By Roger Vincent

Tolley and Howell Keep Young Brakes in Top Spot at Windy Windmill

Young Brakes at times struggled to break down a resilient Sphinx on a cold, windy New Windmill night before 61 people but a goal in each half, from Tolley and Howell, kept them clear at the top of the table and they never really looked like conceding the advantage in another solid performance.

61 stalwart fans chose young Brakes over a double episode of Coronation Street. Playing with the wind Brakes pressed back Sphinx into their own half and took the lead in the 7th minute when Tolley made it 1-0 superbly curling a corner from the right directly into the far, top corner. The strong wind was probably a hindrance rather than a help as long balls swung out of play and shots sailed over the bar.

But it was mostly Brakes creating chances. Iain Groves and Wilkinson both went close and Thompson showed an appreciative crowd some impressive tricks before cutting inside to lose the ball to a solid defence. In the 26th minute Stacey turned in the box, as he does so well, and unleashed a stinging shot that brought a good save then, six minutes later, had a shot kicked off the line.

As the defenders joined in Green went close then Scott ran down the line to be foiled when he cut inside and Rockcliff's persistence in running down a ball he had no right to win forced a corner. Yet, as the half drew to a close, Van der Heyden made an excellent save from a free kick in front of goal on the edge of the box and there was a concern that 1-0 might not be enough with Brakes playing into the wind in the second half.

Those concerns were soon laid to rest when a superb through ball from Howell was turned onto the post by Stacey in the 51st and Stacey drove over a minute later. Then, in the 54th minute, Tolley picked up the ball around the half-way line, tore down the left flank and crossed for Stacey to touch on to Howell who knocked it in the net, 2-0. Brakes were well on top as Sphinx, though defending well, had no sting up front. Stacey went close again before Iain Groves had the ball in the net in the 60th only to be ruled offside. Van der Heyden cleared intelligently in a rare Sphinx attack and Tolley continued to cause problems with free kicks.

Kyriacou came on for Stacey in the 77th on the back of nine goals in five games and ran through in the 81st blasting over the bar. Collen and Beezley replaced Tolley and Wilkinson in the 83rd as irrepressible Brakes continued to press. Howell slipped a perfect pass through for Kyriacou to plant in the corner for an offside "goal" in the 89th then Howell drove wide after Kyriacou powered down the left and slipped the ball inside.

Leamington Youth: Lee van der Heyden; Seb Rockcliff; Martin Groves; Iain Groves; Lee Scott; Tim Green [Capt.]; Paul Wilkinson (Mark Beezley 83); Philip Thompson; Ryan Howell; Neil Stacey (Nick Kyriacou 77); Josh Tolley (Nick Collen 83)
Sub(s) Not Used: Stuart Poole; Chris Lewis