By David Hucker

Brakes Fail Test In Front of Large New Windmill Crowd

In front of a record crowd at the New Windmill, Young Brakes failed to live up to expectations and secure the victory that would have given them the Midlands Floodlit Youth League Eastern Division title. In the end, the scoreline probably flattered the visitors but, after having much of the play, Brakes paid the penalty for missed chances and sloppy defending.

It all looked so different in the first twenty minutes when, inspired by Josh Tolley wide on the left, Brakes took the game to Rugby. Tolley created four good chances for himself and should have scored with the second of them in the fourteenth minute when he ran onto a pass from Neil Stacey only to blast his shot high over the bar from close range. Rugby then made the home side pay for these misses when, on eighteen minutes, a speculative shot from wide of the goal by Ian McGregor eluded a mass of players and went in off the far post. The defence was again in disarray from a corner ten minutes later and Lee Scott was forced to head over his own bar to clear the danger.

A run into the penalty area on thirty-two minutes by Nick Kyriacou and a header by Scott were the best of Brakes' efforts leading up to half-time. However, for all their possession, they were worryingly not creating enough goal-scoring chances and needed to improve after the interval.

For a side that had scored at an average of four goals a match, turning round a one-goal deficit in the second half should have been within their ability. However, a flawless performance by Rugby's 'keeper Steve Leddy kept his side in the match as Brakes surged forward in search of an equaliser. Unfortunately for the home supporters who made up most of the 201 crowd, Brakes paid the penalty for throwing players forward being twice caught on the break. The first of the goals came in the seventy-sixth minute and before Brakes could get their breath back, Daryl Jackson struck two minutes later to land the killer punch.

The players were still locked in the dressing room long after the visitors had departed and they will know that they did not do themselves justice. In particular, too many passes were over-hit and too many crosses went safely into the goalkeeper's hands. Also, not enough service was given to Neil Stacey whose frustration was obvious several times in the second half. The title can still be won at Southam United on Wednesday but, even allowing for the bottom club's record, it will take a better performance than this to seal it.

Leamington Youth: Lee van der Heyden; Seb Rockcliff; Martin Groves; Iain Groves; Tim Green [Capt.]; Lee Scott; Nick Kyriacou; Paul Wilkinson (Stuart Poole 73); Ryan Howell; Neil Stacey; Josh Tolley
Sub(s) Not Used: Chris Lewis; Alex Shaw; Mark Beezley; Nick Collen