Great win for Brakes

It was the longest away trip of the season, but Brakes secured a 2-0 victory over Blyth Spartans this afternoon.

Brakes had an excellent first fifteen minutes and a brilliant first half. On six minutes Edwards headed home from a Dunbar free kick. Dunbar himself then scored on 32 minutes with a 25-yard free kick that dipped over the wall and went off the inside of the post leaving the keeper stranded.

Ahmed Obeng and Matt Stenson both have chances to score before half time.

The home side got a penalty on 64 minutes for a push in the back, but penalties don't faze us and Breeden made the save, anticipating the right way to go.

On 70 minutes Clarke cleared off the line from a free kick.

Brakes could have added a third in injury time, but Dwyer opted to shoot rather than passing.

Brakes are now 8th, behind Brackley in the play off places on goal difference.

Attendance 596, no figures on dogs.

The coach had to stop at Leicester Forest East on the way back, but the players seem to have enjoyed themselves judging by the photos on social media.

Villain of the week?

Former Leamington player Courtney Baker-Richardson has been named Championship villain of the week by The Times after he was sent off after five minutes on his first team league debut against Millwall.

The chastened player tweeted, 'A day full of emotions for me. Thank you all for your support. Not how I pictured my debut, I let myself and everyone down No malice intended on the challenge, was just eager to get stuck in. A mistake I will learn from!

Hard won point

It was a hard won point for Leamington in a 2-2 draw with AFC Telford at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium this afternoon. It was a tense occasion at times and the referee had difficulty in keeping control despite issuing a flurry of yellow cards.

On August Bank Holiday last year Brakes went down 0-3 to the Bucks and I feared we would be relegated. This year it was a different story of fifth versus second.

Brakes went 1-0 ahead on seven minutes from a Matt Stenson penalty. Gittings put in a good shot. Telford were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position. It was well taken and there was nothing Tony Breeden could do to prevent the equaliser scored by Dawson. A Leamington effort was just over.

Telford went ahead immediately after half time following a defensive mix up right in front of goal. Brakes then equalised through Hood on 62 minutes when there was a scramble in front of goal from a corner.

Telford then won a penalty on 64 minutes, but it was well saved by Breeden. A deflected shot from Dunbar hit the post leading to a Leamington corner. Towards the end the match petered out with neither side dominant.

Attendance was 812 plus one dog.

Brakes remain in fifth place on goal difference.

Two points thrown away

Leamington were leading Guiseley 2-1 at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium this afternoon. They were putting the visitors under some pressure, but a stupid foul allowed the visitors to break away and score a late equaliser.

Brakes had lacked quality in the first half and seemed reluctant to create any width. However, on 37 minutes Matt Stenson provided a cool finish with the keeper out of his goal to put Brakes 1-0 ahead at half time.

Just after the break, Breeden fumbled a fierce shot from distance, allowing the visitors to scramble the ball home. Junior English, who had been having a good game, then put Brakes ahead again from a tight angle.

Brakes are now 7th in the table.

Attendance was a slightly disappointing 495 and one dog. There was a small but vociferous Guiseley contingent.

A valuable victory

Paul Holleran said in his programme notes that Boston United could be in the top seven at the end of the season. Maybe, but Leamington secured an emphatic 2-0 victory over them at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium tonight in front of 656 and two dogs. Some of Boston's passing was good, but their finishing left something to be desired. They seemed to be specialists at putting headers over the bar.

Boston hit the post early on in the first half, but dodgy work by the keeper contributed to the opener. A great ball into the box was met by a diving header by Matt Stenson. The keeper saved it but it bounced backwards and rolled into the net This silenced the vociferous away contingent.

On 71 minutes a Dunbar corner was converted by Junior English with a volley that left the keeper with no chance.

Callum Gittings got sent off by the rather ineffectual referee. Gittings got a second yellow for an off the ball incident.

Don't overdo the pessimism

Coming away from today's 2-1 victory over Bromsgrove Sporting at the New Windmill Ground today, I heard a fan say 'I didn't like that. I think we're going down. I wouldn't base too much on a pre-season friendly.

We certainly look rusty in the first thirty minutes, often second to the ball while their No.9 looked dangerous. Bromsgrove managed to hit the upright. Then, as the half hour approached, one of their players put a bullet header into the net to open the scoring for Leamington.

With Breeden out of his goal in a vain attempt to challenge their No.11, there was an off the line clearance by Gudger, but then Bromsgrove put the ball into the open goal to make it 1-1.

Just before the break there was a great cross into the box from James Bowen and it was Matt Stenson who rose highest and headed into the corner from 6 yards. He looks very useful.

Much of the interest in the second half came from the lightning and torrential rain with the floodlights coming on. It was all rather scrappy and neither side looked like scoring.

I don't have the attendance, probably less than two hundred (actually 256),but the dog was there.

Breedstar!

Tony Breeden was the hero of the hour when he took a penalty this evening to put Leamington 1-0 up against Chorley. He then wisely did not take the second penalty in time added on, leaving it to Callum Gittings to make it 2-0.

Leamington are not mathematically safe, but they are 15th and it would take a very odd combination of results in the remaining games to see them relegated even if they don't pick up a point from their two remaining fixtures.

It was a feisty encounter with a blizzard of yellow cards and eventually Chorley charm merchant Josh O'Keefe got sent off for a second yellow in the dying minutes of the game.

In the first half Dodd had a one on one chance, but blasted the ball over. Chorley also wasted a good chance by blasting the ball over.

In the second half Chorley put the ball just over from a corner. In the closing minutes they had two free kicks in dangerous positions. The first came off the wall and the second was blasted over.

There wasn't much quality, but a lot of heart and commitment. I agree that we were unlikely to score from open play and the second penalty was a bit soft, but I'll take it.