By David Hucker

Stacey and Tolley at the Double

Just like the seniors the night before, Leamington's youth squad came up against a goalkeeper in top form at Masons Road on Wednesday as Carl Hughes denied them time and time again. In the end, a first half strike from Neil Stacey and a second half penalty from Josh Tolley were enough to overcome a physical Stratford side and maintain Brakes' perfect start to the new season.

As with the opening match, Brakes had a shaky start and Stacey's goal on 22 minutes came against the run of play. As early as the fifth minute, Lee van der Heyden denied Stratford, saving with his feet and in the nineteenth minute James Taylor cleared off the line as his goalkeeper failed to collect a cross. However, thanks to good work by the much-improved Lakhdeep Dosanjh, Neil Stacey calmed the nerves with his third goal in two matches. Stratford could, and should, have equalised five minutes before half-time, but the reliable Tim Green saved the day with a well-timed tackle inside the penalty area.

Any hope that the home side had of equalising went in the sixty-first minute when they were reduced to ten players by a sending-off. New boy Ian Groves almost increased Brakes' lead on 72 minutes when he beat three players only to see Hughes push his shot round the post. However, the second goal was not long in coming as three minutes later, livewire Chris Lewis was brought down in the penalty area and Josh Tolley made no mistake with his spot kick. Tolley almost scored again seven minutes later but Carl Hughes made yet another good save.

In the end, it was a comfortable win but Assistant Manager Joe Bennett was not entirely happy, saying "I was disappointed that we didn't play the kind of football that we are capable of. The side showed good commitment and work rate and in the end it was a workmanlike performance for three valuable points"

Leamington: Lee van der Heyden; James Taylor (Alex Shaw 70); Stuart Poole; Mark Beezley (Capt.); Lee Scott; Tim Green; Phil Thompson (Ian Groves 46); Lakhdeep Dosanjh; Nik Kyriacou; Neil Stacey (Chris Lewis 53); Josh Tolley