Sat, 18 Oct 2008 @ Hall Corner, Glapwell. vs Glapwell (2-3). The FA Trophy. By P Edwards.
Armed with memories of last seasons' triumphs in the FA Trophy, Brakes faced a tricky away tie at Hall Corner against Unibond League Division One South side Glapwell. Unfortunately, as so often seems to be the case following a good cup run, they were to fall at the first hurdle this time round. Jason Cadden had decided to change the side that had won so convincingly at Arlesey the previous Saturday, dropping James Husband and Jai Stanley to the substitutes bench, and replacing them with Mykel Beckley and Stuart Herlihy. Although it looked like an attacking line up on paper, this seemed to affect the balance of the side, and substitutions certainly bought an improved performance during the second half, but by then Leamington were chasing the game.
There were early signs of promise as Brakes attacked down the slope, with Mykel Beckley cutting the ball back from the by line for Josh Blake, whose attempted shot landed at the feet of Jamie Towers. Having not expected to receive the ball, his first time shot was off target. Towers also watched a free kick from a promising position drift wide without getting a touch.
It was clear from the early minutes of the game that the home side used the long, high ball as one of their main tactics, and it worked to good effect. Armed with an additional weapon of an extremely long throw from defender Matt Varley, the aerial bombardment put the Leamington defence under great pressure during the first half. The first chance arrived when a high ball in from the right was hooked across goal, and Guy Sanders was in to make a superb block tackle to send a close range shot from Ian Brown behind for a corner, from which Aaron Shelley headed wide. The Glapwell number six proved that he was merely finding his range, as he powered home the next opportunity that came his way on fifteen minutes, after Marcus Jackson had cleared a shot off the line from the previous corner. Leamington were struggling to make inroads into the Glapwell defence at this stage, and Luke Corbett curled a shot over after some good work on the right. Richard Morris, with the late afternoon sun impeding his vision somewhat, raced from his line to head clear another dangerous ball towards his goal. Stuart Herlihy saw a header drop just wide from a Towers corner kick, and Mark Bellingham saw his firm strike grasped under his crossbar by Glapwell keeper Neil West.
Brakes were not helping themselves at times by conceding possession to the home side, and it was one such instance that presented the chance for Neil Grayson to double their advantage just before half time. Brown went down between a challenge from Martin Hier and Guy Sanders, and though the defence protested that he fell outside the penalty area, the match official awarded a penalty. Grayson stepped up and sent Morris the wrong way, but his kick cannoned off the left hand upright and away to safety. There were further efforts for either side before on forty four minutes, the much travelled ex Football League front man was handed another chance to grab a second goal for his side. A high, hopeful ball from out on the right touchline by Michael Fox found Shelley on the far side, and with no defender near him, he nodded the ball down for Grayson, who had the simple task of turning and picking his spot. It was a bad time to concede a second goal, and Leamington returned for the second half with Jai Stanley replacing Marcus Jackson, who had taken a knock to his knee.
Another long throw from Varley caused chaos in the Brakes defence, with Morris reacting smartly to smother an attempted cross back in to the area. Shelley rose again from the corner, a combination of bodies scrambling his header away from goal. It seemed only a matter of time before Glapwell added a killer third, but with James Husband and Liam Reynolds being introduced to the action, this gave Leamington fresh impetus. Husband had the chance for our first shot of the half, but thrashed a first time effort off target.
Finally, on fifty five minutes, came a move that had the travelling support believing in their team again. Luke Corbett worked hard for an opening all game, and this time he found one, getting in behind the Glapwell defence on the left, and clipping the ball back for Jai Stanley to send a diving header into the back of the net, leaving the home side visibly rattled. Mykel Beckley had West diving at his near post to push a vicious cross shot out for a corner, from which Corbett collected the ball from a clearing header, only to fire over.
Neil Grayson showed the experience he has gained during his professional career by trying to play for time when claiming that Adam Cooper had caught him in a challenge for the ball. For once, the Referee was having none of it, and asked him to encourage his team to move the ball forward!
Bellingham saw a shot go agonisingly wide after good work by Beckley on the right, but Brakes were to have the wind taken out of their sails after their best spell of the game. Fox cut in from the left and forced Morris to turn his low shot away for a corner, from which Steve Kennedy was allowed to take a knock down, turn and force the ball in from close range.
This looked like being the goal that settled the tie, but almost from the restart, Glapwell gifted Leamington a second goal. Beckley's cross from the right was met at the back post by Craig Robinson, who turned the ball into his own net, rather than put it out for a corner, which was clearly his intention. This bought renewed hope that Brakes could snatch a draw, and some great play between Husband and Reynolds out on the left saw the ball laid out to Stanley, whose strike led to screams for a penalty, as the Leamington bench and the fans behind the goal thought they had seen a hand used to block the ball.
Fox was the only player to be cautioned during the game, for bringing down Beckley as he moved up field. The finishing touch was just lacking as a scramble in the Glapwell box came to nothing, and Grayson was close to sealing it for his side, as he looked to have squeezed his shot past Morris, following a quick break after Leamington lost possession, but the Brakes keeper held on to the ball well. West held on to one final cross from Husband, as the search for an equaliser came to nought, leaving Leamington with a week to lick their wounds before another long away trip, this time to Suffolk to face an in form AFC Sudbury. It is disappointing to bow out of another national cup competition so early on, but hopefully the team will bounce back and continue the outstanding run in the league, to make up for it.
Glapwell:
Neil West, Craig Robinson, Simon Wright, Matt Varley, Steve Kennedy, Aaron Shelley, Pat McGuire, Mark Wilson (Justin Burdett, 65), Neil Grayson [Capt] (David Brown, 90), Ian Brown, Michael Fox (David Davies, 88).
Subs not used: David Rimington, Lawrence Matthewson [GK].
Leamington: Richard Morris, Jamie Towers (Liam Reynolds, 65), Martin Hier Adam Cooper, Guy Sanders [Capt], Stuart Herlihy, Marcus Jackson (Jai Stanley, 46), Luke Corbett, Mark Bellingham, Mykel Beckley, Josh Blake (James Husband 61).
Subs not used: Ryan Parisi, Richard Anstiss [GK].