Stockport 1 Leamington 1: Deserved point at Edgeley Park shows just how far Leamington have come

If any more evidence was required of how far Leamington have come since 2000 it was there in abundance at Edgeley Park, a stadium that was hosting Championship football when Brakes were in Midland Combination Division Two.

With a crowd of 2,925 inside the ground and the home fans able to make a real racket under the roof of the imposing Cheadle Stand it almost felt like a cup tie, but the players clearly had their sights firmly set on winning three points and with a little good fortune they could well have got them.

Paul Holleran’s men got off to a dream start thanks to an unwitting assist from Hatters skipper Kieran Charnock who directed a pass into the path of Ricky Johnson.

The striker, recalled in place of the injured Stefan Moore, coolly rounded keeper Ian Ormson and slotted home to give the visitors a third-minute lead.

It was exactly the start Leamington needed and they proceeded to take the game to their hosts for the majority of the first half.

Lee Chilton was the next to threaten with a drive from the left that was held by Ormson, while Stephan Morley cracked a shot just wide from distance.

The skipper then slung over a cross from the left which Johnson headed just wide.

Ormson also had to be quick off his line to clutch the ball at the feet of the busy frontman as he bore down on goal again.

Stockport were misplacing passes early on but looked a threat when they broke forward at speed. A fine challenge from Josh Green prevented Kristian Dennis from breaking clear and the hosts should probably have equalised when Dennis’ shot across the goalmouth was turned into the side netting by Iain Howard under pressure from Paul McCone.

After Stephen O’Halloran scythed down Matty Dodd on the right, Morley’s free-kick to the far post was nodded back across goal by Liam Daly only for Johnson to head just over.

Howard set up Phil Jevons to blaze a shot over the bar before Danny Gosset’s free-kick from midfield was met by a looping header from Aman Verma that was held under his crossbar by Tony Breeden.

A turn by Chilton 25 yards from goal set up a shooting chance that was driven just over the bar, while at the other end Jevons received the ball on the edge of the area but his turn and shot was wide of the target.

Chilton was presented with another opening on the edge of the Stockport area but after moving past two defenders the ball was on his wrong foot and the shot went wide.

The livewire left-winger then fired in another good ball from which Johnson sent a flicked header into the arms of Ormson.

Breeden was forced to punch a dangerous corner away before McCone snuffed out a promising move which seemed certain to present O’Halloran with a shooting chance.

Stockport caretaker-boss Alan Lord threw on Adriano Moke and Tunji Moses at the beginning of the second half and both were instrumental in the home side’s improvement.

Moke sent an early effort over and Gosset drove a shot well wide before Jevons’ tumble inside the box had Brakes’ hearts in mouths, only for the referee to remain unmoved.

Leamington were a matter of inches from doubling their lead in spectacular fashion when Morley picked up possession 35 yards out and crashed a stunning drive against the angle of post and bar with Ormson beaten.

Kyle Jacobs’ shot flew well over as Stockport cranked up the pressure and they were rewarded when Jevons picked up a pass from Jacobs inside the box and finished low past Breeden.

Chilton pulled up sharply in midfield and was replaced by Craig Owen with less than ten minutes to play.

Fellow substitute Lee Moore, who was a busy presence in his half an hour, burst between two defenders but his pull-back evaded Johnson with no other gold and black-shirted player nearby.

Green received a late booking for a challenge on Rhys Turner as the home side probed for a winner, but although either side could have snatched all three points in the closing stages, a draw was a fair result.

STOCKPORT: Ian Ormson, Kyle Jacobs, Stephen O’Halloran, Danny Gosset, Jordan Fagbola, Kieran Charnock, Rhys Turner, Aman Verma (Tunji Moses, 46), Kristian Dennis, Phil Jevons, Iain Howard (Adriano Moke, 46). Subs not used: Ryan Jones, James Tunnicliffe, Bobby Lofthouse.

brakes: Tony Breeden, Paul McCone, Stephan Mor-ley, Joe Magunda, Liam Daly, Josh Green, Matt Dodd, Elliot Sandy (Alex Taylor, 90), Ricky Johnson, Jamie Towers (Lee Moore, 60), Lee Chilton (Craig Owen, 82). Subs not used: Lewis Fenney, James Mace.