Holleran upbeat ahead of key week

Jacob Blyth’s missed penalty condemned Brakes to defeat after 90 minutes and extra-time had failed to separate the sides. However, following on from a blank weekend, Holleran was delighted to be able to give extended run-outs to some of his fringe players.

“It was the ideal opportunity to get one or two players on the pitch who haven’t played,” said Holleran.

“Alex Taylor and Jimmy Husband have been in and out and it also gave us the chance to get Asa Charlton and Hoody back together and try out Kolodynski with Tom Berwick.

“We didn’t take the game lightly and put a team out to win it.

“Ninety-nine times out of 100 we would have won the game with the chances we created.

“The level of performance was where it needed to be and the only disappointment was one missed penalty.”

Leamington return to league action tomorrow when they entertain third-placed Cambridge City. A visit to Evesham follows on Tuesday night before a busy week concludes with a trip to fifth-placed Chesham next Saturday.

And, while the clashes with their two promotion rivals are ones to whet the appetite, Holleran is careful not to underestimate the danger of a midweek trip to St Georges Lane.

“It’s a big week for us. We play two of the sides who are not going to be far away, while with Evesham you never know what you are going to get.

“A Tuesday night game there is always going to be difficult.”

Richard Batchelor serves a one-match ban tomorrow, but Jamie Sheldon is back in full training after recovering from a broken metatarsal.