By Stewart Adrian

More Burman Hi-Fun

After thrashing Burman 5-1 away in the Challenge Vase Quarter-Final nearly a month ago Brakes had to beware of becoming complacent. The 3 points at stake were more important than our efforts to win the league cup. Especially as league leaders Rugby Town had slipped up the Wednesday before with a goalless draw at home to fast improving Lichfield Enots. Our rivals were now 8 points clear of us with Brakes 6 games in hand. Brakes have to be ruthless in these sort of matches. There has been a tendency to ease up a little in certain games, against those sides who are basically just fulfilling their league fixture commitment! Some of these teams may be mid-table, but they would all savour taking Brakes' unbeaten league record.

Brakes obviously started more confidently creating a number of half chances including a Josh Blake effort where the young marksman, clean through, only managed to direct his shot at the visiting goalkeeper. The Goalden boys eventually broke a 20-minute deadlock when Steve Thompson, latching onto a nice through pass down the left from Adam Ball, beat the keeper at his near post from the edge of the box. This was a good spell of Brakes pressure but, yet again, we let our opponents gradually come back into the game.

Richard Morris made a couple of fine stops toward the half time interval. The second half commenced with Brakes failing to heed warnings evident through Burman's increasing share of play at the end of the first half. It was from a Burman corner that the visitors confirmed their equal footing in this particular game by forcing the ball home at the far post. Brakes were having another bad day against opponents determined to cause a shock. The shock almost became a reality on the hour mark when the Hi-Tonners nearly hijacked what would have been a deserved lead. Brakes had a fine save from Morris to spare our blushes and inspire us into a late rally.

Maybe Brakes like to toy with their fans by getting them nervy? The New Windmill has seen plenty of action this campaign, but with the exception of the West Midlands Police league game and the Barnt Green Spartak cup match, has any match ever been safe until the closing stages? It certainly makes for anxious viewing. I suppose it's worth all the anxiety when a memorable goal or celebration lights up a match. That was certainly the case when Kevin Ariss provided the latter in marking his less than marvellous goal with around 20 minutes to go. Rugrat's first goal for the club was against Burman in the cup, so I suppose this was a double cause for celebration. The shooting of his team mates with the corner flag was not lost, symbolically on some of the Brakes faithful, after remarking many a time that some of the lads should be shot for the chances they've missed this season! Only joking boys! After regaining the lead however, Brakes thus did their usual trick of easing up somewhat. Instead of killing each other, maybe we should have tried to kill off Burman?

Once again we had the increasingly impressive Richard Morris to thank for keeping us ahead when he pulled off another fine save with 5 minutes to go. Brakes continued to create chances but some woeful finishing marred another good display from one or two of our team. It must of course be difficult with the state of the pitch as it is. At least our approach play continues to be productive in carving out opportunities for us to score. It was left to Josh to round things off nicely when, despite being impeded by a Burman defender, he netted his 19th league goal of the season.

The importance of Brakes' ability to grind out wins with their battling qualities against a Burman side who were 13th prior to this game was further emphasised by the news that Rugby Town had returned to their usual ruthless ways with another dispatching of the lowly placed. This time it was a 6-0 home trouncing of County Sports Reserves. So, there was still an 8-point difference, although other news provided some cheer in that 2nd placed Cadbury had lost 1-0 at Enville and that Lichfield had taken another Championship-contender scalp with another impressive away day at 3rd placed Wilmcote, where they won 2-0.

Sometimes with this team at this level of football it's brilliant stuff, other times it's huff and puff, this match proved the latter, and another excellent NWG crowd of nearly 500 went home mightily pleased with another day of Hi-Fun with Hi-Ton down Harbury Lane.

Leamington Richard Morris; Jon Burgess; Steve Thompson; Will Payne; Kevin Ariss; Adam Ball; Barry Shearsby; Stuart Hepburn; Josh Blake; Brian Agar (captain); Ian Billington (Liam McGovern 82m)
Unused subs: Martin Beeston, Guy Rippon.