Depleted Brakes Hold Out To Earn Dynamo Replay

Visiting fans who made up the majority of Dynamo's record crowd of 495 were greeted by a blanket of snow where the pitch should have been. Thanks to the insistence of club secretary Brian Knibb that the match should go ahead and the volunteers from the Brakes' faithful, the snow was cleared in time. What started out as a tentative match, ended as a thrilling cup tie and a good advertisement for non-league football.

It looked as if Josh Blake's strike on 64 minutes was going to be enough to win the match, but the dismissal of Leon Morgan handed the initiative to Dynamo and an equaliser by Dan Ridgway five minutes from the end of normal time snuffed out the visitors' lead. Despite 30 minutes of extra time there was no breaking of the deadlock and a draw was probably a fair result on the balance of play.

In the absence of Steve Smith, Tom Sidwell partnered Andy Gregory in the heart of the defence and, after a hesitant start, looked an assured combination as Dynamo piled on the pressure in the second half. In fact, the second period was much better than the first where both sides were like boxers circling around their opponents trying to the gauge the range for their punches, but without actually landing any. Loughborough's dangerman Carl Lawes was causing some problems down the right wing and midfielder Matt Birnie was always looking to move forward and score and it took a good save down low from Richard Morris in the 13th minute to deny him.

On 25 minutes, Leon Morgan was booked for a foul on Calum Osborne and, as we were to discover later, this turned out to be one of the significant moments in the tie. The best chance for Brakes in the first half came on 41 minutes when Stuart Herlihy burst out of defence and played a perfect pass to Paul Nicholls wide on the left. The Brakes striker cut inside and shot straight at home 'keeper Richard Keeling with Josh Blake standing unmarked in the goal area.

Richard Morris was the busier of the two goalkeepers at the start of the second half as Dynamo stepped up a gear. However, Brakes began to make an impression with Morgan hitting the crossbar on 56 minutes and then shooting just wide minutes later. That all important breakthrough soon followed as in the 64th minute when a long throw from the right by Steve Thompson resulted in a scramble in the goalmouth and Josh Blake was on hand to stab the ball home, 0-1.

Alvin Jones had a good chance to equalise on 77 minutes but put his shot over. Then the match turned as, with only eight minutes of normal time remaining and Brakes defending a precious one goal lead, Morgan fouled the tricky Lawes to earn his second booking and automatic dismissal. This seemed to give Dynamo heart and impetus and in the 85th minute the Brakes defence failed to clear a cross from the left leaving substitute Dan Ridgway the simplest of tap-ins, 1-1.

The introduction of Ryan Howell in extra-time added new life to the attack and he went past three defenders before seeing his shot deflected. From the resultant corner Chris Hanrahan (who had a quiet match) headed over. Morris then kept Brakes in the tie with a good save from Dave Burraway on 107 minutes and as the temperature dropped with this reporter's toes and fingers being attacked by creeping frostbite, Brakes ten-man rearguard action was enough to see this FA Vase second round tie go to a replay at the New Windmill Ground on Tuesday night.

The only disappointment (apart from the result) was that we didn't have an appearance from a member of the Heskey clan as Damien sat on the bench throughout. His cousin Santana appeared for Highfield Rangers against us in last year's Vase and the family name alone is enough to get a round of applause from the fans.

Finally, a word of praise for the Loughborough club officials whose hospitality was first-class. The board will, no doubt, reciprocate on Tuesday so that's another inch on the waist-line.

Leamington: Richard Morris: Ben Adams; Simon walker; Tom Sidwell: Andy Gregory; Stuart Herlihy (Jon Adams 90); Chris Hanrahan; Leon Morgan; Josh Blake; Paul Nicholls (Ryan Howell 99); Steve Thompson [Capt]
Subs Not Used: Richard Adams; Darren Tank; Mark Anderson

Loughborough Dynamo From: Richard Keeling; Iain Screaton; Ben Shannon; Calum Osborne; Steve Brockley; Matt Birnie; Carl Lawes; Alvin Jarvis; Danny Nelson; Dave Burraway; Sinclair Le Geyt; Nick Crew; Chris Wilson; Andy Rushbury; Damien Heskey; Dan Ridgway

Team News: David Care cruciate ligaments and is probably out for season; Simon Wickson due to play for Whitnash after injury; Steve Smith on family duties, not injured.