed to pull one back courtesy of Liam Madan after good work on the left hand side from substitute Charles put the ball into a dangerous area into the path of mccallan who couldn't miss from all of a yard out then as lemington look to try and settle and take control of the game with a lead Russia Olympic were reduced to 10 men Brad bu who was booked in the first half picked up a s yellow card for hauling back Callum Stewart and that meant that Russell had to see the game out with 10 men so it's finished here at you KK Community Stadium lemington 2 russan Olympic one will Pi you again soon PA you said after Saturday uh it lacked a bit of quality and knowhow um do you think that was answered here today lingon obviously have Come Away with the three points against rushall your thoughts on the game I thought our first half performance was was was where it needed to be it was sort of the response that we were sort of looking for after sat um lots of um lot of energy uh lot of purposeful playl and uh ask lots of questions and to be fair probably I think we um we're probably unfortunate you know not to be more than two up um I think sadly then we've restarts were a a big threat of these um whether it's from the goalkeeper through quick sharp they got the overload on the left hand side the cross has come across from I just somehow come across our first Zone our second Zone it's a poor poor goal and you could see us a little bit then I think this one we played four games in in nine days in this division but D about listen we did enough we did enough second half I just felt like it was blindly obvious especially when the they went down to 10 the space was in in the W they went really narrow like a diamond we just had to get the ball wide more we did enough and listen there was an element in in the performance second half that we you know we've we've considered you know a lot of light goals already um um we've we've had points snatched away last we had Point snatched away at Bon um you know and yeah but you know we did enough I thought the first half was as well as we played all season I think second half there was a bit of no there was more knoow there um we dealt with things we we we did rely on one great side from Callum um and uh now listen I think on the balance of Play We thoroughly deserve the result um but we just made it probably a look bit more I was hoping we could go on and ask a few more questions and maybe get that third goal wasn't to be Russell did much better second half they asked a lot more questions uh they were more resilient so yeah but listen it's a it's a great three points for us we're on boting at home yeah that's a good with the start when you look at the start we've had you take that you know we've obviously there's a couple of three points that we've we' can we've dropped we with a bit of light laps but as I've spoke in the interviews earlier on there's there's you know there's aot lot of play find in the way I think if you look at Joe do Charles on on Saturday you know you could see that you know a um Str to make an impact in the game and that was just little bit of not coming against a ter like Darlington before but you coming early today a little look at I thought it was excellent today you know he's played in the right areas and and he's you know some of those boys just a game understanding at this level and you know you hopefully we we learn from the mistakes we've made early doors um and the fact that we've seen the game out today is is an improvement on the last time we were here because we weren't able to see as and obviously these are a big thre threat with the set players as well so no so listen absolutely shattered the boys are really are it's you know it's um I was talking to Adam before the game who's just stepped up um from step three to manage at this level and it's one thing get beat in step two sides National League sides in oneoff games but when you're in a week in week out it's it's really tough so physically mentally so delighted from they deserve that result today and uh yeah so we'll have a bre there and we'll uh we'll go to Liverpool Saturday and Manchester Tuesday night but that's that's the natur the Boost just said that lemon are undefeated at home uh the next few games are all away how important is it to have a good away form as well a phone form in this yeah listen Paramount is the home form obviously we know that is the home form will always be like a lot of clubs the home form would be the the platform the springboard yes we've got to um you know we could have got one or two points on the road already if I think possibly so that's something we've got to try and address it's it's been a a longstanding problem that's gone over the last 10 11 12 years in the National League but yeah we got to find ways of doing that but confidence hopefully that'll give her a little bit of a lift um you know get sort of the AL thing out the system um yeah and um yeah to you know forg on S Marine really good good both good home sides but listen you know we've we've been very competitive in all the games we've played it was a really tough start when you looked at it sadly I said it after the game you look back you know it was a game that was you know yes at Arlington as they do had the ball in deep areas and whatever but you know it's another day I think if we' have managed it better we we could have got a clean sheet there so you know we're not a million miles away we're not Million Miles Away still thinking a little bit more but um yeah but uh that after the first block of games now got a little break for a few days that's you know that's a satisfying start and the I think our performances probably deserved another point or two um but no we've beted some boys in um we've got all kinds of goal scorers uh different players scoring goals all types of goals so there's lots and lots to like about the the first little batch of games e