Brakes go down to Roms for the first time in a league match
Tue, 04 Dec 2007 @ Coles Lane, Sutton Coldfield. vs Romulus (0-2). British Gas Business Football League Midland Division. By D Hucker. With Adam Cooper unavailable, Liam Reynolds dropped into the back three and Craig Dutton was paired with Stuart Herlihy in midfield. In the other changes from Saturday, Martin Thompson started in attack in place of Russell Dunkley and Neil Stacey was again called upon as a substitute.
Romulus opened the scoring on 11 minutes when the Brakes defence failed to clear a free-kick from the right and Michael Batchelor stole in to stab the ball home past Richard Morris.
Brakes responded with a period of sustained pressure with Jamie Towers making good runs down the right and Stuart Herlihy creating opportunities from midfield. A shot from Craig Dutton was deflected for a corner and Josh Blake just failed to connect with a Towers cross to the far post.
However, it was Romulus that had the best scoring opportunity as, on 34 minutes, Tyrone Fagan found himself in space in the penalty area, but put his shot over the bar.
Ben Mackey, who had been on the receiving end of a robust tackle from behind by Colm Tiernan, was booked on 36 minutes for his challenge on the same player. Arron Parkinson also received a yellow card, although worse was to come for the Brakes captain when he was sent off after the final whistle for a second bookable offence.
Brakes started the second half with more purpose and determination, with Towers again dangerous down the right. First Mackey and then Thompson just failed to connect with low crosses into the goalmouth. Towers provided the perfect pass to Blake on 65 minutes, but his shot came back off the angle of the post and crossbar.
News signing, Vijay Sidhu, and James Husband were brought into the fray, but had little chance to make an impact. As Brakes pressed for an equaliser, they left gaps at the back and Tiernan punished them with 12 minutes to go, when the defence was again slow to respond to danger.
Fagan put a shot wide with only Morris to beat and then saw the Brakes keeper push a shot onto the post as Romulus had chances to embarrass the league leaders even more.
Blake was the third Brakes player to be booked, but Romulus had four bookings with Richard Allen (for a foul on Herlihy), Mbemba Conte (for a foul on Towers), Tyrone Fagan (for a foul on Martin Hier) and Lei Brown (for time wasting at a throw-in) all coming to the referees attention.
Technical advisor, Keith Orme, summed up the performance as poor in the first half, but with four good chances in the second of which we should have taken at least one. He added We were struggling with a few players, having to put Liam in defence, and we missed his engine in midfield. We could have got something out of the game, but, if we dont take our chances, we are not going to win matches.
Brakes
Richard Morris, Jamie Towers (James Husband 72), Arron Parkinson [Capt.], Liam Reynolds, Martin Hier, Stuart Herlihy, Craig Dutton, Ben Mackey (Neil Stacey 90), Martin Thompson (Vijay Sidhu 66), Josh Blake, Marcus Jackson
Subs Not Used: Russell Dunkley, Chris Gibson (GK)
Romulus
Matt Harris, Mick Heath, Colm Tiernan, Stuart Hamilton, Michael Batchelor [Capt.], Jason Lanns, Mbemba Conte (Lee Hatfield 73), Richard Allen, Tyrone Fagan (Paul Hunter 89), Leon Mitchell (Aaron Daniels 78), Lei Brown