Brakes bounce back in 1976

Roger Draper wrote in March 1976: ‘Battling AP Leamington have made the perfect recovery from their “torrid” time at the hands of Redditch United.  Since that disappointing 3-2 upset at the hands of the Southern League Division 1 leaders, Brakes have taken six points from three matches [fifty years ago it was two points for a win].  And with only eight matches left the Leamington club seem certain of promotion to the Premier Division for the first time. 

Manager Jimmy Knox, who has missed the boat so many times, Is justifiably proud.  “We were upset to lose against Redditch after going 20 matches without defeat, it was a jolt to our plans.  But the team refused to let it get them down and have responded in the best way possible – by winning.”  

There is a tremendous team spirit at the Windmill this season and Knox is convinced this is one of the major reasons behind their development.  “I have always made a point of attempting to sign the right sort of player.  His worth off the field can be just as vital as his ability on it.   I consider myself to be a players’ manager.  They must always come first.  But this season’s squad are a joy to work with.”  

This spirit was graphically underlined during Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat of Stevenage.   Striker Adrian Stewart, who has plundered 43 goals so far, once dashed over 70 yards to get in a telling tackle.  Says Knox: “Ada has been superb for us this season but he Is just as concerned about helping to prevent goals as score them.  All the lads are the same.”’

‘Second place Leamington gained two valuable away points when they defeated Barry with another vitally important goal from goal ace Adrian Stewart.   After taking the lead in the first half, Brakes held on comfortably against struggling Barry.  Brakes controlled the game for long periods and a packed defence was able to absorb heavy pressure from Barry for a 20-minute period in the second half. 

 Stewart netted his 42^nd goal of the term on the half hour.   Leamington showed all-round strength in attack and defence and were particularly quick when going forward.   Barry, always a hard side to beat on their own ground, started confidently.   It wasn’t long, however, before efficient Brakes settled down and dominated most of the first half with some incisive attacks.  Stewart completed a brilliant solo effort by slotting the ball past Barry keeper Trevor Nott from a narrow angle.

After the break the AP rearguard were lucky to escape on several occasions when only poor finishing by the home forwards denied Barry.  Leamington covered well though and still threatened on the counter attack.  From one such move Steve Lee almost put them further ahead but was denied by keeper Nott at the last moment.  In the closing stages AP defended grimly but managed to hang on to their victory.

Against bottom of the table Stevenage, Adrian Stewart scored to bring his tally for the season to 44 goals while Micky Boot ‘cracked home a devastating volley’ from an acute angle.  Both goals came from corners.   Keeley grabbed the third, having earlier hit the bar with an overhead kick.   Stevenage pulled one back in a goalmouth scramble.

Brakes lose crucial top of table clash

In March 1976 ‘Even two goals in the last four minutes couldn’t prevent Brakes slipping to their first defeat in 21 games to champions-elect Redditch – leaving them facing the daunting prospect of a tough end-of-season fight to hold on to their second-place promotion spot.

Leamington can have few complaints about the result.  For leaders Redditch, after a shaky start, settled to serve up the more deadly and penetrating soccer and in the process notch their 12^th consecutive league win.  AP though were never disgraced in front of 985 spectators – their biggest league crowd of the term - yet their inability to piece together devastatingly dangerous moves in the Redditch mould, was their downfall. 

All too often their attacks lacked the breathtaking speed of the visitors’ moves and Redditch’s resilient defence was able to fall back and reform.  Last season AP came unstuck after 23 unbeaten at a similar stage to leaders Bedford, and manager Jimmy Knox has a real task to lift his players for the remaining eleven games with Witney and Worcester hard on their heels.  I

In the first half-hour, it seemed as though AP’s top-scorer Adrian Stewart could become the key figure in the encounter between the two sides who have scored more than 130 league goals between them.  In the opening seconds he rose about the visitors’ defence to trouble Ward with an on-target header, and five minutes later he gave a glimpse of his remarkable acceleration with a rapid turn and burst from the half-way line before Clement cut in to hack the ball back to safety. 

However, Stewart had little other opportunity to frighten the visitors as the home side denied him a worthwhile service – especially after the interval.  It was a different story for Redditch as they gradually worked leading scorer Roger Shaw into the game.  Twice he ghosted up to the far post to scare Leamington before the best chance fell at the other end to Keeley.   AP’s front-runner hit a superb one-two with Stewart and was denied a goal as Ward came quickly off his line to knock Keeley’s drive over with his trailing legs.

 Redditch survived and Shaw finally made his presence felt when he glided on to a Dale header to fire into the far-corner from ten yards.   Four minutes later, Brakes were shocked again as Dale found space to send in a clever overhead kick.  Keeley almost narrowed the gap immediately after half-time as he got up to nod in a great effort from Boot’s corner – but Ward was equally to it with an equally-fine save.    

Leamington began to enjoy an abundance of possession but it came to nothing and Redditch continued to frighten with some lightning raids.  Tuohy almost got in on the act in the 60^th minute, but the best chance of wrapping it all up came to Dale in the 79^th minute when he broke free, rounded Davis but failed to take advantage of an empty net.  However, five minutes from the end, Shaw looked to have it sown up when he s

lipped through to pounce on an inch-perfect through-ball from Tuohy and slot home.  Two minutes later Keeley lifted AP with a fine opportunist overhead-kick goal.  AP pressed hard and in the final seconds they gained a penalty after Lawrence had handled, and Kavanagh put it away – but it was all too late (2-3).

Stewart turns down chance of league football

In February 1976 ‘AP Leamington striker Adrian Stewart turned down the chance of playing League football with Reading.   Stewart, who has notched 41 goals this term, was approached by the Fourth Division club’s manager Charlie Hurley and offered “attractive” terms.  But Stewart, who is a Product Engineer at Jaguar, said a firm “no”.   

He explained: “It has always been my ambition to make the Football League, but although flattered by Reading’s interest, the offer was not good enough to tempt me away from my job.  I had a long chat with Hurley, but looking at it purely financially, I did not feel that the move was the right one.”   

Stewart, who is 26, has been in brilliant form this season and his goals have jetted AP to within sight of the Southern League Premier Division.  Reading, who are challenging for promotion, have been watching him for weeks.  Hurley is understood to be contemplating making a new offer.’

Brakes faced Gloucester City away and ‘despite a spirited display by the home side were never in danger of losing this match. Once again Adrian Stewart was in top form, adding two goals to his “top of the league” tally.   His first came in the 40^th minute, headed past keeper Stow after almost every member of the team had helped the ball up field in a long sweeping movement. 

His second came in the 76^th minute, he coolly pushed past Snow following a long solo run through the heart of the home defence, for his 40^thgoal of the term.  Steve Lee bagged the remaining goal from close range in the 57^th minute.  His shot came from a scramble in the City goal area which had he usually strong defence in complete disarray.  The goal was just reward for Lee, who was in the thick of every Leamington attack.  He was prevented from opening in the 18^th minute by a superb save by Stow.   The ball returned to Lee whose shot rattled off the bar.   Mick Keeley also hit the City bar in the 7^th minute and always looked likely to score before a pulled stomach muscle midway through the second half led to his replacement by Brown.  

Gloucester were by no means swamped in this match.  For long periods they drove play into the Leamington half and had a closing tally of five corners to Leamington’s two.  But it’s goals that count , and Davies, Taylor and Kavanagh did well to draw the sting from the City attack.  And there could be little doubt that in the end the better side won.

Leamington’s next match was against league leaders Redditch away who were three points ahead of the Brakes.    The game was billed as the most important league clash of the season. ‘it seems  likely that Knox will name an unchanged side unless injury or illness lead him to do otherwise.   Newcomer Phil Lines keep his place in midfield after pleasing Knox with his show at Gloucester and keeper John Davis who first “stood in” when the team travelled to Redditch in mid-November prepared for his 14^th game with Leamington.  

According to Knox, AP were brimming over with confidence.  “If they win then the gap opens up to five points, if we win it narrows to one.  we haven’t  any thoughts of losing at all.”’

 

'Scott goes racing on'

That is the headline in the Non-League Paper today with a splash reporting the appointment of Scott Easterlow as Brakes supremo.

The report points out that Easterlow was in the academy before earning a spot in the senior side under Jason Cadden in the noughties.

Easterlow points out that he will no longer have to cross the Portobello Bridge or battle his way along Myton Road as Leamington is his home town.

'It feels like I am at a big club.   Leamington is a huge club.  These last few days have almost given me a new lease of life   I am as ambitious as anyone and the opportunity to move to a club at a higher level was too good to turn down.'

'The benefit of coming in at this point of the season is getting to work with the squad now.  There are some that I don't know. so I get to build relationships with them and if we do go down I will have a bit of understanding about who fits with how we want to do things,'

'Hopefully that will give a foothold to hang on to those we want to keep over the summer.'

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