Brakes' Season Unravels With Late Brocton Strikes

Brakes seemed to be coasting after Nicholls put them ahead after 17 minutes and should have turned round further ahead. But they didn't perform in the second half, never looked like scoring again, and fell to two strikes in three minutes from Brocton's Wellecomme in the 79th and 82nd. Romulus's emphatic win at Continental Star puts them in the driving seat and Brakes must now hope that the Roms do no more than draw with Dudley in their last game which, with two wins by Brakes, will still give Brakes the championship.

The long trip to Cannock Chase, with a full coach, augured well for Brakes' fortunes as every field, hedgerow and garden seemed to be coated in gold and yellow. There was an air of optimism despite Brocton's recent run of six wins, which must make them team of the month, and promises to make them outstanding candidates for top spot next season as their team also seemed relatively young. The set up, and the Brocton staff, was friendly and the sun was shining. The only downside was that the pitch, in the middle of a sports' arena surrounded by a 10-lane running track, didn't allow the 174 crowd (though it seemed more) to be near the players so we had to sit in the stand outside the track and couldn't suck the ball into the Brocton net.

There was a surprisingly strong wind, blowing from right to left, in Brakes' favour in the first half. Martin Thompson broke down the right in the 13th pulling the ball back for Nicholls who was blocked. With Herlihy controlling the midfield and Brakes driving forward it was no surprise when Nicholls smashed home from 20yds, after good work by Blake, to make it 0-1 in the 17th minute. A period of sustained Brakes' pressure kept the ball in Brocton's half with the strength of Herlihy and Webb paramount, the strong-running Martin Thompson threatening to break through and Blake playing his usual effervescent game.

Steve Thompson ran in from the left in the 40th to strike low, and hard, on goal but the reserve 'keeper, drafted in after a double leg-fracture suffered by Brocton's regular man between the sticks, made an excellent stop as he did a minute later from a Nicholls' snap-shot. The half ended with Brakes well on top and playing some excellent football. A passing movement involving Timms, Martin and Steve Thompson, Blake and Herlihy nearly led to a goal from Blake which would, probably, have killed the game; but there was a niggling concern that the one goal might not be enough with the wind in Brocton's favour in the second-half.

And so it proved. Morris, peering into the low sun, was forced to borrow a cap from the faraway spectators, finally settling on one from David Care (which needed letting out somewhat) rather than a more fetching pink number. In the next three minutes he was forced into three saves as Brocton started to assert themselves; the third of these, in the 56th, when he dived to just reach a low shot to his right, was a warning of things to come. Yet Brakes held out and, though not playing well, seemed to have done enough to hold on for a narrow win.

Burgess came on for the tiring Blake in the 70th and Sleem for Martin Thompson four minutes later. After a sustained period of chanting the crowd grew silent and tense, settling for a hard-fought one goal win. But it all unravelled in three minutes. In the 79th it was 1-1 when Nick Wellecomme slipped the ball under the advancing Morris and in the 82nd the same player made it 2-1 with a looping header over the stranded Morris after a free kick. Brakes slumped, then rallied as the influential Dhesi shouted that there was still time. But in truth there wasn't, and a draw was probably no better than a win as Brakes must now depend on Romulus, who won 4-1 at Continental Star, slipping up against Dudley in their last game as well as losing to Brakes, in what is still "a big one", next Saturday at the NWG.

This was not a bad result against a resurgent Brocton who have now won seven games on the trot including victories over Brakes and Rugby Town. Maybe Brakes could have been more ruthless in the first half but football is full of ifs and buts and there is little cause for complaint with one loss and 11 wins in the preceding 12 games. Though we still hope for better Brakes are guaranteed 2nd place and, however disappointing it might be, we should applaud that as a magnificent achievement. A few, very few, fans sought to relieve their disappointment with inappropriate bitterness against Brocton players who had done nothing to deserve it, but the large majority of Brakes' fans were a credit to the club and applauded both teams from the pitch.

And, on a final more light-hearted note, those of you who were there and wondered who the macho man in a dress was: (s)he was Brocton striker Richard Pemberton who was deemed the fall-guy in this game for failing to score as he had done in all the recent games. The players pick one of their own after each match to suffer this indignity. Apparently one size fits all, which I doubt would work with our team. But what a good idea. I can just see ..... but, no, therein madness lies.

Leamington: Richard Morris; Glen Webb; Harj Dhesi; Tom Sidwell; Andy Gregory; Darren Timms; Stuart Herlihy; Josh Blake (Jonny Burgess 70); Martin Thompson (Vernor Sleem 74); Paul Nicholls; Steve Thompson [Capt]
Sub(s) Not Used: Simon Walker