Kolodynski makes instant impact for Brakes

New signing David Kolodynski made an instant impact on Saturday as Leamington claimed their fourth home league win on the bounce.

Kolodynski headed home substitute Alex Taylor’s 78th-minute corner to settle a clash marred by strong winds, which made for a frustrating spectacle.

The visitors, with the wind at their backs in the first period, gained their first clear sight of goal in the seventh minute when Jerome Anderson could only head tamely into the hands of Tony Breeden after being left unmarked at the back post.

A Hitchin break then saw Anderson flash in a cross which narrowly evaded the lunge of two supporting attackers with the goal at their mercy.

Both sides were showing plenty of attacking enterprise, but it took until just short of the half-hour for Brakes to create the first anxious moment for Town keeper Martin Bennett.

Liam Daly and Bennett challenged for Stephan Morley’s free-kick and Jacob Blyth picked up the pieces to head goalwards, only for Tom Pepper to clear off the line from under his crossbar.

Minutes later, Hitchin almost contrived to hand Brakes the lead when Pepper’s hurried clearance rebounded off skipper Dean Gilbert and narrowly cleared the bar.

Bennett then produced a fine save to keep out Michael Tuohy’s close-range shot after the midfielder had cut inside after being fed by Kolodynski.

Brakes almost claimed the goal their pressure warranted when Kolodynski’s cross rebounded off Pepper and inches wide of the near post. And, as the game ticked into first-half injury-time Bennett was again a relieved man as Kolodysnki’s lob caught the wind and drifted wide of the post with the keeper in no-man’s land.

The injured Morley was replaced by Taylor at half-time, but the pattern remained the same after the break, with Leamington creating the bulk of the chances.

A Kolodynski header was clawed away by Bennett before a Tuohy mistake allowed the Canaries to work a rare shooting chance for Anderson, who curled his effort over.

Blyth muscled his way into the box to set up Husband from close range, but the winger skied his effort, much to the disgust of the supporting Kolodynski.

Blyth again saw a header cleared off the line in the 78th minute, with Gilbert this time the covering defender.

However, from the resulting corner, Leamington took the lead, with Kolodynski stooping low to head home his first goal for the club.

Despite conceding, Hitchin persevered with their intricate build-up play, allowing Jamie Hood to mop up in front of a virtually redundant Breeden and it was the hosts who continued to fashion the chances.

Richard Batchelor and Kolodynski both dragged efforts wide of the post, while late replacement Tom Berwick was also off target as Brakes ended the game on the front foot.

Brakes: Tony Breeden, James Mace, Stephan Morley (Alex Taylor, 46), Lee Downes, Jamie Hood, Liam Daly, Michael Tuohy, James Husband (Sam Adkins, 76), Jacob Blyth (Tom Berwick, 88) David Kolodynski, Richard Batchelor. Subs not used: Craig Owen, Dior Angus.

Hitchin: Martin Bennett, Tom Pepper, Marc Leach, Laurie Stewart, Dean Gilbert, Louis Lee, Ieuen Lewis, Luke Gregson, Zak Burke, Jerome Anderson, Mitchell Cole (Callum Donnelly, 72). Subs not used: Tony Fontanelle, Carl Williams, James Edgerley, Josh Bickerstaff.