Tank To the Rescue

"We don't play well at athletics stadiums" said a forlorn fan with time running out at 0-0. Peering across a grassy, unused athletics track into lights that seemed to shine directly into the eyes, 100 fans willed on their distant heroes beyond the range of all but the throatiest bellow. Defences predominated with Star looking like they wouldn't score if it went on all night and Brakes only marginally better. But up stepped the mighty Tank to head home with three minutes left on the watch followed by a Blake penalty with four minutes of added time already gone to snatch victory from the jaws of stalemate.

Star lost 5-0 to Barnt Green in their last match but prior to that their results suggested a more steely side with that result the aberration. The crowd, estimated as 100 but seeming more, were subdued at being faced with a Brocton-type scenario, the pitch beyond a disused running track and then some more. The lights, which included two directly behind the goals, seemed low and dazzling adding to the feeling of detachment from the play.

A pattern was set early on and, unfortunately, continued. Star seemed set on defending well, which they did, but without adding any presence up front to threaten a breakaway goal. I have rarely seen Morris so under-employed. But Brakes seemed content to pump the ball upfield in the expectation that a forward would break through. Even the returning Gregory was upfield, his defensive duties not so needed.

Brakes could have scored in the 4th minute as the ball pinged back and forth in the Star area but there was half-an-hour on the clock before the crowd had something to cheer with two moves, both set up by Blake, when Thompson's cross was too long then Richard Adams was adjudged offside when bearng down on goal. The ball seemed to be running away from the Brakes' players so that passes were too long, went out of play or hit the Star defence. If this was down to the pitch it didn't improve with practice.

Gregory had Brakes first real chance heading over in the 47th after a second corner in a minute, Hanrahan tried one of his 30 yard screamers, which just cleared the bar, and McBain nearly scored an opportunist goal in the 72nd when a long, speculative lob had to be turned over the bar by a back-tracking Star 'keeper. Ben Adams had the speed and skill to get down the right and past defenders, and this was a feature of the second half, but time and again there were few options for him to get the ball to feet in the crowded Star area.

With the crowd settling for a 0-0 draw, and little remaining threat from either side, Thompson took a corner from the right into the crowded area and Tank rose to head powerfully on goal with a wild slash from a defender deflecting it even wider past the 'keepers grasp; 0-1 in the 87th. The crowd bayed, relieved. Sleem, who had come on in the 75th, was now the key player, holding up the ball and playing intelligently into the corner. Twice he set up Richard Adams who slashed just wide with a minute already added to the 90 and was then brought down in the area three minutes later. Blake stepped up to bury the spot-kick (0-2, 90th) to achieve a margin of respectability that for most of the match seemed unlikely.

Leamington: Richard Morris; Ben Adams; Simon Walker; Andy Gregory; Darran Tank; Jon Adams (Vernor Sleem 75); Chris Hanrahan; Lee McBain; Josh Blake; Richard Adams; Steve Thompson [Capt]
Subs Not Used: Darren Timms; Harj Dhesi

Team News: Steve Smith missed through injury, prognosis unknown.