By Roger Vincent

Poles Worth More but Brakes Hold at Hermitage Hill

A Brakes' goal from a superb Timms chip in the 25th was scant reward for a good first half performance but Brakes scored twice more after the break when Polesworth had more of the game. A 48th minute screamer from Burgess gave Brakes a two goal cushion but only for five minutes when Polesworth headed home. Blake scored after 76 to restore the comfort zone only for Polesworth to get a second on 85 to give 120 travelling fans a tense finish at Hermitage Hill in what was a hard-fought and, at times, ill-tempered game.

On an overcast day 120 fans gave excellent vocal support to a Brakes' team riding high on the back of 10 straight wins but missing the influential Webb and the fans' Player of the Month for October, Harj Dhesi. The distant slag-heaps loomed against a steel-grey sky emphasising concerns about extra time being possible given the 2pm kick-off.

Such concerns seemed irrelevant as Brakes made all the early running with Thompson progressing down the left, seemingly at will, and Burgess finding openings on the right. Good interpassing between Burgess and Agar found Blake who turned past the Poles goalkeeper to be thwarted by a foot then, minutes later, an excellent save denied Agar after a Mort free kick. In the 18th Blake cut through the Poles' defence to feed Mort who combined well with Burgess for a Mort shot which was cleared off the line.

The Poles goalkeeper was in excellent form and his team responded by forcing a good save from Morris and a superb saving tackle from Ariss at the other end. However, the Brakes' pressure finally told. They should have had a 23rd minute penalty when a Thompson corner from the right was clearly handled in the box but, in the 25th, a Burgess shot from the right came out to Timms who looked up and coolly chipped a massed defence and the goalkeeper for a beautifully-taken goal, 0-1.

McGovern's powerful header out of defence fed Mort and Blake, either of whom could have scored, and Blake ran through from the half-way line only for his shot to be parried for a corner. With Poles showing a resilience that belies their lowly league position there were some hard tackles going on from both teams and the half ended with the referee trying to re-establish control.

Soon after the restart, in the 48th, Brakes scored a superb goal. Timms and Thompson worked the ball down the left and Thompson drove hard and low across goal. It was missed by everyone except "super" Jonny Burgess who hit a screamer on the volley into the far corner from the edge of the box, 0-2. But Polesworth kept going and 5 minutes later pulled one back when Brakes paid the penaly for not clearing their right flank and the ball was swung across goal for a well-taken header, 1-2.

Polesworth were now on top on an increasingly heavy pitch and Brakes brought on Miyoba for the tiring Burgess on 69 and Rippon for Dix on 74 to provide fresh legs and impetus. However, in the 76th minute, Blake seemed to wrap things up when he ran through Poles' defence and, with two defenders in hot pursuit, slipped the ball in the corner past the advancing 'keeper, 1-3. In the 80th Perry replaced Agar as the game finally seemed beyond Polesworth. With car lights clearly visible on distant roads and the blue lights of a fire-engine "next door" showing in harsh relief, extra time seemed neither likely nor feasible.

Then a misunderstanding between Ariss and Morris left Morris running out of goal to save the day as he charged down attacker and ball to concede a (wasted) free-kick outside the box and earn himself a booking. Minutes later, in the 85th, the excellent Morris was forced again to charge at an attacker but, slightly more hesitant after the previous booking, he saw the ball slip past him into goal, 2-3.

With five minutes of normal time left, and about four more added for stoppages, Polesworth strove for an equaliser to take the match to extra time, and penalties if required. In stoppage time Poles went close, twice, with a looping header and a long free kick as Brakes hung on. A draw may have been a fairer result but Brakes were attacking as the final whistle went and their relieved fans started to feel their way across the darkening pitch to the warmth and light of the club-house.

Leamington: Richard Morris, Jonny Burgess (Benson Miyoba 69), Will Payne, Kevin Ariss, Andy Dix (Guy Rippon 74), Liam McGovern, Nick Mort, Darren Timms, Josh Blake, Brian Agar [Capt.] (Neale Perry 80), Steve Thompson