Tuesday 13 September 2016

Great fight back by Brakes

Leamington staged a great fight back against Redditch United at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium tonight to win 2-1. The home side took a sucker punch in the third minute when the visitors broke from a Brakes corner and Danilo Johnson was given the space to score with a header. Breeden didn't seem too happy with the lino.

The Redditch keeper then made a great save from Jack Edwards and Breeden made a good stop to keep Brakes in the match.

Gudger replaced Tom James at half time because if injury. When Taundry came on in place of Lilly he made a real difference, commanding the midfield and positioning himself well to influence the game. Redditch increasingly resorted to fouls and received a number of yellow cards.

On 64 minutes Rowe equalised from a corner. This revitalised Brakes and Hood then made it 2-1 in a goalmouth scramble.

The Harbury Lane end kept up a chant of 'You can stick your Ferrari up your ****' as Brakes defended their lead with vigour.

Leamington are fourth, two points behind new leaders Slough Town.

Attendance was 408 and one dog.

Saturday 10 September 2016

Lessons to be learned

A 90th minute penalty secured Weymouth a share of the points at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium this afternoon, Leamington drawing 1-1 with the Terras. It cannot be said that it was an unfair result with Weymouth pressing hard down the slope in the second half. What you shouldn't do when you have a 1-0 lead, having missing a couple of chances to score, is to sit back and defend because sooner or later, one way or another, the opposition will find a way through

On a damp but mild afternoon, supporters were regaled by Alice before the game who seemed to have something with the Co-op, but was handing out clappers rather than a divi. Three boxers were also introduced before the game, quite why I don't know, but I saw them mixing with the crowd at half time, one asserting that in street fighting there were no rules. I have been told they were local youths who had won regional belts and hope to box for England.

We chose to change ends and I thought we would have been better off playing down the slope in the second half.

Tony Breeden had to make a good save on the line. Then after twenty minutes, good play involving a jinxing run saw Obeng set up Ryan Rowe whose shot was firm but not over hit to make it 1-0. Great build up play then gave Thompson-Brown a golden chance, but somehow he hit the crossbar. Hood was providing some good defensive work, as he did throughout the match. Two late corners from Leamington created some pressure.

The Terras applied more pressure after the break and Breeden had to get down to make a good save on the ground. Debutant Zak Lilly, brought in on loan from Telford with the aid of the 12th man fund, then had a great chance to score, but put the ball over. Hood received a yellow card for handball. Weymouth's big lump Stephane Zubar (who has played for a number of clubs in France, Romania and England) then received a yellow card, having already given his views to the referee earlier in the game.

An example of how the Brakes were getting things wrong was when a free kick was played to an opposition player and we then found ourselves under pressure. Tony Breeden had to save from a Weymouth substitute who was one on one with him and should have scored. The penalty was awarded around the 90th minute and AFC Bournemouth product Charlie Davis made no mistake in putting it in the top right-hand corner, giving Breeden no chance.

Referee Abbas Khan managed to add about seven minutes on, but although the Brakes piled on some frantic pressure, it was too late and to no avail.

Leamington are now 4th, three points behind leaders Chippenham.