Struggling striker turns keeper to save Brakes

‘Struggling striker Bobby Mellor turned in his most effective AP Leamington performance so far at the Windmill’ in November 1975 reported  Roger Draper. . ‘But it was a stand-in goalkeeper that the chirpy Mellor finally produced the goods to help smooth Brakes into the next round of the Senior Cup’, beating Halesowen 3-1. 

Taking over in goal after 37 minutes when Dave Garratt had been carried off with damaged knee ligaments, Mellor pulled off two amazing saves to deny hot-shot John Henderson goals during a forlorn Halesowen rally.   Henderson finally hit the target with a third time lucky attempt that swerved and dipped viciously to leave Mellor no chance.  But by then AP were coasting home by three goals after a comfortable outing against below average opposition.

Given a ninth minute lead by Graham Adcock’s swift turn and deadly aim, the Southern League outfit survived the loss of Garratt and raged further ahead with two goals in the space of two minutes.  After 56 minutes, John Brady calmly side-footed a defender before beating Colin May and then Adrian Stewart notched his 16^th goal of the term with an amazing effort.   Played clear as Halesowen’s loose offside trap was left in shreds, Stewart cleverly lobbed the ball into the empty net from 35 yards as May desperately charged out to meet him on the touchline.

In the league ‘Midfield man Micky Boot rifled in his sixth goal of the season to give AP Leamington a more than worthy away point against league leaders Redditch on Tuesday evening.  Anything less would have been an injustice as Brakes ridiculed the home side’s top of the table spot by serving up their best soccer to date.  

However, a glut of missed chances early on – and a misunderstanding between Gerry Kavanagh and last minute replacement keeper John  Davies – meant that Brakes remarkably turned around one goal adrift.  Boot’s 70^th minute goal put paid to the league leaders gathering both points – and in the final minutes of this interesting, open match the result could have swung either way.   And to the end, a point from the ordinary looking pace-setters – who have only let four points slip previously – will do much to boost morale in the Windmill camp and augurs well for the FA Cup game against Stafford next week.  

Brakes could easily have been four ahead before Redditch moved into a shock lead with their first attempt on goal.   Their keeper Ward brilliantly parried a Stewart rocket to safety in the eighth minute and from the corner did well to keep out Brown’s header. 

After the Redditch goal Brakes carried on undeterred to completely control midfield with Adcock, Lee and especially Boot in control.  Adcock narrowly missed by inches after the restart and in the 52^nd minute United had their biggest let off when a curling Stewart centre skimmed off the bar as Brady was running in below.  

At the other end Davies began to show his skills before Boot screwed the ball home after Brady had mesmerised Redditch’s right flank defenders.   As AP pressed forward for the winner, Redditch conspired to perform their best-looking moves that brought the best from Davies.  Three times in the last 15 minutes he saved well fro Shaw to earn Brakes the point.’

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.’

AP under the weather

In October 1975 ‘A goal ten minutes from time in a pulsating encounter sent AP Leamington out of the FA Trophy – despite a late effort by sub Ivor Talbot which hit the bar.   AP opened brightly with both Mellor and Keeley testing the Enderby keeper, but Enderby were being given too much time and space.   Both sides were playing superbly, and in the 55^th minute the home side went ahead. Vernon hoisted a free kick into the box, and with Jones only able to fist the ball clear, Massey hit the ball back for Cooper to crash it home.   

But AP fought back gallantly and ten minutes later they were rewarded when Adcock equalised.    The game developed into a real ding-dong cup tie with both sides going close, but in the 80^th minute Enderby tied it up with a neat winner.   Orgill crossed into the Brakes box and Mee turned the ball back for Dearden to ram a low shot pats Jones.  Five minutes later Brakes went within inches of forcing a replay as substitute Ivor Talbot fired a sizzling angled shot against the underside of the bar, but luck was on the side of the home outfit and the ball bounced clear. 

Brakes next faced Barry Town at home in the league.  ‘Brakes’ show was hardly the sort of homecoming that would have been expected for manager Jimmy Knox, back at the Windmill after a four week absence through illness.   Afterwards Knox, who saw AP’s dismal exit from the FA Trophy against Enderby, said he believed Leamington’s performance was an improvement – despite the fact that they never settled against a Barry side who belied their league basement position with some fast, precise football.

In almost a replica of last term’s encounter between the two sides, Barry set off at a cracking pace and as Brakes tried to follow suit, both sides fell foul of the slippery surface to produce for the most part a scrappy game.   AP never manufactured the sort of soccer they’ve been capable of away from home this season , and for long spells failed to stamp their authority on the game.

Indeed when striker Adrian Stewart nodded home the 54^th minute goal that rubbed out Barry’s 12^th minute lead, Windmill fans must have breathed a sigh of relief.   For Stewart’s equaliser – his 12^th goal in 13 games – completed the task that nearly always looked too much for an under-the-weather AP outfit.   As it was, Stewart hobbled off five minutes later with an injury incurred in a clash with the opposition keeper that makes him a doubtful starter for Saturday’s important FA Cup third qualifying round at Milton Keynes.   

And although that goal sparked off something of a revival in Brakes, that too faded as Town set their minds on a point and began to content themselves with simply destroying whatever AP managed to create.   Whenever AP did find a way through Town’s fairly-competent rearguard, they always found Trevor Nott in expert form – remarkably flinging himself backwards to keep out a Keeley header in the 40^th minute, and smothering an Adcock drive at the second attempt a minute after the interval.