By David Hucker

Brakes Take Foot Off Pedal as Sphinx Triumph

Young Brakes were presented with the Midland Floodlit Youth League Eastern Division trophy before the match by league Chairman Colin Lowe, but then turned in one of their worst performances of the season to suffer their third defeat in eighteen matches.

This was really an away match but, with the Sphinx pitch being unavailable, the tie was switched to the New Windmill Ground. On a blustery night that was more Autumnal than Spring, Sphinx ran out worthy winners and the 50 strong crowd (the lowest of the season) could have no complaints.

The opening spell was scrappy with little goalmouth action and the match only came alive when a Sphinx free kick went just over the bar on 20 minutes. The visitors were certainly not in awe of the Champions and some strong tackling saw first Lewis Scott and then Ryan Howell suffer injuries. The one to Howell was serious enough to see him helped from the field, to be replaced by Chris Lewis on 26 minutes.

Brakes 'keeper Lee Van Der Heyden was in the thick of the action pushing out another free kick in the thirty second minute before Sphinx took the lead with a freak goal a minute later. An attempted clearance from Martin Groves hit oncoming forward Casey Cagginni and Van Der Heyden was left stranded as the ball found its way into the net. Brakes almost equalised on 38 minutes when Lewis headed a cross from the right by Iain Groves against the post before Cagginni scored a second from the left of the penalty area a minute before half-time to double the visitors' lead.

The lively Paul Wilkinson came on as a substitute at the start of the second half and his precision pass on 48 minutes to Nick Kyriacou saw the Brakes striker felled in the penalty area. Lee Scott stepped up to take the spot kick which was well-saved by Sphinx 'keeper Dane Rumble. However, the referee had spotted some encroachment into the area and Scott was given a second chance. A goal at this stage could have changed the course of the match but the Brakes defender shot straight at Rumble's feet and the chance was gone.

To rub salt into the wounds, Sphinx broke way on 57 minutes to score off the crossbar and the match was all over. The introduction of Josh Tolley (surely worth his place from the outset?) brought some more pace to the attack and it was from one of his corners that Nick Kyriacou got the consolation goal five minutes from time. Kyriacou (or Nick the Greek as PA Announcer Keith Hancock affectionately called him) was unlucky not to have scored earlier but his rasping drive was well saved by Rumble who had an excellent match for Sphinx and proved an agile and sound goalkeeper.

The side missed the flair and goal-scoring instincts of Neil Stacey who was the physio for the night and, once Howell went off, the burden fell to Kyriacou and Lewis who were not able to repeat their early season exploits.

All in all, a good season with a creditable single goal defeat against Premier Champions Walsall in the League Cup to add to the Divisional Championship. However, next season will be much tougher and Brakes will need to step up a gear to make headway against the top sides.

Leamington Youth: Lee van der Heyden; Seb Rockcliff; Martin Groves; Iain Groves; Lee Scott; Tim Green [Capt.]; Lewis Scott (Paul Wilkinson 46); Mark Anderson; Ryan Howell (Chris Lewis 26); Nick Kyriacou; Nick Collen (Josh Tolley 57)
Sub(s) Not Used: Stuart Poole; Ben Halstead-Smyth

Team News: Neil Stacey's suspension started