Young Brakes Lift the Spirits At the Double Over Quorn

Two first-half goals from Alex Taylor and Chris Lewis were enough to do the double over Quorn and earn young Brakes' their first away win of the season. This was a pulsating, committed performance by both sides with new signing, Richard Morgan, giving a confident, mature display in the Brakes' goal and Ben Elkington magnificent at the heart of the defence. Another new signing, Ashley Kitchen, made his debut for the final 10 minutes and showed promise in the limited time available to him, but it was the overall team performance that pleased the many Brakes' fans in a large crowd and lifted the spectre of relegation.

Brakes, playing 4-3-3, looked more likely to score than in recent games but the most heartening aspect for the fans, on another balmy evening, was the commitment and energy shown right from the start. Elkington, playing only his second away game of the season, marshalled the defence well and Brakes had the better of a rather scrappy opening spell with the feel of a cup-tie about it. This was a good clean game, played in a friendly atmosphere and well controlled by the officials who were father (running one line) and two sons.

Moulding was also in superb form and instrumental in the first goal when he fed Lewis, whose effort was spilled by the Quorn 'keeper and came out to Alex Taylor who knocked it home for 0-1 in the 13th minute. A minute later and both Brakes and Taylor might have doubled their tallies when Taylor headed against the base of the Quorn right post and the ball crawled, agonisingly across the face of the goal. Lewis was involved in most of the moves clearly benefiting from starting the match.

Then, in the 38th minute Brakes were 0-2 up after a measured pass from Kyriacou was met by Lewis ghosting in from the right to send a half-volley past a well-beaten 'keeper. When Quorn did break, debutant Brakes' 'keeper, 16-year old Richard Morgan, showed a confidence that belied his years catching the greasy ball cleanly and with authority and also communicating well with colleagues he but little knew.

There were no more goals but the second-half was a joy to watch, slightly less frenetic with some better football. Brakes went close through Kyriacou in the 50th and Thompson in the 57th. A head-down run by Howell in the 61st deserved better though his final pass accelerated off the wet surface. But it was not all one way and Brakes' new 'keeper, Morgan, made two brilliant stops with saves in the 67th and 77th minutes which kept Brakes in the driving seat. A saving tackle by Elkington in between also prevented a one-on-one as Quorn fought to the end.

As Brakes put the game to bed a late chance fell to Lewis from a Reynold's cross after good approach work by another debutant, Kitchen, and Howell but he just couldn't reach it. Quorn are to be commended for persevering to the end and there was a nice feel about everything to do with this match, including the hospitality which was superb, delivered by very friendly people in very pleasant surroundings. Even the Barrow Chairman was there with some nice words for our club; he lives "over the road" and often pops across. There seemed a lot of people there for an away, youth game; maybe there were several club scouts one of whom was spotted having a word with one of our players in the shadows at the end.

Leamington Youth: Richard Morgan; James Taylor; Luke Moulding; Martin Groves (Ashley Kitchen 80); Ben Elkington [Capt]; Philip Thompson; Mark Anderson; Ryan Howell; Nik Kyriacou (Arron Reynolds 62); Chris Lewis; Alex Taylor (Josh Tolley 80)
Sub(s) Not Used (3 From 5): Ben Rowan; Alex Shaw

Team News: Iain Groves picked up injury playing for school; several of our team who play for Kenilworth School, have reached the Quarter Finals of the National Schools Competition after defeating Northampton 3-0 - the QF is at Manchester.