Sat, 26 Jan 2008 @ The New Windmill Ground. vs Willenhall Town (1-1). British Gas Business Football League Midlands Division. By D Hucker. Brakes stretched their unbeaten league run to seven matches at the New Windmill, but a draw was not enough to maintain their lead at the top and they slipped to second place behind Evesham United.
Robbie Beard, who had come on to score the winner against Cinderford Town the previous Tuesday, replaced Vijay Sidhu in the starting line-up and the latest addition to the squad, Keith Rostill, was named as substitute. There was also a place for Liam Reynolds, another substitute against Cinderford, now fully recovered from an injury sustained on New Year's Day, but club captain Arron Parkinson was absent, still suffering from a groin strain.
Willenhall had the better of the early exchanges with captain Steve Palmer prompting a number of promising moves. However, it was Brakes that nearly took the lead on nine minutes when Martin Thompson was through on goal, but 'keeper, Daniel Woodhall, got down well to save.
A well-worked Willenhall free-kick in the 26th minute saw Craig Gregg head over from Shaun Platt's cross and Tyrone Barnett just failed to connect with a cross from the right with the goal at his mercy.
It took a point-blank save from Richard Morris to thwart Palmer and the half ended with the home fans in the crowd of 603 appealing in vain for a penalty after Robbie Beard had gone down in the area.
Brakes started the second half in more positive frame of mind and, after Beard was bundled over by Nathan Jackson, it took a good save from Woodhall to stop Jamie Towers' free-kick from going in. They looked to have scored on 51 minutes, but Adam Cooper's effort was cleared off the line.
Despite the home side's pressure, it was Willenhall that struck first when Barnett sent a low shot into the corner past Morris in the 58th. Barnett should have sealed the match twelve minutes later, but shot wide with only Morris to beat.
This gave Brakes encouragement and they started to play the kind of attacking football that the fans had come to see. Substitute, Stuart Herlihy, brought the scores level with a stunning left-foot shot from outside the penalty area and, in a final flourish, another substitute, Marcus Jackson, drew a fine save from Woodhall to deny Brakes a winner.
Rostill showed some neat touches when coming on in place of Thompson and this ex-Alvechurch striker will be competing to start alongside Beard in Tuesday night's showdown with title favourites, Chasetown.
Manager, Jason Cadden, admitted that his side did not play well in the first period, saying "we took ages to get going and I was happy to go in at half-time still level." He added "we created a lot more in the second half and I was pleased with the passing that led up to Stuart's goal. In the end, a draw as a fair result and, with some of the other leading clubs slipping up, was a point gained."
Brakes Richard Morris [Capt.], Jamie Towers, Guy Sanders, Adam Cooper, Martin Hier, Craig Dutton (Stuart Herlihy 64), Liam Reynolds, Ben Mackey (Marcus Jackson 85), Martin Thompson (Keith Rostill 66), Robbie Beard, James Husband.
Subs Not Used: Vijay Sidhu, Ryan Parisi
Willenhall Town Daniel Woodhall, Sean Platt, Craig Milligan, Steve Palmer [Capt.], Ross Brown, Daniel Harvey, Nathan Jackson, Mark Briggs, Tyrone Barnett, Craig Gregg (Justin Nisbett 78), Scott Stamps (Marlon Walters 78)