Young Brakes Make a Point

Brakes took an early 2-0 lead inside a quarter of an hour on a balmy evening before 142 fans. But they were pegged back by two Coleshill goals 10 minutes either side of half-time. They looked to have lost it with 10 minutes to go to the 90 but Powell snatched a late equaliser to bring his personal tally to two on the night with McCarthy getting the other, a result that leaves both sides still without a win but Brakes off the mark (and still unbeaten at home!).

Astonishingly this was young Brakes first home match of the season and, despite an indifferent start in five away games, the fans turned out in force, 142 souls on a balmy night including some senior players and and manager Jason Cadden. But most pleasing of all was the support offered by a large gathering of the players' contemporaries who cheered and encouraged the young, Leamington team to create an atmosphere that is already lifting some spirits that were becoming a little low.

And all seemed well with Brakes' World when they did what some other clubs have done to them this season and swept into an early lead. In the 10th minute McCarthy made it 1-0 lashing in a ball pulled back to him by the eager Thiara. And Thiara was involved again soon after, releasing the returning Harri on the right. Alex "Bomber" Harri, not to be confused with older brother James "Shearer" Harri, who also played for Brakes, crossed from the right fooling the Coleshill 'keeper and Powell struck for 2-0 in the 12th.

But Coleshill were not to fold that easily and, as the smell of the chicken farm drifted across the NWG, McGarvey made a saving tackle and 'keeper Heath saved well from a free kick in the 27th. But most of the pressure was now from Coleshill and an old defensive frailty re-emerged when a forward ran, unchallenged, down the right and smashed home for 2-1 in the 32nd.

Young Brakes weathered the storm and looked likely to get a third at the start of the second half, first from a superb Urquhart attempt then a succession of corners that the lanky Lockyer nearly made count followed by a darting Powell run that deserved better. But it was Coleshill who scored next when Heath lost a ball from the left which crept into the net for the equaliser, 2-2 in the 54th. Coleshill hit the bar two minutes later and Harri was booked for inviting the referee to comment as Brakes, for the first time, looked like conceding the game.

But a sweeping Brakes' move in the 64th involving 4/5 players so nearly led to a Powell goal that would have been a candidate for goal of the month at any level though maybe a moment had passed becauses Coleshill looked to have taken the game with an excellent headed goal after a corner from the left for 2-3 in the 81st only to have their share of despair when, encouraged by their new fans, a concerted effort by Brakes led to a corner from the right which was nodded home by Powell in the 86th to settle things at 3-3, probably a fair result on the night despite a few "if onlys" from both sides.

Leamington Youth: Tom Heath; James Footman; Tom James; Mike Ellis; James Lockyer; Anvinder Thiara; James Urquhart (Paramdeep Bhangal 71); Kevin McGarvey [Capt]; Sean McCarthy; Alex Harri; Ashley Powell
Subs Not Used: Jason Bradshaw; Jamie Foster; Adam Sutton; Jamie Webb

Other News: Urquhart went off with a minor knock.