Brakes stand firm

Brakes now have the best defensive record in the league after another clean sheet in the 1-0 win over Bradford Park Avenue yesterday.  The visitors tried to press in the closing phase of the game, but we stood firm and the Hawk admits that he was rarely troubled.   We are now 6th in the league.

There were chances we could have taken to add to the score.   Devon Kelly-Evans (whom I sponsor) was impressive.    Theo Streete was included in the Non-League Paper team of the day.

Disappointing attendance with only three from Bradford apparently, but good to see Keith Hancock back.

Brakes win the M40 derby

It was a good weekend for Leamington FC against the top two teams.   First they withstood the onslaught of King's Lynn to secure a valuable away point and then beat Banbury United 1-0.

Banbury adopted the fashionable practice of playing out from the back.  It's one thing doing that if you are a top Premiership side, another in tier two of the non-league.  Some of their approach work was good, but their finishing was not clinical.

It was a fairly even first half and we missed one or two chances, but finally Louis Hall scored a debut goal just before half time.

We were forced back a bit in the opening phase of the second half, but then recovered and held on for the three points.  The Banbury supporters kept directing a Onanist chant at the Hawk, but he was not put off.

Deserved man of the match award for Theo Storey.

The referee had a decent game, used his cards no more than he had to.

Despite concerns there was very little trouble but apparently the Banbury fans stayed chanting for 20 minutes after the game.  

I didn't expect that!

I expected we would beat Farsley Celtic this afternoon, but 4-0 exceeded my wildest hopes!  Just a shame we couldn't make the old five.

Danny Turner got a brace.  For his first goal Turner got the better of his man just outside the box and laid the ball back for Devon Kelly Evans, whose attempted shot found Jack Edwards at the far post. His shot was blocked, but the ball ran for Turner on the other post, and he rammed it home.

Brakes were 3-0 up at half time and scored again just after half time. We broke down the right through Simeon Maye, and he sends the perfect low cross in for Turner to slam home first time at the far post - no chance for the keeper.

Farsley then stepped up their game and the Hawk had to make the first save of the match.

Holleran praises talented youngsters

Paul Holleran has told The Non-League Paper he believes he can have a positive impact on some of the talented youngsters coming through the ranks: 'The main plusses from the season where the young boys coming in and doing well for us.'

'You look at Dan Turner, it was his first full season in the National League North and he gets 17 goals.  Dan Meredith, his first season, and he's been great.   Devon Kelly-Evans the same.  We have bedded in three or four really good young players.'

Holleran commented, 'As with anything in life, the longer you do it, the better you get.  I have seen things before, been in different scenarios, in tough times you can relate back to it, and use it in matches and moments.'

'I like to think I can be a calming influence and bring that to the players.   They are all good footballers, but it's that psychological and emotional difference.   If they can make good decisions and stay in control of their emotions, then they tend to perform better.   Sometimes you've just got to take it away from the players and deal with it yourself.'

Referring to players who have moved on to a higher level, Holleran said, 'It is a great motivation for younger players to come here, when they can see others have had a similar path and we have helped them get back into full time football.'

'People might criticise us for letting them go but we'll bring in players who have chosen us because they know what the move is capable of.  We take a lot of satisfaction out of trying to get players back into the Football League full-time.    The good thing is the players know if they want to move up, they have to do well for Leamington.'

He reckons it will be a tough and challenging season with new and well-resourced teams entering the league. 'The next step for us is turning into an established team, maintaining our position and gradually climbing up the league.  A lot of managers will be mindful that there are more teams going down next year.'

Victory!

Congratulations to Leamington on retaining the Birmingham Senior Cup, well done Paul Holleran and the team.  Let's use it as a platform for next season.

To my regret, poor health meant that I could not go.   A match report here: https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2022/05/04/1110586-leamington-3-1-stourbridge-brakes-secure-birmingham-senior-challenge-cup-at-villa-park.html

Semi-final victory for the Town

Unfortunately heavy rain which was at times ‘almost tropical in force’ kept the crowd at Old Warwick Road down to five or six hundred for the Birmingham Junior Cup semi-final against Bournville, a team from a higher level league. 

They missed ‘a great game.   The Town’s form against a team which is supposed to play a superior class of football was truly “an eye opener”.   It was not, as frequently happens in cup matches, a case of the bigger team’s scientific play being at a discount against the less clever, if more successful, bustling, kick-and-rush tactics of the smaller side.   Bournville had met in the Town a team quite equal to themselves in every department of the game and in some respects – forward work, for instance – their superior.’

 The visitors won the toss and chose to play with the wind in their favour in the first half.  Nevertheless, the Town had the better of the opening exchanges.   Pritchard on the wing and star striker Gathercole were working together well, but the first goal was scored by Reading in a ‘goalmouth scrimmage’.   However, Bournville equalised, Allcock’s dive being a fraction too late to make the save.   Gathercole was unlucky not score from a free kick outside the penalty area, but it remained 1-1 at half time.

In the second half, Town returned to the attack.   This opened them up at the back, but Jonas was brilliant in defence.    Only Waters was thought to be below par.  The winning goal was scored 15 minutes from time by Reading, again from a scrimmage.   At this the Spa crowd lost it and ‘there was an outburst of almost delirious applause which one rarely hears from a Leamington crowd.’    Looker On concluded, ‘I have never seen the Town play such a splendid game.’

Festive season does not stop Brakes progress

There were concerns about whether the players might over indulge during the festive season.  However, their performance away at Lord Street, this time in the league, allayed any concerns: ‘Judging by the way the Town forwards and halves rushed about, they must have rigidly eschewed the various good things with which we generally overburden our digestive organs at this period of the year.  Whether the Leamington team’s obvious superiority was due to their absteimousness this festive season I do not know.  At any event we know that boys will be boys, especially Coventry “bhoys”.  ‘Nuff said.

’The next fixture was at home to Cradley Heath in the Birmingham Junior Cup.  They were seen as being formidable opponents, having lost only one game in their league all season and having knocked out a team that won the cup twice in an earlier round.  Town started to kick towards the Municipal School end and ‘it was one of the toughest struggles we have seen at Leamington this season. 

It was not a brilliant or scientific game by any means.  What was the point of trying to do clever things with a ball that rarely bounced, and utterly failed to respond to those delicate touches necessary for good dribbling?’    The score was 0-0 at half time, but in the second half Town ‘had the better end for shooting’ and their star striker Gathercole pounced to make it 1-0.

Then disaster struck.   The outside right for Cradley had a violent collision with Jonas and broke his left leg.   An immediate collection was taken for him and raised £3-12-6d which was made up to £4 by Town players.  (Nearly £500 at 2021 prices).   However, Cradley then refused to continue playing and the match had to be abandoned, to the considerable annoyance of the large crowd of spectators.    The referee insisted that he had nothing to do with the decision. 

Cradley refused to concede the fixture and it had to be played again.  In the first half Leamington provided ‘a lot of clever passing’ and Gardner dribbled well. He might have scored if he had shown ‘more energy and dash’.   However, both goalkeepers were on top form and there was little to choose between the two teams with the half ending goalless.    

The crowd, however, remained quietly confident, knowing that Town were ‘great stayers’ and generally put in a better second half performance.    ‘Leamington gradually asserted their superiority after the interval and the ball was kept well within the visitors’ territory. 

 Town’s superior fitness levels decided the day with them winning 2-0.  ‘Cradley were played almost to a standstill at the end of the game and the poor backs had hardly a kick left in them.   The Town players, on the one hand, showed splendid stamina, keeping up the same fast pace throughout the game.’