By Roger Vincent

Eden Scores 4 as Brakes Run Riot

Leamington: Richard Morris, Jonny Burgess (Ian Billington 73), Will Payne, Tom Sidwell (Kevin Ariss 69), Guy Rippon, Darren Timms, Nick Mort, Brian Agar [Capt.], Josh Blake (Neale Perry 75), Paul Eden, Steve Thompson

Brakes overwhelmed a Bedworth side who created little in open play but defended in depth to keep the score down to 2-1 at the break, Blake and Timms the scorers. Brakes ran riot in the second half to score 5 more times, including 4 from Eden and a Brian Agar goal (off a Bagar buttock) to earn a 2nd round tie at Brooklands Jaguar.

In brilliant autumn sunshine, before a slightly below average 414 spectators, Brakes made the early running with Thompson bringing the best out of a good goalkeeper and both Eden and Timms missing the target before Blake put them ahead in the 19th. The Bedworth goalkeeper and a defender were clearly surprised by Blake's speed when he ran down their interplay to strike home as the ball bobbled free, 1-0. But Bedworth, who had created very little in open play, drew level in the 22nd from a free-kick which took a deflection off the wall to fool Morris, 1-1.

Jonny Burgess was having an outstanding game and it was from a corner forced by him that Thompson swung in a beautiful cross for Timms to head in at the far post in the 26th, 2-1. Agar and Eden were combining well and Timms was having one of the best games I've seen him play, a powerhouse in midfield and a rock in defence he was also finding time to add to an already impressive forward line.

The second half started with a concern that Brakes had not realised their first-half potential and were vulnerable at only 2-1 but nerves were settled within 3 minutes when Eden was flattened just inside the box on 48 and strolled up to place a beautiful penalty just inside the post, 3-1. Now Brakes were well on top with Thompson, Blake and Burgess outpacing an increasingly panicky defence and the Brakes' defenders solid with "new boy", the lanky Sidwell, showing his worth with several, superb defensive headers.

Then in the 68th Eden made it 4-1 when the ball was palmed away by the goalkeeper after yet another Brakes' corner for Eden to materialise in a blur of yellow shirts and slot home his second for a truly "sniffer"-type goal. Ariss replaced Sidwell on 69, Billington and Perry came on for Burgess and Blake on 73 and 75 and, with the team shape temporarily unsettled, Bedworth broke away to score in the 79th, 4-2.

But order was restored with 2 Eden goals within 5 minutes, in the 80th and 84th. For his hat-trick he ran on to a through ball from Brakes'own half to place a superb drive in the corner, 5-2, and, for his fourth, rose like a salmon to head powerfully home Agar's pin-point cross from the right, 6-2.

Timms, who had performed superbly all afternoon, was denied a second, richly-deserved goal when he brilliantly placed a lob goalwards from a Perry cross in the 88th. Desperate defending saw the ball, which was heading for the net, ricochet off a bemused Bagar's buttock on the line for Brakes' 7th of the match and Agar's 4th of the season; bit of a bummer for Timmsy though, 7-2.

Footnotes. A few absences apart from squad rotation: Benson Miyoba was unwell but at the match, Harj Dhesi was moving house and not sure he would make it, but also on the touchline. Glen Webb was also there (injury), not sure about the others. Nothing long-term.
Next round, this cup, is away to Brooklands Jaguar, replacing the Loughborough league game.