By Roger Vincent

Champions Celebrate at the New Windmill

Rugby United came to the New Windmill knowing that a win would make them champions but a draw might not be enough with title contenders Marconi 2 points and 4 goals behind and also playing their last game. Marconi won 6-0 at Kenilworth but Rugby, with all to play for, put in a scintillating performance against Brakes' youth, before 116 fans, to win the title. They went 3 up through a Neil Melvin hat-trick by half-time adding 2 more through John Douglas in the second half sandwiching a Leigh Martin strike for Leamington. League Chairman, Colin Lowe, presented the trophies with John Douglas also getting a trophy as the league's leading scorer, 2 clear of his nearest rival on 29.

Brakes drew 1-1 at Rugby United back in November, one of only 4 games (2 lost and 2 drawn) that Rugby failed to win. But this evening, with everything at stake, United came at mid-table Brakes from the off and Brakes, winners of 5 games out of the last 7, folded.

With Brakes second to every ball, and giving it away again when they did win it, it was unsurprising that Rugby made it 0-1 in the 11th when Melvin smashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from 20 yards. Tolley was denied a corner when he made good progress down the right but there was little vigour from Brakes and Rugby made it 0-2 in the 17th through Melvin when Brakes paid the penalty for failing to clear and the ball sneaked in the corner of the net off a defender.

It was all Rugby who were playing some neat football and went further ahead with a Melvin hat-trick in the 25th after Brakes gave the ball away in mid-field and Melvin drove through the middle before a perfect strike into the corner, 0-3. It was beginning to look like a rout and Van der Heyden saved Brakes from more embarrassment with a good save in the 40th.

All 3 Brakes' substitutes came on at half-time and there was a better shape about the side and, more importantly, a little more heart. Collen ran on goal only to be blocked before Rugby went further ahead in the 56th when Douglas beat Van der Heyden with a looping header to make it 0-4 but Brakes pulled one back minutes later in the 58th when Martin made it 1-4 with a similar header placed up and over the Rugby goalkeeper.

Brakes were now playing much better and looking more like the side who have not lost in the league by more than 2 goals and whose recent run has seen them move up the table. But it was Rugby who scored the final goal of the game to make it 1-5 in the 65th with yet another header that looped up and over the Brakes' 'keeper from top striker Douglas. Playing for pride Brakes had a late flurry and Rudge and Martin both went close before Rugby defended well twice in the last couple of minutes with a clearance off the line and a good save from the 'keeper who tipped the ball over the bar from a free-kick.

Leamington: Lee van der Heyden; James Taylor; Stuart Poole (Nick Collen); Tim Green; Lee Scott; Matt Melling; Jimmy Claridge (Ben Webster 46); Mark Beezley; Leigh Martin; Josh Tolley (Neil Stacey 46); Tom Rudge
Subs Not Used: Alex Shaw; James Mellings