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.’