Brakes Self-Destruct and Lose Unbeaten Tag

Brakes' unbeaten record was destroyed at Oldbury as the team self-destructed, finishing with only nine men in a match full of incident and controversy. Conceding two goals in each half and losing both Russell Dodd and Leon Morgan in questionable circumstances, this was a poor performance in which a well-taken goal by young striker Ryan Howell was the only bright spot.

Oldbury's ground is hemmed in by houses and the M5 Motorway and doesn't seem to have changed much from my last visit twenty years ago. The pitch was uneven and already showing signs of wear, not conditions best suited to Brakes' fast flowing style of football. However, balls pumped high into the opposition half were routinely won by tall central defender Martin Keight and it was soon clear that this was going to be a difficult afternoon.

After an early chance on 10 minutes when Leon Morgan headed over from a Jon Adams corner, Brakes lived dangerously with the ball passing in front of goal and the makeshift defence (missing Andy Gregory, Kristian Kelsall and Steve Smith) looking out of sorts. A back pass resulted in an indirect free-kick inside the penalty area, but Paul Lloyd's shot was charged down. Brakes hit back with a strong run into the opposition area by Richard Adams that brought a fingertip save from home 'keeper Andy Higgs. Then, Oldbury skipper Andy Dodds fed striker Wayne Lawley who went round Ryan Parisi to set up a shot that Paul Shepherd got down well to save.

The first goal came in the 28th minute when a corner from the right brought a scramble on the Brakes goal-line, in which Russell Dodd was adjudged to have handled the ball. Dodd duly got his marching orders, but the consensus of opinion was that the ball was already over the line and it might not had been Dodd's hand. However, after everything had settled down, up stepped Lee Booth to put the penalty away (1-0).

The second followed five minutes later when Darran Tank and Shepherd had a breakdown in communication, allowing Wayne Lawley to steal in and make it 2-0 for the home side. However, in the 39th, Brakes pulled one back with Ryan Howell rising well to head home from a Jon Adams cross from the left (2-1).

Oldbury increased their lead in the 50th with Andy Wells heading home a corner from the left (3-1) and any hopes of a Brakes revival were dashed in the 71st minute when Morgan was sent off for a second bookable offence (having already been cautioned for a hard tackle on Justin Brown). This left just nine men to complete the match and, hard as they tried, right on full-time Lee Booth got his second, and Oldbury's fourth, to put the final nail in the Brakes' coffin.

If this result gives players and fans alike a wake-up call to the realities of life in the Midland Alliance, then it will be no bad thing. Perhaps, the exertions of Tuesday night had taken their toll more than anyone had realised or, maybe, it was the curse of the dreaded Team of the Month Award. Whatever the reason, the result has to be put in perspective of what has been achieved over the last year and there is an early opportunity to put things right this Tuesday evening.

Reflecting on the match, manager Jason Cadden said "I am very disappointed with the performance, we didn't deserve anything from the way we played. We were never in the match from the kick-off and it was only a matter of time before they got the first goal. Even down to ten men and trailing at half-time, I felt that we could get back into it, but we made no impression in the second half and have no complaints."

Leamington: Paul Shepherd; Richard Adams; Josh Blake; Darran Tank (Simon Walker 90); Tom Sidwell; Ryan Parisi; Jon Adams; Leon Morgan [Capt]; Ben Usher (Stuart Herlihy 60); Ryan Howell (Andy Stidder 85); Russell Dodd
Subs Not Used: Paul Eden; Richard Morris

Oldbury United: Andy Higgs; Andy Wells (Robert Eggington 74); Andy Dodds [Capt]; Justin Brown (Stephen Wilkinson 64); Martin Keight; Simon Carter; Paul Lloyd; Neil Barnfield; Wayne Lawley (Adam Shaw 90); Lee Booth; Lee Dimmock
Subs not used: Sam Chatwin; Paul Fellows

Attendance 137

Players' News: Steve Thompson injured, out probably until December; Kristian Kelsall toe injury, maybe misses one more; Steve Smith injured, prognosis unknown; Andy Gregory holiday, back Thursday 8th; Andy Stidder misses next Saturday, work-related; Warwickshire Academy Jack Sharp has signed as cover; Stuart Herlihy signed during week; Alex Rodman away for a few days with family commitments