By Roger Vincent

Deja Vu Runs Out of Time

This looked like being a repeat of last week as Ounsdale went two up against a lethargic Leamington, in the 21st and 52nd, and Brakes fought back to level it with goals in the 84th from Timms, and Agar on the stroke of normal full-time. With Brakes finally coming to life it was Ounsdale who broke away to score early in the 1st period of extra time but the script departed from last week's story at that point. There were no two late goals to win it this time; indeed there were no 119th and 120th minutes as the 2pm kick off reduced extra time to 10 minutes each way. Darkness descended on a bitterly cold New Windmill Ground as 345 escapees from Christmas shopping trudged away from what was only Brakes' second home defeat since last season's renaissance.

A fast, open game promised much with good interplay between fit-again Agar and November's player of the month Thompson. But a sound Ounsdale defence, which had conceded only four goals in the Express and Star West Midlands League Division 1, was going to be hard to break down. In the 21st the Brakes defence played its luck once too often as Morris raced from goal to clear only for the ball to drop kindly to an Ounsdale striker who drove into the abandoned net, 0-1.

Brakes were playing some good football at times, and Ariss was getting past the defence, but there was a jaded feel about the team, a lethargy usually more apparent towards the end of a long season with too many games. The impressive Agar was running everywhere but there was no bite up front and the few chances there were didn't look like troubling a solid goalkeeper.

Brakes emerged with more enthusiasm for the second half and Timms passed well for Thompson to sprint down the wing and cross superbly only to see the off-colour Perry screw wide from in front of goal. Ounsdale were looking dangerous on the break but the impressive Morris looked in control of the area with Dhesi bossing the defence to good effect. But in the 52nd Ounsdale increased their lead when a loose ball was mis-hit by a Brakes defender and fell behind Morris into the net for an own-goal, 0-2. It was too dark for me to tell you who it was!

Mort replaced Perry in the 65th and Burgess came on for Ariss five minutes later. Almost immediately Mort nearly broke through and Burgess started to run at the defence and get past players. With Rippon on for Shearsby in the 82nd Brakes finally started to play as a team and the Ounsdale defence looked vulnerable. But it all seemed too little, too late. Then, in the 84th, Burgess broke through yet again to be bundled off the ball in the area and Timms scored at the second attempt after his penalty kick was beaten out, 1-2. Now it was constant Brakes pressure, rewarded in the 90th minute when Agar forced home a Dhesi corner after 'keeper Morris, who had arrived to add his presence in the box, got a touch, 2-2.

With darkness drawing in because of the 2pm kick-off dictated by Birmingham FA, it had been agreed beforehand that any extra time would be 10 minutes each half. With Brakes on top, and the crowd willing to forget their poor performance for most of the 90, they could have scored from the restart when Burgess forced a corner. But Ounsdale did what Brakes have done so often themselves and fought back against the odds with yet another break through the middle to make it 2-3 in the 94th. This was the same position as last week's cup match when Brakes also broke back to 2-2 after being 0-2 down and lost an early goal in extra time.

Then, as now, it was all all Leamington. Then Leamington scored two late goals to win it. But, back in real time, Agar, uncharacteristically, missed a header in the first period from a Thompson cross and Timms, Mort and Dhesi all went close in the second period as Ounsdale packed their defence to keep them out for what, ultimately, was a deserved victory.

Leamington: Richard Morris, Kevin Ariss (Jonny Burgess 70), Harj Dhesi, Andy Dix, Tom Sidwell, Barry Shearsby (Guy Rippon 82), Darren Timms, Glen Webb, Neale Perry (Nick Mort 65), Brian Agar [Capt.], Steve Thompson

Team news: Will Payne has hurt his back; no prognosis yet. David Care was cup-tied for this one. Josh Blake is back off holiday this week, 19th. Steve Thompson won the November player of the month.