By Roger Vincent

Jaguar End Brakes' Run

A goal up in 10 minutes through Agar Brakes conceded a dubious equaliser on 35 when the linesman, alone among 220 people, adjudged the ball to have crossed the line. But Jaguar scored twice in 6 minutes at the start of the second half to take control of a scrappy game though Brakes second from Timms on 66 triggered a period of sustained pressure ultimately frustrated by several offside decisions as suspect as the first half equaliser.

Burgess, Mort and Thompson combined well to create a chance within three minutes but Brakes were finding difficulty in adapting to a short pitch with too many through balls going straight to a competent goalkeeper. Nevertheless they went ahead in the 10th when Agar forced the ball home from close range after a Timms cross from the right, 0-1. With Sidwell playing well in defence and Blake chasing everything Brakes started to create chances after an even first 30 minutes. Timms and Thompson both went close, the latter bringing a good save from Jaguar's 'keeper when he ran on to an intelligent ball from Agar on the 1/2 hour.

But Payne was forced to make a saving tackle minutes later and Brakes were performing well below their best. They were missing Dhesi tidying up at the back and the power of a Webb or Miyoba to bring the ball out of defence. Thompson, whether by design or necessity, was being forced into defence with few options up front when he won the ball. There was also, more worryingly, a tangible feeling that this was a team not entirely in harmony within its own ranks. In the 35th minute a seemingly harmless corner by Jaguar from the left was not cleared and, after some general disarray in the box, the linesman adjudged the ball to have crossed the line, a decision greeted with some disbelief by most other people, 1-1.

In the first 6 minutes of the second half Brakes' sequence of 11 wins in a row was, effectively, lost. In the 47th and 51st minutes Jaguar scored with two similar goals, both breaks down the right followed by hard, low crosses driven in from the left, 3-1. Shearsby came on for McGovern in the 62nd and started to play a mid-field role to which McGovern, a superb defender, had not seemed suited. Almost immediately he combined well with Agar and Thompson for the latter to drive a hard shot which would have beaten most goalkeepers but was parried by the Jaguar 'keeper.

In the 66th minute, after good work by Blake, Mort crossed to Timms who drove home at the second attempt after his first, a header, was blocked, 3-2. A tiring Agar, who had fought hard up front all match, was replaced by Perry in the 78th as Brakes battled for the equaliser. With Thompson now playing as a winger Brakes were looking dangerous and an equaliser seemed likely but they were frustrated, and ulimately thwarted, by offside decisions from a linesman who seemed to have little understanding of the finer points of that particular rule. However, Blake nearly overcame this obstacle with a superb run down the left from his own half forcing a corner from which the ball was kicked off the line. Rippon came on for Burgess in the 88th and Brakes, with Thompson now getting down the wing to great effect, went close through Perry and Thompson. But the game ended too soon, and with it Brakes long, winning sequence.

Brakes were not at their best, for whatever reason, and cannot complain about losing this match to a team with a good defence who also scored two superb goals. This reporter rarely, if ever, mentions officials' performances (I'm sure it balances out over a season so I ignore it) but it does not reflect well on this competition that referees only are appointed and the clubs provide their own linesmen; maybe the Coventry Evening Telegraph should revisit that one. It remains unclear whether a certain linesman's V-sign to the Leamington fans reflected his pleasure at his team's impending victory or a "comment". What is certain is that it didn't reflect a lack of bias.

Leamington: Richard Morris, Jonny Burgess (Guy Rippon 88), Will Payne, Kevin Ariss, Tom Sidwell, Liam McGovern (Barry Shearsby 62), Nick Mort, Darren Timms, Josh Blake, Brian Agar [Capt.] (Neale Perry 78), Steve Thompson

Team News: Ian Billington has moved to Whitnash and Harj Dhesi looks likely to be on his way to Massey - our best wishes go with these two, former FOLFC Players of the Month for their future success; Stuart Hepburn, who has been off some months with knee cartilage problems, has decided to retire from Saturday football to spend more time with his family though Brakes still retain his registration - good luck Stuart; top scorer, Josh Blake, is off on Tuesday to the West Indies for a holiday, returning 19 Dec., just in time for training eh Josh? But have a good one anyway.