Brakes Youth Fail To Convince But Go Through To R3

Young Brakes made it to R3 after two goals in extra time but this was not a convincing performance against a young Bromsgrove side from a lower division. Brakes looked comfortable with a 2-0 half-time lead through Coleman and McGarvey, but a defensive slip reduced the arrears in the 59th and gave Rovers heart enough to equalise two minutes later. Another defensive slip, this time by Rovers, put Brakes back in the driving seat at 3-2 up with 10 minutes to go when McKinley moved up to force home but Rovers equalised again with the best goal of the match in the 87th. Brakes greater strength finally told in extra time when they scored twice, through Rellis and Leaver, and could have added more, but that would have been unkind to Rovers who battled well all match and, in the second half of normal time, looked more likely winners.

On a crisp night, ideal for football, Brakes got off to the best possible start, playing downhill on the severely sloping pitch, when Coleman took a free-kick from 25 yds and placed it in the top corner beyond the stranded 'keeper, 0-1 in the 3rd minute. Brakes were playing the better football, and Cromwell could have added to his tally in the 21st, but it was the nippy Bromsgrove forwards who came closest missing an open goal in the 36th.

Powell, in only his second game for Brakes, was impressing with his movement and control but the team as a whole was giving away too much possession. However, Bromsgrove seemed a young side with some uncertainties at the back so it was little surprise when Brakes doubled the score with a McGarvey drive into the top corner after the Bromsgrove 'keeper had beaten away another shot on target, 0-2 in the 40th.

Though there was some speed up front Bromsgrove seemed to lack belief and rarely troubled the Brakes defence. At the start of the second half Brakes played their best football and looked to be well in control. But all that changed in two minutes. Morgan, who had made a brilliant stop in the 53rd, seemed to slip when attempting a routine clearance upfield from the edge of the box and a lone, Bromsgrove predator poked the loose ball home for 2-1 in the 59th. With new belief Bromsgove broke down the middle and a forward bypassed Morgan, rushing from goal, to slot the equaliser, 2-2 in the 61st.

This was unrelenting, end-to-end stuff, not pretty and mostly in the air. Bromsgrove missed a free header in the 74th with the defence in disarray but Brakes looked to have done enough when McKinley moved up to stab home from a goalmouth melee in the 81st minute, 2-3. But it wasn't over and, with a chill creeping into the ground and at least one player having homework to finish when he got home, Bromsgrove took it to extra time with a jinxing run from the right, across goal and a low shot into the corner, 3-3 in the 87th.

Now, at last, Brakes made their higher position count and took the game by its scruff. In the 96th minute Rellis made it 3-4 seizing on a misunderstanding between the Bromsgrove 'keeper and a defender and, although Bromsgrove should have equalised again when a shot on an open goal was blasted into orbit, Leaver made it 3-5 and safe on the night in the 105th minute. The second half of extra time was a catalogue of missed chances as Brakes had the opportunities to run up a bigger score against a tiring, young side. But that would have been unkind to Bromsgrove and an unfair reflection on their effort and commitment.

Leamington Youth: Richard Morgan; Simon Goodall (Paz Bhangal 126); Jamie Coleman (Tom Lockyer 84); Ashley Kitchen; Andy McKinley; Dave Ward; Ashley Powell; Kevin McGarvey; Will Cromwell; Masango Mwetaminwa (Sean Rellis 64)); Tom Leaver [Capt]
Sub(s) Not Used (3 From 5 Used): Vinny Thiara; Dave Callaghan

Team News: Chris Lewis training and "back soon".