Brakes overcome World Cup player

In March 1975 Brakes played Dunstable Town at home.  ‘Chirpy AP front-runner Dave Scriggins stole the limelight from former World Cup striker Jeff Astle with an ice-cool hat-trick.   And as AP extended their remarkable unbeaten run to 21 matches they came of age as a promotion force.  Now you have to believe it, Brakes are poised to surge on to the Premier Division.  

Trailing by two goals after 38 minutes of Dunstable dominance, the Leamington teams clawed back to be on terms at the interval.   They then punished Town with an explosive second half effort to have the club crowd on their feet.   It was a fabulous encounter with third placed Dunstable seemingly intent on putting the smile back into soccer, displaying a refreshing 10-man attacking formation that is bound to win friends. 

For a time this forward thinking influenced AP’s back four as Astle’s talented threat exposed alarming defensive flaws.  The former West Brom star slammed home the first goal with a 20 yard rocket – powered by his left foot – the foot that won the 1968 cup final but failed to stop the 1970 Brazilians.   And 10 minutes later AP fell further behind when leading scorer George Cleary displayed his ruthless finishing.   

But Brakes refused to buckle under the weight of this fluent Dunstable start and only two minutes into the second half they were ahead on their way to a superb victory.   Teenage goalkeeper Dave Ounsworth was sadly at fault for the first and third goals scored by Mick Keeley and Scriggins but he stood no chance against Adrian Stewart’s defensive equaliser. Scriggins’ second goal on the hour was an incredible effort with the home No.10 running half the length of the field with the Dunstable defence hopelessly caught in the AP half.   

Still Town came back with Astle forcing a mistake that saw Lou Adams pounce to attack a fine goal but AP had the perfect answer in the form of Scriggins’s third goal only a minute later.   This time Scriggins took advantage of a shocking back pass and he cheekily walked the ball into the net with the Dunstable rearguard hopelessly exposed.  “It was magic,” said the scorer who doubled his season’s tally in this one match.’  In case you have lost count the score was 5-3.

Unfortunately, ‘Jimmy Knox’s AP juggernaut shuddered to a halt along the road to glory’,  losing 0-1 at home to league leaders Bedford Town.  ‘But this Windmill defeat after a sparkling sequence of 18 wins and four draws stretching their way back to early December, was less than fair.  Bedford were  subjected to tremendous pressure that produced several amazing close shaves, but agonisingly for the “double average” 719 crowd, no AP goals.  

Three times the ball smashed against the ironwork.   And just to rub salt into the wounds the visitors stole away to snatch the points and virtually seal their claims for a rapid return to the premier division.   It was a frustrating ending for an AP side that has scaled the heights in the last four months but manager Knox took the blow in his stride.  “I suppose we had to lose sooner or later and it doesn’t seem so bad going down against the leader.  With Worcester and Cheltenham also losing, the reverse may prove not to be too damaging.”’