A tight pitch, on a. blustery afternoon in Warwickshire made for a scrappy first half, where Connor Brown battled superbly up top, with little joy. Appearing to be held and grappled on numerous occasions, the Referee seemed to turn a blind eye. Much to the visiting supporters’ annoyance.

Kyle Finn looked lively for the hosts, but his cross couldn't find a team mates in amber & black. At the other end, Fraser Preston found himself with room to turn. He did that. Driving forward but not troubling the on loan 'keeper Brian Okownko.

A little sloppy in possession, Trinity invited the pressure. Finn switching the play for Owen Farmer on the left. His early cross flashed invitingly across the face of goal. Farmer was seeing a bit more of the ball, when he fired straight at Howard from the left corner of the box.

Midway through the half the visitors, with the wind at their back, started to string a few passes together. Trying to play with a bit more tempo, Ben Blythe saw an effort from the edge of the box charged down. Finn cleared off the line after Connor Brown nipped in behind and teed up Theo Williams, who turned on the accelerator to zip past the centre back and tickle a teasing finish beyond Okownko, but the ball didn’t have enough pace on it to beat the retreating skipper.

Kyle Belmonte and Jack Leckie were spoken to at a set piece for the hosts, with the two players jostling for possession, before Lewis Butroid poked a right footed attempt wide from the edge of the box. Fraser Preston then forced an acrobatic save from the home ‘keeper after a good move. Williams finding the ball inside for Preston.

The battling duo of Leckie and Belmonte were booked shortly before the break as their tussles continued, and the Referee looked to re-establish control. Okownko doing well to hold the fierce freekick, at full length underneath his crossbar.

Trinity fell behind on the stroke of half time. Harvey Sutcliffe mis-judging the flight of the diagonal cross field ball. Pulling off his should, Chris Wreh (junior) the son of the former Arsenal forward of the same name, controlled well, before slotting smartly under the advancing Howard. Against the run of play, and with into the wind, Leamington lead. Taking their first clear cut opportunity. Would the Holy Blues be made to pay, with the Brakes the more familiar with their surroundings?

Half Time: Leamington FC 1 Gainsborough Trinity 0

George Hornshaw found himself in the notebook early in the second half, before Brown did well to hold the ball up, against bigger, stronger defenders. Jordan Helliwell getting up in support, and driving a fierce ball across the face of goal. Roared on by the vociferous support that had migrated to the shed end, at the Hartbury Road end of the ground.

Brown’s movement was causing the hosts no end of problems. And when he did win a freekick in a good position, Preston couldn’t work the goalkeeper. Trinity were showing character, and came within a couple of inches of an equaliser, when into the wind, Archie Howard’s clearance found Preston. He in turn found Connor Brown, who fashioned his own shooting opportunity. His low effort striking the foot of the post and rebounding to safety.

Four minutes later, Brown did have his goal. Bundling home Fraser Preston’s ball from the left. The least Trinity deserved, off the back of their start to the second half. Leamington responded with a raft of changes, making all five changes in the space of seven second half minutes, before the 75 minute mark.

Preston continued to be a nuisance, another ball in from the left created panic in the Brakes defence, before Okonkwo eventually came to take. A mazy run following a neat give and go cumulated in the Gainsborough number eleven ruffling the side netting. Kai Tonge beat the offside trap, forcing a corner as the game began to swing from end to end.

Russ Wilcox tweaked things slightly, switching Williams for the patient Javelle Clarke who has been forced to bide his time. And with his first involvement, his jinking run and cross found the head of Fraser Preston, who steered his effort goalwards. Appeals the ball had crossed the line, waved away by the Referee and ignored by the Assistant, who perhaps was the wrong side to see clearly whether the ball had crossed the line or not.

Less than ten seconds later, Archie Howard produced a breathtaking save to deny Tonge to keep the score level, and Brown saw his effort blocked by Okonkwo with Clarke well placed to his right.

Leamington won a dangerous freekick 25 yards out, but the hosts didn’t capitalise with the sides trading stoppage time efforts. Helliwell firing over after good strength from Brown. And a jinking run created space for the supporting central midfielder. The final opportunity of the game – that ended all square. We head to a replay on Tuesday night to see who progresses, into the Third Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup – and who pockets the prize money!

Join us at the Kal Group Stadium, it’s a 7.45pm kick off, that will be settled on the night, whether that be at ninety minutes. After extra time, or following a penalty shootout. A battle to the end. Let’s go!

The Teams

Leamington FC: Brian Okonkwo, Callum Cockerill-Mollett, Ruben Freeman (Nathan Kabeya 63) Cam Eubank, Chris Wreh (Andre Wright 73) Kyle Finn, Owen Farmer (Dexter Walters 63) Louie Rea (Kai Tonge 73) Kyle Belmonte (Raj Palit 63) Byron Wilson, Ajay Weston
Subs not used: Jahdahan Fridye-Harper & Koby Arthur

Gainsborough Trinity: Archie Howard, Harvey Sutcliffe, Ben Blythe, George Hornshaw, Jack Leckie, Harrison Beeden, Lewis Butroid. Jordan Helliwell, Theo Williams (Javelle Clarke 85), Connor Brown, Fraser Preston
Subs not used: Elliott Whitehouse, Thornton Checkley, Ashley Jackson, Aaron Simpson, Lewis Greenfield & Ashton Offler
Gainsborough goal: Connor Brown 62’ (Assist Fraser Preston)
Gainsborough bookings: Leckie, Hornshaw & Clarke

Referee: Callum Timperley

Report by Rob Hughes (@AATM_Media)
Image by Josh Bloomfield (Leamington, Freelancer)