Harriers Too Good For Failing Brakes

Young Brakes survived the first half to go in level at 0-0. Harriers were well on top for the first 20 minutes when they penned Brakes in their own half and hit the post in the 18th minute. But Brakes, who looked a shadow of the team that has fought back so well after an inauspicious start to the season, hit the top of the crossbar in the 35th through the industrious Barry Hobbins and enjoyed a brief period of dominance without really threatening the Harriers’ goal.

The closest Brakes came to scoring was in the 40th when a pinpoint Hobbins through ball set up McCarthy for an on-target shot. But a strong Harriers side came back well and Heath’s save in the 43rd kept Brakes in the game.

Brakes imploded in the second half after a speculative lob looped over the defence and crept into the net for 0-1 in the 46th. Brakes succumbed too easily, self-belief draining away in a fashion reminiscent of early season, so it was no surprise when a corner in the 50th was met, unmarked, at the far post for 0-2.

It was still possible if Brakes had scored next, and shown the spirit of recent weeks, to imagine a fight back. But the body language was all-wrong; players looked tired, ill at ease, thoughts seemed to be elsewhere. This was not the team that, even in the reverse at Coleshill last week, roused the crowd in their support. And there was a good crowd for this one of 65 on a very cold night.

The remaining minutes are best glossed over. Tom James limped off in the 61st. In the 63rd it was 0-3 when Heath, uncharacteristically of late, dropped the ball at a forward’s feet and it was damage limitation time in the 70th at 0-4 when the ball bobbled around the Brakes’ goalmouth like a park’s kick-in. With nobody in the Brakes defence seemingly capable of giving it a whack it ended up, apologetically, in the Brakes’ net.

Only a narrow defeat for Hinckley at Worcester kept Brakes out of the 3rd relegation slot and Brakes now have to demonstrate the resilience and character of which they are capable in their remaining three games to stand a chance of survival.

Leamington Youth: Tom Heath; James Footman; Tom James [Capt] (Vinny Thiara 61); Luke Walker; James Lockyer; Barry Hobbins; Mike Ellis; Sean Rellis (Alex Unitt 72); Sean McCarthy; Mike Deas (Sean Staunton 72); Henry Jordan
Subs Not Used: Chris King; Luke Hobbins

Kidderminster Harriers Youth (From): Tom Harper; Karl Goddard; Alex Dawson; Joe Corbett; Ashley Walker; Danny Upton; Troy Manning; Ray Facey; Mitch Butler; Levi Chambers; Scott Eaton; Dave Davis; Nathan Walker; Tom Meyrick; Amred Kang; Mike Eke

Player News: Ashley Powell missed because of school event.

Attendance 65