Lessons For Brakes From Chasetown Scholars

An excellent crowd for a cold Tuesday night of 414 saw an entertaining and absorbing, but scoreless, first half in which two evenly matched teams both had chances but Chasetown wasted more with wayward shooting. Chasetown stepped up a gear in the second half though both teams had clear-cut chances before The Scholars took the lead in the 57th.

Brakes then enjoyed a period of dominance equalising in the 68th through McKay after laying siege to the Chasetown goal. But Chasetown restored their lead two minutes later and notched a third in the 80th by when they were well on top with Brakes relying on breaks from a pegged-back defence to try to snatch what would have been an undeserved equaliser against an excellent Chasetown side who look to be heading for the top of the table.

Brakes had an early let-off when Chasetown needed a touch from a stretching forward to go ahead in the 4th minute but Morgan put Richard Adams through for a wasted chance at the other end a minute later and McKay was unlucky with a shot just turned round for a corner in the 9th after another Morgan assist, this time with his head.

Chasetown were repeating the early stages of both halves at their ground a few weeks ago with plenty of threat and some appalling marksmanship. An Egan cross in the 11th gave top-striker Bullimore a free header that was well over the bar.

An early injury to Parisi in the 15th brought on Stacey who had only had one brief run-out in recent weeks and really needed a little more match-fitness before being pitted against the division’s form-team. But it was an absorbing game of good football with both teams having chances with, heartening at this stage, Chasetown, although having the greater number, looking less likely to hit the target.

A Blake drive was beaten out in the 25th and Richard Adams ran into the Chasetown goal area four minutes later for a shot that spun off a defender inches wide of the post for a corner. An appeal for handball from a Herlihy header in the 30th was ignored and Chasetown came back with a Parsons drive saved well by Morris and two shots in the 45th that both cleared the Harbury Lane stand without bouncing.

McKay’s shot in the 50th was just not high enough to clear the ‘keeper in the 50th as the second half started in similar vein but Chasetown finally found their shooting boots when a swift break down the right and a low cross was met by Edwards who slotted home for 0-1 in the 57th.

Jon Adams replaced Husband a minute later as Brakes now enjoyed a period of dominance attacking in waves. They created havoc in the Chasetown goal area forcing two corners in quick succession the second of which, taken by Jon Adams on the left, was headed home brilliantly by McKay in the 68th for 1-1. Now Brakes were on song and, maybe, if they could have concentrated on consolidation for 10 minutes there would have been a different outcome.

But Chasetown broke swiftly as Brakes surged forward in numbers and Edwards got his second on the night within two minutes to put The Scholars ahead 1-2 in the 70th from a header that went in off a post. That turned the game and now it was all Chasetown who dominated the final 20 minutes with hard, though fair, attacking football along the ground with Brakes second to every ball and too often finding opposing players with hurried passes.

A good diving save from Morris in the 77th delayed the inevitable but only for a few minutes when one of many Chasetown corners was glanced in by Horler to complete the scoring at 1-3 in the 80th. A late break by Blake and McKay could have reduced the arrears but Brakes were always on the back-foot after that second goal.

However, on this performance, Chasetown look most likely of all the teams Leamington have met this season to win promotion and Brakes can look back on the two meetings in January, with three points and three goals each, as a good return. But, make no mistake, Brakes can step up to this same level without too many new faces once they learn the valuable lessons meted out by teams such as Chasetown who finished 2nd last year and look likely to go one better in April.

Leamington: Richard Morris; Ryan Howell (Kristian Kelsall 81); Darran Tank; Ryan Parisi (Neil Stacey 15); Andy Crabtree; Stuart Herlihy; Josh Blake; Leon Morgan [Capt]; Jody McKay; Richard Adams; James Husband (Jon Adams 58);
Subs Not Used: Tom Sidwell; Paul Shepherd

Chasetown (from): Simon Bryan; Lee Parsons; Mark Branch; Christopher Slater; Kevin Thompson; Steven Ulfig; David Egan [Capt]; Nicky Harrison; Lee Bullimore; Karl Edwards; Duncan Horler; Scott Gennard; Sam Smith; Gary Price; James Price; Adam Jenkins

Attendance: 414

Players' News: Ryan Parisi felt a hamstring twinge and was replaced – prognosis uncertain; Morton Titterton has bad bruising but is back in contention

Other News: Don’t forget to book your seat on the coach to Causeway this Saturday 4 February through Vic Shepherd 01926 334934. Coach leaves the AP car-park at 12 noon.