BBC website features Stefan Moore

BBC runs story about Stefan Moore prior to the cup game against Worcester City: Moore, Moore, Moore

Yellow submarine springs a leak

I don't know whether the playing of Yellow Submarine at the beginning and end of games does much for player or spectator morale, particularly given that we play in gold, but it is evident that the yellow submarine has sprung a leak in home waters. Leamington went down 1-3 at home today to Harrogate Town in front of a crowd of 482. Although we were treated to a display of poor refereeing, it has to be said that Harrogate deserved their victory.

Brakes keeper Collett is clearly no Tony Breedon, in fact he is much worse. It could be said that all three goals conceded today were down to him. Mind you, he didn't get much protection from our central defenders with Pierpoint failing to put a noose round the opposition. In contrast their central defenders largely kept Stefan Moore out of the game.

I occasionally go to Harrogate for work reasons and usually pass their neat ground. They were well supported considering the distance, although the chant of 'Harrow-gate' got a little monotonous. Paul Holleran had got his alibi in first by saying that their position in the table underestimated their strength and he seems to have been right.

The game started with controversy when Collett handled the ball outside the area. Some insisted that the rule book means that this is a red card, but I have seem a yellow given more than once, e.g., local lad Dean Kiely playing for Charlton at Newcastle. Perhaps the keeper's momentum carried him forward, but in any event he was fortunate. The resultant free kick came off the wall.

Harrogate's first goal on 14 minutes was the result of poor defending. The ball came down the left and our defender thought that it would run out, but the visitors were able to put in a cross and Harrogate scored through Callum Hassam with a tap in which Collett really should have got hold of.

Bloomer got booked for a professional foul on Morley. With Stefan Moore wandering on his own out in front of a team that was far too deep it was difficult to see where a goal was going to come from but Batchelor connected with a free kick to head the ball home on 42 minutes.

The referee increasingly lost his grip on the game, but Brakes supporters could feel at half time that there was some hope, even if the first 40 minutes had very poor. Indeed, we started off the second half reasonably well with Danny Newton having a shot.

Harrogate's Craig Nelthorpe had the appearance and manners of a Neanderthal (he did eventually get booked), but he possessed quite an engine and on 78 minutes he put a shot through a crowd of players that found the back of the net. Possibly Collett was unsighted.

Brakes looked for an equaliser, but on 86 minutes a ball played back in from a corner allowed McGurk to score at the far post. Again, Collett should have done better.

The referee continued to issue yellow cards and there was a quick whip round for a Specsavers voucher, but apart from the consolation goal it was Colwyn Bay all over again.

Moore! Moore! Moore!

That was the chant that rang out round the New Windmill Ground after Stefan Moore had scored a hat trick in Leamington's 4-1 victory over Gloucester City. They were all excellent goals as well. The other goal was scored in the 46th minute by the well-known Welsh international, Owen Goal. Leamington thus went in 2-0 up at the break and the visitors scored their consolation, itself a great goal, when we were 3-0 ahead.

We showed our intent by rattling the bar after five minutes. We did have some chances we failed to take, so those who were hoping for at least 'the old five' were disappointed. Moore's first goal was sublime and showed his coolness, composure and confidence. For his second he turned the last defender and put in a curler. The third was also a curler.

We were told at the Open Forum last week that the team were playing better away, but this was by far the best performance at home this season, finally putting to rest the nightmare of the Colwyn Bay. The game was played at a high tempo, but we out paced Gloucester City. We made particularly good use of the wings and there was precision passing rather than hoofing the ball (although there were some good and accurate long balls as well).

The game was presided over by a beautiful full moon, what used to be known as a Harvest Moon, although it's a bit late for the harvest. Unfortunately, it affected the linesman on the stand side who made some bizarre decisions, but all his efforts to redress the balance for Gloucester came to nothing. I thought that the referee had a good game.

The attendance was 457 plus one dog, with quite a few Gloucester fans in attendance. We are now 7th in the table. Of course, we shouldn't get too excited but at least we are away from the relegation battle.

Barrow have had an injection of cash following their takeover, their American-based owner having been brought up in the town: Barrow

I was not far from there last weekend and I hope the good weather holds.

Bay Watch

Talking to someone about the game earlier in the day, I said that Leamington should win. I should know better than to read results off the table at this time of the year, or indeed at any time of the year with the Brakes going down 0-3 at home to Colwyn Bay.

Reading the programme, they had the look of a makeshift side with a lot of references to players 'showing potential'. In fact, at the very least, as the Bloke Behind Me put it, 'They are better rubbish than we are.' They decided to make a go of it and seemed to want it more. They at least tried to play football. We did at times, but mostly it was hit and hope, with the hot line to air traffic control glowing red as the ball sailed into the air. Why not play the ball along the ground which makes it easier to control?

It was also a tale of two keepers. Josh Ollerenshaw for the Bay was outstanding, making a series of great saves to preserve a clean sheet. Breedon is a hard act to follow, but Collett is too inclined to rush out of his goal and seems to exhibit nervousness, although today's result will do nothing for his confidence.

There was danger when Collett rushed out of his goal early in the game. Dodd won a free kick on the edge of the area, but the scramble in front of goal was unproductive. Stefan Moore put in a curling shot which nearly found the back of the net. Aaron Ray scored for Colwyn Bay on 21 minutes, Collett getting a hand to the ball but just pushing it into the back of the net.'

Pierpoint could feel the noose tightening around the Brakes and urged his fellow players (in more vigorous language), 'We've all got to wake up.' However, the sleep walking continued and after an inadequate save by Collett, Ray was able to find the back of the net again to make it 0-2 on 31 minutes. Goddard put in a good ball from distance, but Stefan Moore's effort was ruled offside. Chris Noone put in a rugby tackle and received the only yellow card of the game.

Both teams assembled on the pitch after the break, but there was no sign of the officials. The referee may be a postman, but he is clearly often late with his deliveries. Eventually he ambled out to shouts of 'Have you had enough, ref?

Ollerenshaw made a great save to deny Leamington. Newton had been on the bench, presumably because he was not fully fit, but he was prepared to come on, then stayed on the bench for some time as those around me called for a change. Eventually he did come on to replace Batchelor. Following a Brakes corner, Ollerenshaw made a great save on the line. Lee Moore was taken off and replaced by Wint who did add something. However, on 77 minutes Colwyn Bay were awarded a penalty scored by Barbados international Moss. The game was then effectively over although Brakes huffed and puffed, although it was nearly 0-4.

I missed last week's game because I was catching a play to Beijing where I was performing the role of 'elderly foreign person'. I am sure it wasn't just jet lag that made this seem like a poor performance. In fact it's the worst home performance I can remember since the midweek defeat by Vauxhall Motors and Bay's Noone used to play for them.

Not that relaxing

'Relax! Relax!' was the repeated cry of the referee at the New Windmill Ground. But it wasn't that relaxing as Leamington went down 0-1 at home to Guiseley with the referee and his incompetent linesman ignoring a handball from an extended arm in the area. The assessor ran out before the end of the game, but I hoped he noted the error in his report.

Having said that, I did not think our performance was all that good in a rather dull match. Stefan Moore is a cut above the other players, but the midfield still seems to fail to function properly. Of course, they may be because the ball is soaring over their heads. There was too much reliance on a rather predictable long ball. In the second half, moreover, we failed to get a really convincing shot on target. At times there were potential chances, but the advancing player failed to take a shot which might at least have led to a corner.

Some silky skills were shown early in the half when Danny Newton released Stefan Moore but the Guiseley keeper managed to save. A good Leamington attack then broke down through ball watching. Guiseley started a spell of pressure with two corners. It was a bit worrying that Guiseley's Gavin Rothery was virtually able to walk through the Brakes defence. Towards the end of the half Collett had to make a diving save, but it was one that a good keeper should have been able to make.

The new first aid facility was useful at half time when a number of fans in the crowd of 523 and the customary dog had to be treated for over excitement at the spectacle they had seen.

Guiseley had a near miss early in the first half. Danny Newton failed to make use of one of the best chances of the game for Leamington. On 57 minutes the visitors scored with a shot from distance. Collett seemed to be rooted to the spot, only making a slight movement as the ball went in the net.

The home crowd set up a chant of 'Richard Batchelor' and the 'impact player' came on and he certainly put himself about. Collett made a good save. We then had the handball incident which led to the rather unusual chant of 'You're not fit to run the line.'

The visitors were not really being troubled by Leamington and it was difficult to see where a goal would come from, although one late effort by Lee Moore was just wide of the post. Not a surprising result, but still a disappointing one.

Sending off ends match as a contest

Paul Holleran has made it clear that he doesn't like pre-season matches, stating in the programme today that they were a ritual that had to be gone through. He will be even less happy after Joe Magunda got sent off in the first half for a reckless tackle. The Nuneaton boss has claimed that it was a potential leg breaker, but arguably the referee was influenced by a worse tackle by James Mace shortly beforehand. I have seen referees just ask for the offending player to be replaced in such circumstances. Let's hope that the referee doesn't make a report and Magunda ends with a ban. The referee is a leisure centre manager, so probably gets lots of chances to be officious in his day job as well.

Nuneaton were already in a commanding position before we went down to ten men and it spoilt the match as a spectacle. Indeed, the greatest excitement was caused by a thunderstorm and heavy rain in the second half which caused the floodlights to be switched on. After the sending off, all Brakes could do most of the time was defend and they can claim some credit for keeping the score line to a respectable 0-2, both Nuneaton goals being scored in the first half. We were better in the second half, but whenever anyone broke forward they simply lacked enough support to achieve anything.

This was the first pre-season match I have been to and there is evidently still some work to do. The midfield can't keep possession well and as a result we are hoofing the ball forward. However, from time to time, we did pass the ball quite neatly. Good to see Richard Batchelor back, but he doesn't look match fit.

Breedon will be a hard act to follow, he saved us a number of points last season. The new keeper is not of the same calibre, but I wouldn't blame him for the two goals and he did make a couple of very good saves.

It will be a tough start against Guiseley next week.

Draw was no bore

Leamington played out a 0-0 draw with Boston United at the New Windmill Ground in front of a crowd of 792, but it was no bore draw. More was at stake for Boston United who were hoping to keep their play off hopes alive, but both sides battled away in what was often an end to end match. Both goalkeepers had an excellent game, although Boston's Lewis King looked as if he had injured himself at the end of the game by landing heavily.

Boston won an early corner, then Lee Chilton shot wide after good work by the tireless Danny Newton. The visitors hit the crossbar after they burst through, but their player looked offside, but the lino on the stand side had difficulty in raising his flag. Tony Breeden had to make a good save from a fiercely driven shot from distance. Nathan Hicks had a great run which led to a corner. Boston charm merchant Ricky Miller got a yellow card for dissent after disputing a Brakes free kick. Ryan Higgins picked up an unnecessary yellow card for a foul. Tony Breeden had been kept busy throughout the half with a number of on target shots but always dealt with them confidently.

In the second half the vociferous visiting contingent kept up their interventions, appealing for a penalty more than once. Boston headed over from a corner and then had their best chance of the game after another corner when they were gifted a free header but were not able to make use of it. Leamington had their best chance of the game when Danny Newton was one on one with the keeper, but somehow he managed to make a fingertip save. The referee somehow found five minutes to add on, but although most of the play was in Leamington's half, they stood firm. Liam Daly was solid in defence throughout.

The result and the performance shows how much progress we have made since a poor 2-0 defeat at Boston back in August. The day was only spoilt by a poor choice of music on the PA about which a number of people complained.