Frustrating away draws for Brakes

Brakes faced table topping Burton Albion away in March 1975 and both sides found the 0-0 draw frustrating.   Roger Draper commented: ‘Brakes must be feelng sick at the surrender of so many senseless points this season.   For the brisk performance against the division’s leaders proves they have the pedigree to bring Premier Division football to the Windmill Ground.   And but for their charitable dropping of needless points they would now be entering the finishing straight of the championship race with a great chance of going up.  This was never a classic.’

The report from the Burton paper complained about ‘a tough uncompromising AP Leamington defence.’   They referred to ‘an amazing scene in the Leamington penalty area just before the interval both Annable and the Brake’s Foster could count themselves very lucky not to be sent off.   The incident came after tempers had frayed following several niggling fouls from both sides.’

Naylor and Annable raced to grab a loose ball, Annable just got to it, Naylor fell down with a leg injury and Foster tangled with Annable.  ‘The first blow came from the Leamington player but he came out on the worst side of the deal but recovered after treatment.   Burton were always in command and pushed forward relentlessly against a Leamington side prepared to pull everyone back and to give away a free kick if real danger threatened.’ 

The crowd of 696 started to barrack one of their players who was said to forge forward ‘like a tank’.  However, a loudspeaker announcement revealed that Stourbridge were losing 2-1 at Tamworth and the crowd started to get behind their team.  ‘Then Leamington almost snatched both points when they were gifted a great chance by a dreadful George back pass.   Foster nipped in but Robinson capped a great performance with a fearless drive.’  Burton had held a special training session in the morning, but this was the first time they had failed to score all season.

Leamington also drew 1-1 away at Bury.  Bury goalkeeper Mel Davies ‘jumped around like a cat on hot bricks, scarcely gathered a shot cleanly, mistimed numerous dashes from his goal-line, and altogether conveyed an air of impending disaster.   Not until the closing stages of the game did Davies at last settle down to something of the form of which he is capable, with a couple of useful saves.

Yet he was beaten only once by Ivor Talbot after 30 minutes when Goodfellow’s right-wing corner was headed down by Bowden, and strangely enough it was Davies’ opposite number Dave Jones who made the most serious error of the afternoon.  With 20 minutes left, Jones advanced from his goal to cut off David Smith’s cross from the right, missed the ball completely, and Barry Gray coolly took advantage to score his 16^th goal of the season. 

Until then Leamington had been the more impressive of two-ordinary looking sides.  Now it was Bury’s turn to put on the pressure and they had a couple of chances to record their first win since January 5’, one created by ‘another faux pas’ by Jones.   But overall a draw was a fair result for Leamington – who surprisingly relegated 27-goal striker Norman Foster to substitute – also had their chances.   Lee missed three good ones.’  Leamington were 5^th in the table, 11 points behind second placed Stourbridge but with games in hand over the two teams immediately above them.