Heart stopper as Dynamo almost snatch share of spoils

After taking what appeared to be a commanding 4-1 lead, Brakes held on in a nail-biting finish to chalk up their 24th win of the season and consolidate their lead at the top of the table.

Apart from Dave Pearson getting the nod over Josh Blake to partner Ben Mackey in attack, manager Jason Cadden fielded the same side that had been so impressive against Retford United in the FA Vase. However, it was Dynamo who were quickest into their stride with Kris Nurse and Jake Betts both trying their luck in the first minute, although neither got their shot on target.

Jamie Towers had Brakes' first goal attempt in the 7th minute when picking up a pass from Jon Adams and, shortly after, Morton Titterton blasted a shot straight at home 'keeper Matt Nurse after Mackey's effort had been blocked. Nurse then saved a Towers free-kick from long-range before getting down well to deny Mackey.

Brakes were coming more and more into the match with James Husband moving from a defensive role to creating chances down the left and it was rather against the run of play that Dynamo took the lead on 34 minutes. Kris Nurse gathered the ball well outside the penalty area and, with nobody challenging, sent a thunderous shot just inside the post past a static Richard Morris.

Brakes had a greater sense of urgency at the start of the second period and Pearson headed over from a good cross by Husband in the 47th minute. The pressure started to tell and, two minutes later, Jamie Towers sent in a good cross from the right and Morton Titterton's flying header gave Nurse no chance.

Mackey should have made it two almost immediately as a great ball from Towers over the top of the Dynamo defence saw the Brakes striker one-on-one with the 'keeper and, although he created room for the shot, Nurse stuck out a hand to save the day. However, the second goal arrived in the 56th minute and, almost inevitably, Mackey was the scorer, sending a shot through a crowd of players after Nurse had made a fine double-save to thwart the initial Brakes attack.

The industrious Dave Pearson cut inside the penalty area from the right and sent in a shot which Nurse could only punch away and James Husband followed up to make it 3-1 to Brakes in the 59th. Pearson then gave way to Avun Jephcott who finished off the best move of the match for Brakes' fourth with just nine minutes remaining.

So, it should all have been plain sailing from then on but, when closing down the opposition and retaining possession seemed the order of the day, Brakes started to self-destruct. The Dynamo players had not stopped running and chasing and, when Tom Bates gifted Kris Nurse a poor back pass on 83 minutes, Morris could only partially stop his shot going into the corner of the net. Then, on the stroke of full-time, Craig Dutton lost the ball in midfield and Ashley Warner took advantage at the second attempt, the first shot having come back off Morris who failed to gather.

Despite the tense finish, manager Jason Cadden described the win as a "good performance." He added, "We came back from a goal down at half-time and I thought that our second half showing was equally as good as last Saturday's, although we did give away a couple of sloppy goals near the end."

Loughborough Dynamo Matt Nurse; Daz Grassby; Jake Betts; Ricky Nurse [Capt.]; Tom Breward; Mike McLarnon; Karl Brennan (Rob Edmans 74); Alan Ward Neil Morgan 51); Ashley Warner; Kris Nurse; Adam Slater
Subs Not Used Danny Kitching; Liam Fitzpatrick; Ashley White

Leamington Richard Morris; Jamie Towers; Adrian Fuller; Adam Knight; Martin Hier; Craig Dutton [Capt.]; Morton Titterton (Tom Bates 72); Jon Adams; Dave Pearson (Avun Jephcott 76); Ben Mackey (Martin Thompson 71); James Husband
Subs Not Used Josh Blake; Andy Gregory

Attendance 207

Author's Man of the Match James Husband

Photographs from the match here»