Spa Wars II – Still No Revenge

Malvern did the double over Brakes who were seeking revenge for a 4-1 drubbing at Malvern in January. Brakes were in control for much of this game against the runaway league leaders but succumbed to two fine goals after the break and could not get past the magnificent Craig Humphries in the Malvern goal. Although only 19 the Town ‘keeper gave perhaps one of the most complete performances I’ve seen from a goalkeeper in non-league football.

Brakes had three bookings, a measure of the whole-hearted way they approached this game but, more worryingly, lost two players to injury, Care who was carried off in the 37th and Crabtree who left on a stretcher leaving Brakes with 10 men for the remaining few minutes with all the substitutes used.

But the game was not dirty and, apart from the result for Leamington, was thoroughly entertaining. Malvern did what all good, soon to be promoted sides do, toughed it out when they were struggling and took their chances when it mattered. Malvern now look certain to go up but Brakes can take heart that their remaining fixtures should ensure a good run-in with a top 6 finish a distinct possibility.

Brakes started with a clear determination to put the nightmare start at Malvern firmly behind them and attacked at speed causing panic in the Town defence. Blake broke through twice in a minute and Husband’s snap shot in the 7th was spilled by the Town ‘keeper, his first and last error of the match. With Herlihy and Husband progressing at will down the left with one-touch football it looked to be only a matter of time before Brakes scored.

But, perhaps, over-zealousness was leading to a frustrating number of offsides and Malvern looked dangerous on the break using the wings to affect which also limited the opportunities for wing-backs Care and Husband to get forward. Titterton, who had another game where he showed how invaluable he is to the midfield, was booked in the 13th for not retreating quickly enough at a free kick.

However, Brakes still had most of the possession and forced Malvern into some industrial clearances that brought donkey chants from a happy and vociferous crowd. But when Town did break they looked good, fluent and quick, though a clear chance in the 23rd was hit well wide of Morris’s goal. Parisi and Stacey were mopping up in front of goal and Crabtree was strong in a very good defensive display that didn’t even hint at the basic errors that cost so dearly at Malvern.

With Brakes rampant and forcing corners and throw-ins, and enough balls in the adjacent fields to start a 6-a-side tournament there, they lost Care who was impeded as he sped down the right but seemed to twist his leg in an otherwise innocuous challenge and had to be carried off. McKay’s glancing header was just wide in the 42nd but Malvern had a purple patch that rang the warning bells though Jon Adams ran nearly the length of the pitch in the 44th but couldn’t get past his attendant defender as he reached the box.

Malvern continued to improve in the second half and were rewarded in the 48th when Phil Preedy made it 0-1 fashioning a goal from nowhere, hitting a low shot past Morris’s left hand into the corner of the net.

Humphries in the Malvern goal had played competently until now, gathering loose balls with ease but also demonstrating a sense of positional play that had already marked him out as an excellent ‘keeper. But now, as Brakes fought back in disbelief that they could be behind, he excelled.

He showed agility in taking a dangerous Rodman cross then thwarted Blake who was clean through in the 54th. A minute later he had the crowd gasping as a goal-bound Rodman shot was somehow kept out then a point-blank Blake header that had me looking at my watch to check the minute of the goal, was turned round for a corner. McKay blasted a shot on target in the 57th that he miraculously turned round the post and a diving save thwarted Husband in the 69th following a Jon Adams corner.

Somebody near me muttered that they’d never seen such a good non-league ‘keeper in many years of watching and aficionados of the beautiful game will know already that the inevitable outcome was a second Malvern goal, another excellent strike, this time from Owen, that made it 0-2 in the 70th.

Still Brakes persevered and Herlihy headed superbly on target to bring another excellent save two minutes later. The Brakes crowd sang “you’re not very good” at the Malvern team as Brakes pressed on, surely a rare example of such a chant from a team losing 2-0. Parisi was defending superbly and bringing the ball out of defence to build more Brakes’ attacks.

Titterton had a shot turned over the bar in the 81st and striker Eden came on for defender Stacey as Brakes tried desperately to make their attacking football count. But it was not to be and late in the game Brakes lost the influential Crabtree, which may yet prove more of a problem than this one defeat, when he stretched too long for a 50:50 tackle and jarred his knee leaving Brakes with 10 men for the final few minutes.

Leamington: Richard Morris; David Care (Alex Rodman 37); Ryan Parisi; Neil Stacey (Paul Eden 83); Andy Crabtree; Morton Titterton [Capt]; Jon Adams; Stuart Herlihy; Josh Blake; Jody McKay (Ryan Howell 79); James Husband
Subs Not Used: Steve Thompson; Paul Shepherd

Malvern Town: Craig Humphries; Andrew Chalmers (Craig Williams 75); Nick Clayton; Nathan Jukes [Capt]; Marc Burrows; Ashley Walker; Duncan Willetts (Lee Tomkins 58); Steve Lutz; Mark Owen; Mark Shepherd; Phil Preedy (Richard Tomkins 87)
Subs Not Used: Luke Whittington; Duncan Preedy

Attendance: 371

Players' News: Leon Morgan missing through suspension, 6 thru 26 March; David Care “dead leg” with some swelling could miss 2/3 weeks; Andy Crabtree jarred his knee and is limping badly but no prognosis yet until it settles; Kristian Kelsall has left.