By Roger Vincent

Sutton Hits the Button as Brakes' Youth Top Tipton Town

With many regulars unavailable, nine having played for the Academy earlier, the team had an unfamiliar look with several debutants. But two goals in each half, and some of the best football seen this season on a perfect pitch, saw young Brakes move effortlessly into Round 2. The powerfully-built Sutton scored one in each half, with Iain Groves and Lewis Scott (brother of Lee) getting the others. The defence locked out Tipton though Martin Groves (twin of Iain), who cleared off the line, and newcomer Mark Moss in goal were on hand when it mattered

Richards came close to a dream debut when he pulled the ball just wide of goal from a pass by Claridge in the second minute. Wilkinson, Thompson and Claridge were running the game and Wilkinson was denied by the Tipton goalie in the 14th before the powerful Sutton slotted home to make it 0-1 in the 15th from close range after the ball had ping-ponged across the face of the Tipton goal.

Tipton looked potentially dangerous in attack but the Brakes' defence was unruffled with the impressive Taylor winning tackles and showing superb distribution. Thompson and Wilkinson were unsettling the Tipton defence with their skilful running into position and the whole side was playing as a team. It was no surprise then when Brakes made it 0-2 in the 33rd when Iain Groves drove in the corner after good play by Wilkinson and Sutton.

Claridge went close in the 54th with a free kick that just missed the intersection of cross-bar and post and Martin Groves cleared off the line just before Sutton notched his second to make it 0-3 in the 68th when he knocked home a rebound from the post struck by the fast and skilful Claridge now back to last season's best.

A flurry of substitutes didn't upset the team's balance and Sutton missed his hat-trick when he drove just wide in the 79th. Some late activity in the Tipton attack briefly threatened but Taylor took the ball off an attacker with a brilliant, sliding tackle to save the moment. Then, in the 87th, Brakes made it 0-4 when Sutton hit a post and Stacey squared the rebound to Lewis Scott who slotted home.

Leamington Youth: Mark Moss; James Taylor; Martin Groves; Iain Groves; Tim Green; Lee Scott; Jimmy Claridge (Lewis Scott 75); Paul Wilkinson (Matt Melling 75); Richard A Sutton; Sean Richards (Neil Stacey 79); Philip Thompson
Sub(s) Not Used: Ryan Howell

Team News: Nick Collen is a day too old for this cup which has slightly different criteria from the league; Lee van der Heyden on holiday; Sean Richards is an Australian in this country for the first time - his father was a Brakes' fan 20 years ago before emigrating.