Titterton inspires comfortable win at Topps Park

When these two sides met at the New Windmill Ground back in September, a second minute strike by Richard Adams settled the match in Brakes' favour. With Adams having signed for Redditch United in midweek, fans could have been forgiven for wondering just how the side would cope without the Club's leading striker. They needn't have worried as goals from James Husband, Morton Titterton and Josh Blake were enough to see off their hosts to complete a league double.

Darran Tank made a return in the centre of defence, although still not clear of the 'flu bug which seems to have struck the side. Also returning was Stuart Herlihy, although he was replaced by Leon Morgan early in the second half, having been out of sorts after his recent absence. Morton Titterton captained the side and, for me, is becoming a major influence adding vast experience to the youth and talent of the likes of Husband, Parisi and Stacey.

A bitterly cold wind greeted visitors to Topps Park and with the pitch causing the ball to bounce and bobble, playing attractive football was always going to be a challenge. However, the crowd of 200 were treated to some entertaining play with Brakes forsaking the long-ball game of recent weeks and using both wings to mount attacks. James Husband, in particular, was a constant threat down the left and on 44 minutes, he picked up a pass from the rejuvenated Blake to cut inside the defender and unleash an unstoppable shot past Oadby's highly-rated young 'keeper Laurie Pearson. (0-1).

Until then, Pearson had looked unbeatable. He made a fingertip save to push a Blake free-kick over the bar on 9 minutes, denied Husband in the 12th and then saved a goalbound header from Jody McKay on 39 minutes. Blake was again unlucky a minute later when his shot from a McKay pass was pushed onto the post by Pearson. Husband's strike was no more than Brakes deserved and more seemed on the cards in the second half.

So it proved with Brakes' second coming in the 55th minute. Stacey put a long throw from the right into the Oadby penalty area and, whilst the defence cleared the immediate danger, the ball fell to Morton Titterton who blasted past Pearson to double the lead.

A Husband corner from the right three minutes later was met by Titterton, but his header missed the target. Then Care went on a run through the defence, but put his shot wide. Pearson again came to Oadby's rescue on 62 minutes, tipping a spectacular Jon Adams strike over the bar.

Any hopes of a comeback by the home side were well and truly dashed in the 77th minute, as substitute Alex Rodman put over an inswinging corner from the left which Pearson fumbled and Josh Blake was on hand to stab the ball home for his first goal since the beginning of January (0-3).

Brakes nearly had a fourth with three minutes left when a long clearance from defence by Parisi was headed on by Blake to Adams whose shot was well saved.

Brakes Assistant Manager Keith Orme described it as a comfortable win, adding "we played well, passed the ball about and created a lot of chances. Everyone played their part, but Jon Adams' contribution was outstanding. The defeat at Stourbridge was a big disappointment, but we turned the performance round today and deserved the victory."

Oadby Town Laurie Pearson; Danny Hodgkinson; Carl Bacon; Gary Moult; Chris McCathie; Paul Bedder (Chris Parr 73); Joseph Latham; Aarran Butcher (David Fisher 67); James Miller; Nicholas Grant; Steve Fenton [Capt.]
Sub Not Used: Roy Beattie

Leamington Richard Morris; Dave Care; Darran Tank; Neil Stacey (Alex Rodman 74); Ryan Parisi; Morton Titterton[Capt.]; Stuart Herlihy (Leon Morgan 50); Jon Adams; Josh Blake; Jody McKay (Jamie Coleman 80); James Husband
Subs Not Used: Ryan Howell; Paul Shepherd

Attendance 200