Brakes beat the 'Severn bores'

A slump by Brakes continued in the second half of October 1975.   They lost 3-2 away to Bromsgrove Rovers.  ‘This was a sad and sorry display from Brakes and they were fortunate to escape from the Victoria Ground so lightly.   The2-3 scoreline flatters them – for apart from the last 15 minutes when Bromsgrove stopped forcing the pace, Brakes were rarely in the picture.

 Once again Brakes had to thank a superb display by Dave Jones, who made two top-class saves and a host of other competent stops to deny Bromsgrove’s wide-awake strikers.  In contrast, Brakes had really little to offer up front, although to be fair to AP’s front runners the service they received left a bit to be desired. 

Quick-off-the-mark Rovers foraged and challenged constantly whenever Brakes had midfield possession forcing continual errors to thwart the possibility of forward moves. And their harrying paid off with Brakes being pinned back in their own half for much of the game.

Keeper Jones displayed his best form after only five minutes, throwing himself down to stop a ten yarder from Bobby Warhun.   However, Jones had no chance from the penalty spot two minutes later as Warhun  planted his kick out of Jones’ reach.  Keeley was scythed down at the other end and the referee had no hesitation in awarding AP a penalty, scored by Kavanagh.

A dour struggle was played out in midfield for the next 25 minutes, before Partridge swept in from six yards.  In the 70^th minute, Jones kept AP in the game with an immaculate save from a point-blank header from Partridge, but three minutes later Werhun slotted the ball home from ten yards.’   Brady made a run and scored a fine goal for AP.

‘Adrian Stewart gleefully wrapped up AP’s first win in five Southern League outings with a superb goal nine minutes from the end at the Windmill.   Stewart, forgetting the ankle injury that had forced him to limp out of Saturday’s defeat at Bromsgrove, soared to meet a free kick from Mickey Boot and Dave Stewart was left helpless by a fine header.  It was Stewart’s 13^th goal in 15 matches this season and came only minutes after he had substituted for Ivor Talbot, who had earlier notched the first AP goal.  

His effort enabled Brakes to clinch a much-needed win. Unfortunately, they deserved the success, yet they struggled desperately to achieve it against modest Gloucester, the “Severn Bores” who did little to make a game of it.   Even their equalising goal after 57 minutes came from the boot of an AP player as Alan Jones marred an otherwise competent showing by turning a back pass wide of Dave Garratt, who slipped and was stranded on all fours as it rolled agonisingly over the line.

If the goal was a sick joke, then Talbot’s too was a comic affair.  Left clear by Jon Brady’s deft lay off, the tall striker mis-hit his shot from eight yards but saw it roll past Stowe who was rooted to the spot.   But Stewart’s winner more than made up for AP’s general lack of awareness in front of goal.   In command at the front and mostly on top in midfield, Brakes should have won at a canter.  In view of their recent fumblings they will be only too pleased to have got a result.’