Quorn Lead the Pack But Brakes Still In the Hunt

Driving rain and a slippery pitch set the scene for a comedy of errors at table-topping Quorn with the first chill winds of the season sending the visiting fans to cower in the stand. The pitch looked good though where its parts started and ended was unclear as it had been too wet to mark properly and by half-time no lines were visible.

But the visiting fans cared not a jot when a buoyant Brakes swept into a lead in the 1st minute, only 25 secs in fact when Ellis and Rellis (an unlikely sounding partnership) set up a cross for Powell to smash home, 0-1.

But the wet surface was making control very difficult and led directly to two quick, quirky Quorn goals when, in the 11th a 30yd strike skidded unfairly out of Heath's reach, 1-1, and, after an excellent Heath stop in the 15th the ball was swept in in the same minute after a slip at the back, 2-1.

But young Brakes had seen, and done, enough to know that they had the measure of the league leaders and mostly dominated the remainder of the first half playing some good football with McGarvey and McCarthy both going close and the excellent Urquhart showing endeavour and skill to set up attacks and dominate the defence as required. But Lockyer, with a saving tackle in the 34th and Heath, with another superb save in the 44th, reminded them that Quorn were not table-toppers by accident.

But the good work was undone within 10 secs of the restart, with manager Stacey yet to make his bench, when the defence seemed to stand mesmerised whilst Quorn simply moved past them to score, 3-1 in the 46th. Again the new-look Brakes didn't fold and both Powell and Thiara could have scored before James drove home a superb free-kick for 3-2 in the 59th.

Footman came on for his debut to join fellow debutant Bradshaw (both of whom had good steady games) and Brakes took the initiative again nearly equalising through Powell and Aulak before another defensive error at the back gifted Quorn with a goal they little deserved, 4-2 in the 81st. But an unstoppable free-kick from fully 30 yds by McGarvey in the 85th set up a grandstand finish at 4-3 with a rampant Brakes peppering the Quorn goal and a clear chance not taken in the 88th with three close-range shots in succession somehow kept out in stoppage time.

Young Brakes improvement continues and, although they've lost all three games, all have been away and two were against the top two clubs. The results will come so long as they believe that they will for tonight's performance was only bad in parts though those aberrations cost dearly.

Leamington Youth: Tom Heath; James Urquhart; Tom James; Jason Bradshaw; James Lockyer; Anvinder Thiara; Mike Ellis (James Footman 73); Kevin McGarvey [Capt]; Sean McCarthy; Sean Rellis (Mike Aulak 77); Ashley Powell
Subs Not Used: Adam Sutton; Lee Sherry; Sean Staunton