Late equaliser denies Brakes third consequitive win

The Vics came into this match on the back of winning the March Team of the Month award, but it took a strike from John Paul Jones three minutes from time to snatch an equaliser and deny Brakes a victory which they just about deserved on the balance of play.

With Paul Shepherd unwell and Richard Morgan injured, Brakes were without goalkeeper cover and fielded only three substitutes. Thankfully, Richard Morris was in cracking form and almost kept a clean sheet until the Vic's most dangerous player, John Paul ("JP") Jones, popped up to stab home the ball to share the points. By that time, the pitch had become a quagmire in parts, with Morris wading about in standing water that could have seen the match called off if it had been present at the outset.

The afternoon had started in sunshine, although a stiff breeze made life difficult for Brakes who played the opening 45 minutes up the steep slope. This was never going to be a match for the purists and a win would have to be fought for every step of the way. In Jon Adams and Stuart Herlihy, Brakes had two players willing and able to fight for the ball in midfield in what became a scrappy affair from the outset.

Herlihy and the lively James Husband went close early on before JP Jones gave notice of what was to come by beating Tom Sidwell on the edge of the penalty area and sending a low shot across the face of the goal in the 14th minute. Brakes attacked again and Martin Thompson was denied a golascoring opportunity by a timely tackle from Stephen Jardine. Then Husband latched onto a pass from the right by Alex Rodman to send his shot agonisingly close to the far post.

Brakes again came close to scoring on the stroke of half-time when Sidwell rose to meet a Rodman corner from the right, but he couldn't get his header down and on target. Level pegging was probably a fair reflection of the play up to this point in time and the visiting fans who swelled the crowd to a season's best of 145 (well up on the 46 who witnessed the last match at the Tunstall Road Ground against Westfields) were hoping for better in the second period.

Brakes certainly came out in a more positive mood with Husband causing havoc down the left flank. It was from one of his many crosses in the 54th minute that Jon Adams controlled the ball well on the bumpy surface to put Brakes ahead (0-1). Husband nearly doubled the lead two minutes later, but his shot went just over the bar.

Josh Blake then had two good chances, the second of which was cleared off the line. At the other end, Jones was denied by a point-blank save by Morris after good work by Dominic Ward and James McCarthy. At this point, the fine Spring afternoon turned ugly with thunder and lightning being followed by a hail storm. It reminded me of the oft-repeated film of Jason and the Argonauts in which the Greek gods look down onto earth and control the weather and events as he searches for the golden fleece.

Undaunted, the players continued to entertain with Rodman sending a free-kick over the bar after Blake had been fouled. It looked as if Brakes would secure all three points until, in the 87th minute, McCarthy found himself unmarked close to goal and, although Morris saved his goalbound header, nobody picked up JP Jones who finished from close range (1-1).

After seeing a third consecutive win snatched from his grasp, manager Jason Cadden described himself as "bitterly disappointed" adding "we thought that we had done enough to win. The whole team is gutted and we see this as two points lost, not one gained. We didn't get the second goal to tie it up and that means we have now drawn ten matches. The league continues to be a big learning curve, but we will look at the positives and get ready for a big week with the match at Chasetown and the visit of Racing Club Warwick on Saturday."

Biddulph Victoria Stephen Intihar; Matthew Swift (Daniel Macintosh 63); Michael Steele; Aaron Kelter (Paul Rutter 73); Stephen Jardine; Wayne Edwards; Lyndon Hall [Capt.]; Martin Heath (Darren Baker 65); Dominic Ward; James McCarthy; John Paul Jones
Sub Not Used: Stuart Heeps

Leamington Richard Morris; Alex Rodman; Ryan Parisi; Tom Sidwell; Tom Cudworth; Morton Titterton [Capt.]; Stuart Herlihy; Jon Adams; Josh Blake (Michael Feely 77); Martin Thompson (Ryan Howell 65); James Husband
Sub Not Used: Neil Stacey

Attendance 145