Good win for Brakes

Leamington had an excellent 3-0 win over Gloucester City on a cold and raw December day at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium. Leamington are 14th in the table behind Kidderminster and AFC Telford on goal difference.

It was a slow start in terms of chances with neither side creating much, although Brakes did more of the attacking. They gradually got on top. It was a case of one shot, one goal with Jack Edwards set up perfectly by March to slam a first time shot into the net. This was followed up by Josh March put the ball into the net to make it 2-0 at half time.

Just before the break there was great play from Maycock as he set off on a driving run from the right and exchanged passes with Edwards before bludgeoning his way into the box. However, with Maher to beat he blazed well over, pummelling the pitch in frustration. The Sky Blues youngster had a good game, nevertheless.

Substitute Kieran Dunbar came on at 87 minutes and scored with practically his first touch, a great back heel from George Carline played him in and he stabbed the ball past Maher into the far corner.

Attendance was 535, too cold for dogs.

Great win for Brakes

It was the longest away trip of the season, but Brakes secured a 2-0 victory over Blyth Spartans this afternoon.

Brakes had an excellent first fifteen minutes and a brilliant first half. On six minutes Edwards headed home from a Dunbar free kick. Dunbar himself then scored on 32 minutes with a 25-yard free kick that dipped over the wall and went off the inside of the post leaving the keeper stranded.

Ahmed Obeng and Matt Stenson both have chances to score before half time.

The home side got a penalty on 64 minutes for a push in the back, but penalties don't faze us and Breeden made the save, anticipating the right way to go.

On 70 minutes Clarke cleared off the line from a free kick.

Brakes could have added a third in injury time, but Dwyer opted to shoot rather than passing.

Brakes are now 8th, behind Brackley in the play off places on goal difference.

Attendance 596, no figures on dogs.

The coach had to stop at Leicester Forest East on the way back, but the players seem to have enjoyed themselves judging by the photos on social media.

Victory at home at last

Leamington beat Bradford Park Avenue 2-1 at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium this afternoon to move to fourth from bottom in the table. They gave away an easy early goal from a corner, but then Dunbar caught the keeper out of his goal and made no mistake in getting past him for the equaliser. It was 1-1 at half time and the match could have gone either way, but two substitutes provided decisive. Clever work in the box by Kurtis Revan set up Ahmed Obeng to make it 2-1.

It was a balmy early autumn afternoon, but the early setback with the visitors given a free header by calamity defending caused gloom among Leamington supporters. However, as the Bloke Beside Me pointed out, it could be a blessing in disguise as it stopped us being defensive.

There were too many hopeless balls being punted forward to no one in particular when short passes on the ground were needed. The visitors were getting a lot of corners. Hood put in some good defensive work, his headers stopping potential danger. Bradford's No.11 was booked for kicking the ball away, but continued to protest and seemed to blame the lino who had not touched the ball. It was quite a physical encounter.

Leamington applied pressure in the second half, but could not find the back of the net. Breeden had to make more than one excellent save. On one occasion Hood and English let their centre forward through on goal. Joe Magunda, who put in a fighting performance, got booked for a bit of afters. Many of us thought that the Bradford player should have been booked as well. Rob Thompson-Brown hit the keeper's knees from distance. After we scored the goal, we managed to hang on despite one or two scares.

I would rate this as the best home performance I have seen this season and the win was well deserved. We should remember that Bradford are an in form team.

Attendance 502 and one dog.