By Jimmy Walters

Cold Comfort

Despite the romantic echoes of old Southern League Premier Division clashes, this wasn't much of a draw for the locals. The now familiar Brakes travelling army made the midweek trip to Lye Meadow of course, but there wasn't much company. A gaggle of Barnt Green players and officials, no doubt on a spying mission ahead of their league game with us, was about it. They would have fancied their chances after watching this dreary scrap in a biting cold wind.

Clear chances for Brakes were at a premium against the well-organised hosts. Baz Shearsby, replacing the unavailable Josh Blake at centre forward, had the best of them. He curled a 25-yard shot just wide in the first half and combined well with captain Brian Agar to trouble home keeper Danny Lewis, whose performance could be politely described as nervy. But Lewis confounded his (vocal) critics by making an excellent save with his legs to deny Shearsby just before the break. Little Jonny Burgess needed treatment after a melee in the box as a reasonable penalty claim was waved away by the referee. Guy Rippon headed just over on the stroke of half time and that was that.

The bar was small, but warm. Thankfully Brakes' best moment was still to come. Early in the second half a Steve Thompson cross from the right was met by Burgess, who finished well to claim his first goal in black and gold. A long period of added time following an injury to the referee (self-inflicted, apparently) gave Alvechurch their best chance, but mercifully - midfielder Brett Farrington blazed his shot over our bar. Extra time was too painful a prospect to contemplate. "We're not forcing the keepers to make saves and we need to create goalmouth action," the ever chirpy Jason Cadden remarked afterwards. Subsequent results showed the lesson was learned.