Six of the Best as Shifnal Given a Spanking

Brakes played the beautiful game on a perfect pitch in hazy sunshine. Youth 'keeper, Richard Morgan, made a confident debut in a solid defence and Brakes stroked the ball around to the delight of 151 fans easing into a half-time 2-0 lead through Richard, then Jon, Adams. In the second period Brakes took Shifnal apart and Richard Adams completed a hat-trick with Nicholls and Steve Thompson adding the other two. Shifnal seemed bemused by the champions' slick passing and frustration boiled over for Andrew Syder who was sent off for a second yellow in the 87th.

Shifnal paid the penalty for providing a playing surface only equalled in the Premier by the NWG. And Brakes responded with their biggest away win of the season stroking the ball around as they played possession football largely restricting Shifnal to their own half. The returning Burgess seemed to enjoy the surface which allowed him to use his pace and skill to good effect without the need to negotiate furrows and mounds. And it was Burgess's tenacity that forced a corner in the 10th minute from which Richard Adams headed against a post.

The game was being controlled by Brakes who played diamonds in every part of the pitch while, mostly, Shifnal could only watch and admire. In a rare Shifnal break Burgess defended well gliding a perfectly-directed header to turn defence into attack in the 22nd. Minutes later fans held their breath as Steve Thompson set off after a weighted Jon Adams pass on a collision course with Shifnal's amply-proportioned 'keeper. Fortunately for Cap'n Thommo's future health and prospects 'keeper Phil Luke got there just ahead of him.

The solid, dependable Walker was replaced by Parisi in the 32nd having felt a tight hamstring. As Walker can be relied on to provide the defence when other defenders get that rush of blood to the head that sees them careering upfield for goal-scoring glory this was a bit of a worry, at first. But Shifnal showed little sign of getting much possession and it was Parisi who threaded a pass through for Richard Adams to make it 0-1 in the 36th minute. And what a wonderful goal it was as Adams flicked the ball superbly over Phil Luke's head into the net from the edge of the box keeping cool in the face of the 'keeper's charging-rhino impersonation.

A one goal lead seemed poor reward for all Brakes' possession but they were drawing their opponents in with silky one-touch passing. And when a bit of brawn was needed there was crowd-favourite Herlihy to win balls and power his way past despairing defenders. Then there was Jon Adams; he was everywhere, prompting, playing one-twos, trying for the decisive pass. This was clearly going to be his day and his goal was a bonus on top of his midfield work. Interchanging passes with the skilful Leon Morgan, another player revelling in the playing conditions, Jon Adams ran on to Morgan's decisive pass and placed a 25yd drive into the far corner of the net, 0-2 in the 44th.

Brakes were in almost total control in the second half. It took two minutes for Richard Adams, in the 47th, to make it 0-3 when he picked up another Parisi pass down the left touchline and cut inside to deapatch it Henry-like into the far corner. A superb passing display in the 50th between six players saw Jon Adams denied at the last by Phil Luke, the excellent Shifnal 'keeper, and all the forwards went close, Richard Adams hitting the bar in the 60th, before Nicholls made it 0-4 in the 69th when he slotted home the rebound from Howell's saved shot.

In the 78th it was 0-5 when Steve Thompson got the goal he deserved after the Shifnal defence found itself in disarray with central defender, Marvyn Joseph, struggling to clear. Shifnal, to their credit, persevered and Morgan in Brakes' goal did well after a long period of inactivity to come out decisively and gather a dangerous through ball in the 80th. Brakes' Steve Smith was perhaps lucky not to get a booking when he caught an attacker racing back to cover having been caught upfield joining in the fun.

But Shifnal's task was made even more difficult when Andrew Syder was dismissed in the 87th for a second yellow in a mostly clean game, primarily paying the penalty for his first yellow when he brought into doubt the referee's gender. There was still time for another goal and, again, it was Parisi with the decisive pass and Richard Adams, the scorer with his hat-trick for 0-6 in the 90th. The referee added only 10 seconds for substitutions and injuries clearly deciding that enough was enough as Brakes, now facing 10 men, threatened to add more.

This was a truly delightful display by Brakes with at least three goals that would be candidates for goal of the month at any level. There were some superb individual moments, of course, but the most heartening part for me was that Brakes played as a team throughout with players who have not been regulars, and substitutes coming on, seemingly having no disruptive effect on the patterns of play. This is, surely, a credit to the training sessions and the wise decision not to include players who miss training, a policy sometimes unpopular in the short-term but which reaps the long-term benefits there for all to see on a mazy, hazy warm day at Shifnal where we came to salute the champions once more.

Leamington: Richard Morgan; Jon Burgess (Ben Adams 73); Simon Walker (Ryan Parisi 32); Tom Sidwell; Steve Smith; Leon Morgan (Ryan Howell 52); Jon Adams; Stuart Herlihy; Richard Adams; Paul Nicholls; Steve Thompson [Capt]

Shifnal Town: Phil Luke; Mark Lysons; Michael Davies; Mark Wells; Craig Vale; Tim Crann; Marvyn Joseph; George Williams; Andrew Syder; Neil Stokes [Capt]; Ben McAuley; Roger Clarke; Stuart Woodman; Luke Brown

Team News: Richard Morris away and Andy Harper injured (Andy helped out on the bench in the absence of holidaying Keith Orme)); Darran Tank groin strain (also there playing head-tennis with his lad who is clearly as good as, if not better than, Dad); Simon Walker went off with a tight hamstring but "should be OK" for the last match, next Saturday at Nuneaton Griff, when Josh Blake is again in contention his suspension ending Monday 25th.