By Roger Vincent

Rampant Rudge Hits Hat-Trick in Brakes' Biggest Win

Brakes' Youth were held by a battling Kenilworth for 1/2 hour then scored four times before half time adding a further three in the second half for their biggest win of the season (so far). Tom Rudge notched a hat-trick and Stacey a brace with Tolley and Beezley one apiece. "Umbi" Sidhu's debut in goal was marked by a superb save in a rare, Kenilworth attack.

Claridge was showing strength and determination on the right and linking well with Beezley and Rudge to provide early threat. He had a shot on target beaten out in the 18th before turning provider for Beezley to unleash a tremendous shot two minutes later that was tipped over by a competent Kenilworth 'keeper. Then, in the 33rd minute, Stacey scored when a Claridge corner was flicked on by Martin and he drove the ball into the net, 1-0. The next 12 minutes saw three more goals for Brakes. The impressive Rudge scored in the 38th from a Taylor cross, 2-0, and Stacey made it 3-0 in the 40th after a Claridge corner was glanced on by Webster. With the 45 up Rudge ran through to slip the ball past the advancing goalkeeper, 4-0.

Sidhu started the second half between the sticks for his debut but had little to do initially as Brakes continued to press. In the 50th Stacey crossed for Martin to unleash a shot on target which the goalkeeper saved with his feet and Beezley let loose a scorcher from distance two minutes later which was tipped over the bar. Then, in the 54th, Kenilworth broke free in a rare attack and Sidhu made a quite brilliant save from a hard, placed shot directly in front of goal when he dived to concede a corner.

Rudge was unlucky not to add to his brace in the 65th when he latched onto a Stacey cross and lashed a powerful drive at goal which the Kenilworth goalie managed to turn onto the bar. But in the 77th he made it 5-0 with his hat-trick goak when a loose ball came to him out of the Kenilworth defence and he rammed it home.

Then Tolley, who had come on for James Mellings in a 74th minute double substitution which also saw Matt Mellings replace Leigh Martin, stamped his presence on the game. Collen played the ball down the left wing for Tolley to run in and fire home from an acute angle to make it 6-0 in the 86th and then, three minutes later, Beezley released Tolley whose shot was blocked and rebounded to Beezley who smashed in a shot to complete the scoring at 7-0.

The Youth team make their New Windmill debut next Wednesday in a 6:15 ko against Highgate United. Then, after a brief return to Statford next Tuesday when the pitch is unavailable, they finish the season with three more games at the New Windmill; see youth fixtures for details.

Leamington: Lee Van Der Heyden (Umbi Sidhu 46); James Taylor; Nick Collen; Tim Green (Capt.); Ben Webster; James Mellings (Josh Tolley 74); Mark Beezley; Jimmy Claridge; Leigh Martin (Matt Mellings 74); Neil Stacey; Tom Rudge