Cruel Twist of Fate Undoes Brakes’ Promise

Young Brakes have no need to be disheartened at their second defeat by Hednesford who are a physically strong side rightfully in 2nd place, and likely to finish there behind the all-conquering Sutton.

Hednesford is a well-organised club with a smart ground. Team sheets were available in the bar soon after the teams had been submitted and there were announcements over the PA system. The excellent stand afforded a perfect view, I’m sure, but what the friendly, professional staff didn’t organise was the wind direction which was blowing bitterly straight into the stand (and the “dug-outs”) bringing driving sleet in the second half. Those of us with any sense chose to stand on the terracing at the far side out of the wind.

Apart from Sutton, Hednesford have scored more and conceded fewer goals than any other team in the division yet, for the first half at least, Brakes more than matched them and were unlucky to turn round a goal behind. In the 7th minute Rellis found himself one-on-one with the ‘keeper and tried to round him when a shot may have been a better option, but one-on-ones are never that easy (except in hindsight from the terraces). A minute later, with Brakes making all the running James picked up a rebound from his own corner and slipped a defender only to drive wide from an acute angle.

The Hednesford defence was big and strong but Brakes were creating chances and a through ball by Rellis to Gordon was only just too long. Hednesford weren’t really in the game at this point and there was some neat football from young Brakes with McCarthy starting to look threatening. An error in the Hednesford defence set up McCarthy in the 32nd but some sharp defending took the ball off his toe as he pulled the trigger.

Again Brakes were denied when a through ball from Barry Hobbins only just eluded Rellis in the 41st but in the 43rd it was 1-0 when Dickinson picked up a ball near the half-way line and ran on to slip the ball in the corner of the Brakes’ net for an excellently taken goal, a travesty on the first half performance.

Brakes continued in the same vein in the second half but Hednesford were coming into the game more. Walker, in imperious form, ran back to save the day in the 49th then brought the ball upfield to set up an attack with McCarthy going close with a curling shot after a cut-back from Rellis and Footman skimming the bar minutes later.

If Brakes had scored by then I believe that they would have gone on to win the game. But there followed one of those cruel twists of fate that you can’t allow for and that happens to all teams at some point. Heath, in good form in the Brakes goal, made a brilliant save in a rare Hednesford attack palming the ball out to his own defender who, unaccountably from wide on the right, decided to clear across the face of his own goal. The ball struck the astonished Styche, who knew little about it, and bounced over the horizontal Heath for 2-0 in the 53rd.

A cruel blow that seemed to unsettle Brakes who never recovered except in brief flurries. In the 58th it was 3-0 when Dickinson mishit his shot and the ball bounced into the ground and over Heath who was well positioned to save a cleanly hit drive.

Brakes did have chances of getting the goal they deserved, and Powell and Walker nearly reduced the arrears, but although young Brakes continued to play nice football Hednesford looked too well-marshalled to concede and probably deserved their win on the strength of their second-half display though Brakes may feel that it could have been a different story without the cruel twist in the plot that led to that second goal.

Leamington Youth: Tom Heath; James Footman; Tom James [Capt]; Luke Walker; James Lockyer; Barry Hobbins; Vinny Thiara (Ross Feasey 75); Ashley Powell; Sean McCarthy; Sean Rellis (Mark Griffin 81); Andrew Gordon (Mike Ellis 57)
Subs Not Used: Mike Deas; Dylan Russell

Hednesford Youth (From): Alex Malloy; Matt Biddle; Nick Williams; Keenen Meakin Richards; Luke Farmer; Alex Deeming; David Brown; Danny Dolman; Reece Styche; Greg Dickinson; Luke Gough

Players’ News: Luke Walker and Tom James will travel with the first team to Rocester, the next evening Tuesday 21st.

Other News: Next fixture, at Coleshill Town Wednesday 29 March, is 7:45 ko not the more usual 7:30 and there is NO coach.