By David Hucker

Fernhill Fumble Flatters Fortunate Brakes

Below-par Brakes overcame a resolute Fernhill County Sports, thanks to a third minute goal from midfielder Baz Shearsby. In a match that never lived up to expectations, the 415 strong crowd greeted the final whistle with some relief after ninety minutes of mainly uninspiring football.

Any latecomers missed the opening action which saw Leamington score with their first attack. Shearsby shot from outside the penalty area and Fernhill 'keeper Dean Smith fumbled the ball into the net. The visitors almost equalised ten minutes later when the Brakes' defence was in some disarray following a good run from Fernhill's liveliest forward, Carl Fairhurst. Brakes nearly scored again on 16 minutes when a Steve Thompson corner was touched onto a post by a defender and in the thirty-first minute a Darren Timms header from a Thompson corner struck the side netting. Despite creating other chances, Leamington went into the interval with a slender one goal lead.

The second half was very much a repeat of the first with missed chances and a tendency to live dangerously at times. The introduction of a fit-again Josh Blake on the hour added some more pace to the attack and he was denied a goal six minutes from time by a fingertip save from Smith. Paul Nicholls showed some nice touches, turning defenders and shielding the ball, but it was the newer players, Ben Adams and Chris Hammond, who again took the eye.

Not all matches can be thrillers and this young Brakes side is learning all the time. Joint-manager Jason Cadden summed it up when he said "we ground out a result in what was not a pretty game to watch. Our back three again played well to keep another clean sheet".

On the team front, Simon Wickson has returned from abroad and Simon Walker has restarted training after picking up an injury against Kings Heath.

Leamington: Myles Day, Ben Adams, Mark Rowland, Tom Sidwell, Andy Gregory, Barry Shearsby (Josh Blake 60), Glen Webb, Chris Hammond (Chris Hanrahan 77), Darren Timms, Paul Nicholls, Steve Thompson [Capt.]
Sub(s) Not Used: Jag Bahi

Team News: Simon Walker now fit and at the game with Jonny Burgess and Harj Dhesi; Brian Agar on holiday.

Bird News: Sad: The Herring Gull (see last Tuesday) did not survive. No flowers, by request, but donations to the club-house fund are welcome.