Dynamic Brakes Book Terriers For Round 3

Brakes outplayed a Dynamo side who brought the first real save from 'keeper Morris in injury time. By then Brakes were 3-0 up with a brace from Blake in the 4th and 76th and Leon Morgan with a header in the 13th. 524 saw this one making a combined crowd of over 1,000 for the two games. Brakes earn £1,000 and move on to Round 3 when they meet Bedlington Terriers of the Northern League on Saturday 11 December, 3:00 ko at the NWG.

Dynamo were delayed as the result of an accident on the M6 and arrived 45 mins before ko on a dark, still night, warmer than expected but still with the visible breath of 524 fans hanging in the air, including more than usual from the opposition. Dynamo's Australian player said that he couldn't believe how cold this country was; we invited him to return to the NWG in January when there was a bit of a wind.

Our "spy on the touchline" reported that the Dynamo players pre-match warm-up chat included a reminder that "[Leamington] are fitter than us". What the tactics were to compensate we didn't catch but, in some ways, this was the main difference between the two sides from which all else flowed. It was clear that the Dynamo defence couldn't cope with speed last Saturday and it was no surprise that Blake, whose speed is always a factor, was a major player again. As early as the 4th minute Blake put Brakes 1-0 ahead when he outpaced two pursuing defenders and smashed a low shot into the net.

Dynamo were unsettled and, even with wing-back Ben Adams spending most of his time in the Dynamo half Gregory was already finding time and space to move up for set pieces. With Brakes well on top a Gregory header from a Ben Adams free kick, after good interplay with Blake and Nicholls, earnt a corner. Steve Thompson took it from the right and Leon Morgan soared high above a packed goalmouth to head home for 2-0 in the 13th.

Maybe the late arrival had unsettled Dynamo but at this stage they didn't seem to be in the game. Brakes were first to every ball, tackling back to re-win if the ball was lost and some of the passing movements brought spontaneous applause from the large crowd. But Dynamo had a spell of pressure when the game was more even and could have scored from a free-kick in front of goal which was driven straight at Morris. A feature of the game at this point was the interplay of Jon Adams and the skilled Leon Morgan.

But by the half-hour mark Brakes were back in the driving seat. Dynamo had no answer to the speed of Ben Adams down the wing and Blake through the middle, and if they paused for breath, the powerful Herlihy seemed to be able to cut a swathe through them with strength on the ball. A movement in the 37th typified the game: Blake's speed took him past two defenders; he fell over but having rolled for several yards got to his feet and picked up the ball again before the static defenders had touched it. His pass to Jon Adams resulted in a cross which was miskicked by a bemused defender and scrambled away.

The first half ended with a deft turn by Nicholls, where he was unlucky to see the ball run away from him, and the irrespressible Ben Adams running the show on the right, his speed and tenacity drawing a comment from someone near me that he was "like a terrier" a comment that had increasing meaning as Brakes' ascendancy made the R3 game against Bedlington Terriers more and more likely.

Brakes continued where they left off in the second half but there were early signs that Dynamo could get back in the game and the crowd was well aware that one goal at this stage could change everything. In two minutes though Walker broke up two promising moves by Dynamo and the defence was magnificent when it had to be, biting tackles with someone always covering for a second challenge if needed. For the first time Dynamo looked disheartened and for a 10 minute period the game went to sleep.

But it was getting cold, too cold to stand around, and Brakes got their second wind. Morgan skipped past two defenders with ease before curling a left-foot shot over the barn and Ben Adams earnt a free-kick, taken by Richard Adams (on for Nicholls), in the 76th minute from which Blake stroked home to make it 3-0 with his second of the night. Howell came on for Steve Thompson, with Blake taking the captain's arm-band, and Anderson replaced Leon Morgan.

With the clock running down Herlihy powered past three defenders before losing it, then went back to retrieve "his" ball and started again. With three minutes of added time played, mostly for substitutions with only one significant stoppage that I recall in a clean, well-mannered game, a Dynamo shot at the Harbury Lane end, that had the North Bank jeering as it looked like hitting the car-park, dipped alarmingly and brought a magnificent save from Morris. But, although Morris had gathered well all night what must have been a slippery ball this was his first real test of the evening.

Leamington: Richard Morris: Ben Adams; Simon walker; Tom Sidwell: Andy Gregory; Jon Adams; Stuart Herlihy; Leon Morgan (Mark Anderson 85); Josh Blake; Paul Nicholls (Richard Adams 71); Steve Thompson [Capt] (Ryan Howell 77)
Subs Not Used: Steve Smith; Darran Tank

Loughborough Dynamo From: Richard Keeling; Iain Screaton; Ben Shannon; Calum Osborne; Steve Brockley; Matt Birnie; Carl Lawes; Alvin Jarvis; Carl Lawrence; Dave Burraway [Capt]; Andy Rushbury; Chris Wilson; Dan Ridgway; Anthony Mondello; Nick Drew; Danny Nelson

Team News: Lee McBain has joined Long Buckby.