Brakes lose Battle of the Spas

It was a frustrating afternoon for Brakes supporters at Harbury Lane as Leamington lost the Battle of the Spas, going down 1-2 at home to Harrogate Town on a cold and blustery afternoon in front of crowd of 608. Following a good draw away at Solihull and a creditable performance against league leaders North Ferriby United, supporters were hoping for more from this mid-table clash.

Leamington started brightly enough and things were looking promising on 19 minutes when Newton burst through on the right wing. For a moment it looked as if the keeper might stop him but Newton got round him to make the score 1-0.

Tony Breeden in the Brakes goal required treatment after making a save from Steve Mallory. Then Ashley Worsfold got the wrong side of Daly and managed to make Breeden, although possibly the keeper should have done better. Breeden then had to make a good save just before half time to keep the score at 1-1.

HT 1-1

Harrogate made the first of a number of substitutions immediately after the break which seemed to serve them well. A great run down the wing by Lee Moore brought chants of 'We've only got one Moore' from the Harbury Lane end. Don't we know it.

The visitors made two more substitutions and kept up the pressure, winning some corners. But then we turned the tables and piled on the pressure with a series of corners. Daly put in a good ball to Ricky Johnson but, in the best chance of the half, he headed the ball just over. If he hadn't had jumped, he might have found the target.

On 79 minutes we failed to clear the ball and Harrogate went ahead through substitute Conor Sellars. Given the quality of our play, with the ball in the air far too much, we seemed unlikely to equalise. Indeed, Hawker picked up the only yellow card of the game, while Breeden had to make another great save to keep the score line respectable. Leamington were not able to make use of four minutes added on. We missed the injured Dodd and Magunda today.

Moore! Moore! Moore!

That was the chant of the Harbury Lane End as Stefan Moore was substituted at the end of Leamington's convincing 3-1 victory over Brackley Town at the New Windmill Ground this afternoon in front of a crowd of 504 and the usual enthusiastic dog. The Skrill North Player of the Month scored two of the goals and created the third.

When I got to the ground I heard that it had been touch and go whether it would called off. Many non-league games were called off, with only that at Ebbsfleet going ahead in the Skrill South. As it was the game was played in torrential rain and strong winds that had the ball swirling around. A kick out by Tony Breeden went into reverse and fortunately went out for a throw in.

Brakes went ahead on 17 minutes when Moore burst down the right after Ricky Johnson had laid the ball off to him. Then Moore made it 2-0 on 26 minutes with another great run. However, Brackley grabbed one back minutes later when Charlie Griffin took advantage of a goalmouth scramble.

HT 2-1

Leamington earned a free kick on the edge of the box with Eddie Nisevic receiving a yellow card for Brackley. Some thought it was inside the box, but I thought it was just outside. On the whole, young referee John Brooks had a good game.

A shot was deflected to produce a Brakes corner, followed by a second. Brackley had a free kick, but it was unproductive. Then excellent work by Stefan Moore on the right wing set up Ricky Johnson to score the third.

Brackley piled on the pressure in the last ten minutes of the game and there were moments of danger with Breeden having to make one save under real pressure. However, Leamington stood firm, with Liam Daly having a good game in defence. It was another excellent result and a great start to 2014.

Brakes beat league leaders

A crowd of 803 saw Leamington beat league leaders Hednesford Town 2-1 at the New Windmill Ground this afternoon. A thrilling match saw what must be goal of the season from Stefan Moore whose hand I went to shake at the end of the game.

Brakes had an early chance with a free kick on the edge of the 'D', but it came off the wall. Hednesford danger man Nathan Blissett managed to fall over the ball as he powered up the wing towards the goal. Breeden made a poor clearance, allowing the visitors to respond with a shot that was just wide. Brakes were just getting into the game a bit more when Blissett put the Pitmen ahead on 24 minutes.

After a period when the Leamington goal was under siege, Crane in the Hednesford goal had to make a good save and the subsequent corner was unproductive for the Brakes. Lee Moore put in a great ball to Stefan Moore, but he blasted it over.

Half time: Brakes 0, Pitmen 1

I don't know what Brakes had in their tea at half time, but Stefan Moore made a great run down the wing setting up Ricky Johnson to score the equaliser on 46 minutes. Then on 63 minutes Moore scored his super goal with a fierce blast from at least 30 yards out leaving the keeper with no chance.

Stefan Morley had failed a fitness test and David McNamee took his place. He received a yellow card for a foul which look suspiciously like a dive by the Hednesford player. The Pitmen made a double substitution, somewhat surprisingly taking off Blissett, although the hefty Marvin Robinson came on. Leamington brought on Jimmy Husband in place of Johnson and later Stefan Moore gave way to Will Green.

The referee evidently did not get a new watch for Christmas as he added five minutes on when there were only substitutions to take account of. Breeden had to make a great stop. Jimmy Husband won a corner for Leamington. Brakes tried to keep the ball in the corner and this led to an outbreak of handbags. It took some time for the referee to restore order and dish out yellow cards. But then at last the whistle was blown and Brakes had won a great victory.

The points are the point

Leamington secured an important three points with a 2-0 victory over Workington at the New Windmill Ground this afternoon in front of a crowd of 504. Both the home goals were scored in the first half and the visitors looked the stronger side in the second, although the strong wind did not help to produce good football.

Brakes went ahead on 10 minutes with an excellent header from Liam Daly into the top corner of the net which left the keeper with no chance. Visiting captain Anthony Wright earned a yellow card. Ricky Johnson drew a save. He then looked as if he had left it too late to round the keeper, but made 2-0 on 26 minutes. A Johnson pass provided another goal scoring opportunity for Magunda, but the ball was just wide. Johnson, who was in the thick of things, then got a yellow card for a foul.

Leamington gave away a careless corner and the ball had to be cleared off the line by Owen. Stefan Moore was through, but his finish was poor. Anticipating their second half improvement, Workington had a chance late in the half, but put the ball just over.

The second half was much less eventful. Workington made a double substitution. Mace got a yellow card. A Workington free kick led to a scramble in front of goal. Breeden, who had not that much to do, made a good save from a fierce shot from distance. Workington were passing the ball well on the ground whereas we were hit and hope, but they never really came close to scoring.

Three important points

It wasn't a great performance by Leamington against Histon this afternoon, but the 1-0 victory through a Matty Dodd penalty in the 77th minute gives us three points which are an important contribution to our campaign for survival in the Skrill North.

We played better against Gainsborough Trinity and plenty in the larger crowd of 545 expressed their frustration. However, Histon were a better side. They were well marshalled at the back and in the first half in particular released their right back Remy Clamira to forage down the wing. They were also better at finding their man and keeping possession.

Saves from Breeden and a good intervention by Liam Daly kept us in the game in the first half, while Jay Dowie received a yellow card for felling Dodd. Our best chance came when Ricky Johnson was given a good through ball, but he was unable to outwit the keeper. Magunda received a yellow card and an injury which meant he had to be substituted after half time. The resultant free kick came off the wall.

A deflection nearly saw the ball in the net for the Brakes. We were getting into the game more and then we were awarded the penalty. It was a penalty, although a relatively soft one and Dodd made no mistake with his strike. After that we did just enough to prevent an equaliser. As they say, one is enough.

Inept referee adds to bitter feelings between clubs

This appeared in the programme for the Burton game:

A great deal of bad blood existed in 1913 between Leamington Town and C.Y.M.S. from Coventry or the ‘Catholics’ as they were known. This had its origins in the matches in the preceding season for the Leamington Hospital Cup (which Town lost) and the Birmingham Junior Cup (which Town won). Matters were not improved by an away game which ended in a 3-3 draw, the opposition levelling through a goal that was clearly offside in the view of ‘Looker On’ from the Courier.

The referee was seen as completely incompetent and lost control of the game, making matters worse by leaving ten minutes before the end of the match and handing over to a friend. ‘Looker On’ concluded, ‘Saturday’s game was rougher than should have been the case and the referee’s decision concerning that last goal will not in the least mend matters, but rather tend to add to the feelings of bitterness between the clubs.’

‘Looker On’ admitted that although the opposition’s football was ‘crude and inartistic, they bombarded the Leamington goal for long periods in the game. On the other hand, when one took a more comprehensive view of the play, one could see that Leamington were playing much better football, and although the forwards did not receive a great deal of help from the halves – who had difficulty in keeping their feet – they were possessed of a harmony which was not to be found among their more weighty but tactless opponents.’ ‘Looker On’ seemed to be implying that the Catholics had eaten too many pies.

Leamington did not appear to be playing at their best: ‘As a spectator, I was disappointed with the character of the play. There was none of that enthusiasm and virility which have characterised the Leamington team of late. The opening witnessed very poor football.’ Even so, Leamington were two goals ahead within the quarter of an hour. The first came after a well-organised rush with ‘China’ Hill passing to Bert Adams who quickly passed to Ludford. The winger drew the defence on to himself, passing to Holmes who scored. Then Hill got the ball through to Howard Adams to score the second. The Catholics pulled one back before half time.

The second half was characterised by continuous fouling, but the inept referee seemed to have lost his whistle. The home side scored a second and this was followed by the disputed goal which was obtained when Town had stopped playing because the scorer was so blatantly offside. Momentarily, Town considered walking off in protest, but they continued and Holmes scored the equaliser.

Compared with first place at the equivalent time in the preceding season, Leamington were fourth at the beginning of November in the Coventry and North Warwickshire League, Division 1, three points behind the leaders Courtaulds. Cubbington Albion were bottom with just one point. ‘Looker On’ noted that Leamington ‘have spent most of the time so far in choosing the best team available. I think at last they have discovered it, and will now begin to make rapid strides for the top of the league.’ Elsewhere, Bramble suffered a 20-0 defeat at the hands of Siddeley Deasy in the Midland Daily Telegraph Junior Cup.

Brakes Are Up For The Cup

Leamington won a convincing 2-0 victory over Gainsborough Trinity in the FA Trophy at the New Windmill Ground this afternoon. A number of people said to me that the first half was the best performance by the Brakes they had seen this season and a high standard was maintained after the break, only the Trinity keeper preventing a higher score. Matty Dodd and Stefan Moore both had a particularly good game. Unfortunately only 373 people came to the match, although the canine attendance doubled to two.

Ricky Johnson had an effort in the opening minutes when he burst through and hit the advertising hoardings with a powerful header. Trinity then had a chance at the Harbury Lane end with a free header, but put the ball over. Trinity's Josh Wilde was yellow carded for a blatant trip on Dodd as he powered up the wing. Leamington kept up the pressure with two corners and then great work by Moore set up Johnson, but a save was made on the line.

On 32 minutes Moore laid the ball off for Chilton who seized the opportunity with an excellent finish to make it 1-0. Dan Clayton was given a yellow card for a foul on Dodd.

The Trinity keeper kept them in the game with a series of instinctive series in the second half. In particular, he made a great save on the line from Johnson. Then on 77 minutes good work by Dodd set up Moore who calmly slotted the ball in the net to make it 2-0. Barnes in the Trinity goal made another great save at the expense of a Brakes corner.

Brakes switched off a bit towards the end and in the four minutes added on Trinity scored, but it was ruled to be offside. Coming on the back of the midweek victory, this was a very encouraging performance.