Lack of Bite Leaves Young Brakes Goal Hungry

A lack of bite up front meant that young Brakes were goalless for the first time this season. With the backbone of Ward, Leaver and Cromwell missing they were under fire for the initial 15 minutes but gradually took control of the game with Borough restricted to one clear strike on goal thereafter. But this resulted in the only goal of the match in the 76th minute as Brakes sought the elusive winner and left themselves exposed to a quick counter-attack. Chris Lewis had to leave the field with a bad hamstring injury leaving Brakes with 10 men for the final 15 minutes as all the substitutes had been used. A win would have lifted them into 4th place but, instead, they slipped back to 9th on a frustrating evening for the travelling fans.

Borough dominated the opening period and Morgan in the Brakes goal dived to turn a goal-bound shot round the post in the 8th minute. Looking slick up front Borough again cut through the Brakes defence to go close but by the 20th minute Brakes had settle down and a good move down the right instigated by Goodall set up Mwetaminwa, making his first start, who shot over the bar.

McKinley stood out and the centre of the Brakes' defence and, with Lockyer, stifled the Borough attack. With Coleman and Goodall in control and adding pace on the wings this was an excellent defensive display. Lockyer made an excellent saving tackle in the 22nd and, soon after, Brakes could have been ahead when Mwetaminwa got down the right and crossed for Thiara to skim the bar.

Most of the good football from Brakes was developing down the right where 16-year old Simon Goodall, a signing from Mount Nod Highway, showed control and movement that may yet make him the find of the youth team's season. He dominated the final quarter hour of the first half as Brakes continued to create chances but failed to get in telling shots on target.

A 0-0 draw was looking likely though a McGarvey free kick in the 52nd just spun wide. Mwetaminwa created chances for Lewis which were not put away and Lockyer moved up to head home a "goal" from a corner in the 62nd which was disallowed for pushing, according to the referee. In the 64th Coleman hit a drive on target from 35yds which was just tipped over by the Borough 'keeper.

Brakes rang the changes with Harri coming on to, hopefully, run through the Borough defence and Callaghan making his debut. Goodall continued to impress running down the right in the 70th and then setting up Mwetaminwa who crossed for Kitchen to strike on target in the 72nd bringing a good save from the 'keeper. Mwetaminwa and Lewis both should have scored in the 74th as Brakes camped out in the Borough half. Then, after a Coleman corner following yet another attack, with Coleman and other defenders upfield Borough broke swiftly down the right, the ball was crossed and nodded home past a stretched defence, 1-0 in the 76th.

Crowley came on for Kitchen then disaster struck when Lewis went down and stayed down for several minutes before being helped very slowly from the pitch leaving about five minutes of added time with Brakes reduced to 10 men having used all their substitutes and ruing their inability to put shots away in a match that they mostly dominated.

Leamington Youth: Richard Morgan; Simon Goodall; Jamie Coleman; Ashley Kitchen (Kyle Crowley 83); Andy McKinley [Capt]; James Lockyer; Sean Rellis (Alex Harri 67); Kevin McGarvey; Masango Mwetaminwa; Chris Lewis; Vinny Thiara (Dave Callaghan 67)
Sub(s) Not Used (3 From 4 Used): Paramdeep Bhangal