Young Brakes End Home Campaign On a High

The final youth game at the New Windmill this season (with five away games still to come) is testament to the ground staff who managed to get games played when other teams faltered. One of the "staff", Director Nigel Hodgkins, watched the match from a high vantage point as he used the opportunity to carry on tiling the new club-house roof. The other 62 spectators watched from ground level and on another cold, New Windmill night saw Leamington finish their home campaign with an excellent win against a Sutton team that were 4th before tonight's games.

Reynolds speed was worrying the Sutton defence as Brakes sought an early breakthrough. In the 7th minute a Reynolds corner was volleyed narrowly wide by captain Anderson and on the quarter hour a McKinley free was headed just past the post by Alex Taylor. But it wasn't one-way traffic though when Sutton made inroads they found Moulding and McKinley equal to the task. Anderson and Howell were combining well with their contest against the Sutton pair of Hughes and Findlay a feature of a game which was providing some good football for the fans.

The breakthrough came in the 25th minute when Alex Taylor put Brakes 1-0 ahead slotting home superbly from a cross by Reynolds after he had made another run down the right. This was an entertaining game for the freezing faithful and Shaw kept Brakes in the lead with an excellent blocking tackle but could do nothing about a well-worked equaliser from Sutton's influential Adam Hughes whose header made it 1-1 in the 41st. The half ended with Alex Taylor nearly notching a second when his header from another Reynolds corner skimmed the bar.

Though Rowan went close at the restart with a strong shot just turned round for a corner it was Sutton who were now on top. The excellent Morgan in the Brakes goal made two tremendous saves to keep his side in the game but could only watch as a 57th minute free kick sped across his goal just needing a touch. A tall, strong, but fair side, Sutton were at their most dangerous from set pieces and Brakes' defence was performing well to keep them out. Lewis came off the bench using his power to get through on goal and deserved more in the 70th when he was cynically knocked over as he looked like scoring. The resultant free kick was wasted and the offender escaped without a caution.

But Brakes persistence got its just reward when after some injudicious shirt-pulling they were awarded a penalty in the 76th which McKinley hammered home to the delight of the Harbury Lane end fans behind the goal, 2-1. This was, on recent experiences, a danger-time for Brakes but they kept their composure even with Reynolds picking up a facial injury and having to leave the field. 10 minutes of Sutton pressure was handled well by a competent defence and both Tolley, then Howell, had late chances. But another Morgan save at the death denied Sutton a late equaliser and ensured a very good Brakes' win that should see them safe from relegation.

Leamington Youth: Richard Morgan; Alex Shaw; Martin Groves; Andy McKinley; Luke Moulding; Arron Reynolds (Iain Groves 80); Mark Anderson [Capt]; Ryan Howell; Nik Kyriacou (Chris Lewis 63); Alex Taylor; Ben Rowan (Josh Tolley 70)
Sub(s) Not Used (3 From 5): Jamie Coleman; James Taylor