No Stitch in Time

Young Brakes had a reality check, after their 8-1 victory in the final friendly, by losing comprehensively at newly-promoted Worcester City. Yet, while there is no doubt that there is work to be done, Brakes should take heart from the fact that most, if not all, of the Worcester goals stemmed from the speed and skill of one special player, the Worcester no.9. I'd like to know his name but their man wouldn't tell me after the match: "we want to keep him" was all he would say.

In the 11th minute it was 1-0, scorer No.9, with a carbon copy run past everyone for 2-0 in the 16th. Thereafter there was a buzz from the Worcester contingent, and the clop of knees knocking from the Brakes fans, whenever he got the ball. Tactics didn't seem to work: stand close and he was round you, play deep and he ran through or past you.

Remarkably it was only 2-0 at half-time but in the 47th the die was cast with the defence failing to clear, 3-0. Another one from no.9 in the 54th put Worcester clear at 4-0 and although Rellis pulled one back for Brakes, making it 4-1 in the 59th with a penalty after he was felled, Worcester ran riot with further goals in the 61st, 76th, 77th, 80th and 84th minutes to bring up 9-1 with which no.9 brought his personal tally to five and laid on at least three more.

They say that you always remember your debut but I hope not in this case. There were occasional touches of skill that augured well and, though there may well need to be a bit of tweaking with the team, there were some promising performances that, maybe, were wasted on this stage. Aulak looked good, but was poorly served, and both Rellis and Powell never stopped competing. Jamie Webb can be more authorative than this, and will be, James Lockyer strove manfully against the odds while 15-year old Adam Sutton looked easy on the ball in a situation that could well have induced panic in someone with lesser skills. Time will tell (he said, absolving himself from that responsibility).

Leamington Youth: Tom Heath; Henry Jordan; Luke Hobbins; Mark Griffin (Lee Sherry 60); James Lockyer [Capt]; Jamie Webb (Adam Sutton 69); Mike Ellis (Sean Staunton 37); Kevin McGarvey; Sean Rellis; Ashley Powell; Mike Aulak
Subs Not Used: Anvinder Thiara; James Urquhart