Friend Rescues Brakes With Last Minute Winner

In front of a crowd of 195 on a balmy summer's evening, Brakes erased the memory of defeat at the hands of Stratford Town in the opening friendly with a workmanlike performance against a young Greenbacks side. Goalkeeper Andy Harper pulled off a string of fine saves to keep Brakes in the match and debutant striker Tom Friend secured the win with a last minute goal shooting low inside the left-hand post, much to the delight of the North Bank.

Josh Blake was made captain for the evening and he unleashed a strong shot in the sixth minute wide of the nearside post. Then the impressive Mark Anderson shot over the bar from outside of the penalty area. However, after these early attacks, Brakes were pinned back for much of the remainder of the first half and Harper was called on to make two saves, the second with his feet.

Lee Lavery, who didn't get many chances to show his goalscoring prowess, made a good run down the left on 33 minutes, but his cross did not find the feet of a Brakes forward. Young Ryan Howell, who scored five goals for the youth team last season, was making his presence felt and showed good pace up front. However, the visitors should have gone into the interval in the lead when first James Wood and then Sean Gormley both missed good chances.

The second half was even, although Harper again came to the rescue with a flying save on 66 minutes. A flurry of substitutions resulted in a better and more fluent attacking force with Vernor Sleem and Tom Friend combining well. Somewhere along the line, Ryan Parisi came on the field but his arrival escaped this reporter's attention. Friend should have scored with a minute to go, but put his shot wide of the post. However, with the new electronic clock counting down to full-time, he had an identical chance and made no mistake the second time beating 'keeper Eamon Fallon, 1-0, 90th minute.

Brakes introduced Steve "Smudger" Smith in the centre of defence and not much seems to be known about him other than he has been playing in London. Richard Morris and Chris Hanrahan were on holiday together, Martin Thompson is about two weeks away from fitness (but is suspended for the first week of the new season) and Glen Webb and Baz Shearsby were both at the match and practising on the training pitch.

Manager Jason Cadden described the match as "a good workout." He added "we got into some bad habits at the end of last season and had to return to closing the ball down and playing out from the back. Tom Friend took his goal well and we are looking at him with a view to signing him on".

Leamington: Andy Harper; Ben Adams; Harj Dhesi (Ryan Parisi 65?); Simon Walker (Jonny Burgess 65); Steve Smith; Mark Anderson; Lee McBain; Richard Adams (Darren Timms 74); Ryan Howell (Vernor Sleem (62); Lee Lavery (Steve Thompson 75); Josh Blake (Tom Friend 74)

Other Team News (by Roger Vincent): Josh Tolley has joined Leamington Hibs; Niels Kristensen still having knee problems; Darran Tank on holiday, Mark Delaney likewise; Andy McKinley started 2 weeks holiday; David Care missed as wife having a baby - don't know when it's due; Paul Eden knee problem; Tom Friend is ex-Whitnash from a footballing family; Steve "Smudger" Smith moved from London to Stratford a year ago but, until now, commuted to continue playing for London-based Hanwell Town - there is another no. 5 Steve Smith who plays for Alvechurch but there is NO connection; Mark Anderson and Ryan Howell are both ex-youth players - Ryan has been suffering from a throat infection so will be even better in time.