Brakes Face the Drop

Both teams knew that this was a vital match but Hinckley started the stronger and took an early lead in the 8th minute through Morgan, 0-1. Brakes faltered and only three magnificent saves by the impressive Russell in a six-minute spell around the half-hour mark kept them in the game. But Gordon hit a Rellis cross just over the bar in the 39th and Brakes pulled themselves together.

Although Russell was forced into another last ditch stop in the 50th Brakes completely turned things round and totally dominated the next 30 minutes. McCarthy drove home an equaliser, 1-1, in the 51st and it was one-way traffic as Brakes fought for that vital winner.

Miraculously the Hinckley goal stayed intact as Brakes attacked in numbers. The ball rebounded from the Hinckley bar twice, from Walker in the 65th then Rellis in the 80th, and several chances went begging.

Perhaps inevitably, with Brakes camping in the Hinckley goalmouth, a punt up field found the Brakes’ defence desperately short on numbers and Hinckley made it 1-2 in the 87th adding a third in the 5th minute of added time, 90th + 5, for 1-3 as Brakes succumbed, all passion spent.

This defeat leaves Brakes mathematically with a chance of survival but means that, realistically, they will finish in the 3rd relegation slot. Their only hope now is that one of the three regional champions will decline, or be denied, promotion, that another club will withdraw from the Premier or that the Premier increases in size. All of these events have happened before but I wouldn’t hold your breath.

Leamington Youth: Dylan Russell; Henry Jordan; Tom James [Capt]; James Footman; James Lockyer; Barry Hobbins; Luke Walker (Mike Ellis 88); Ashley Powell; Sean McCarthy (Mike Deas 84); Sean Rellis (Sean Staunton 84); Andrew Gordon
Subs Not Used: Vinny Thiara; Tom Heath

Hinckley United Youth: Sam Knott; Chris Cooper; Marco Chavetta; Solomon Appiah; Chris Bradshaw [Capt]; Jon Morgan; Callum Riley; Nathan Goddard; Shane Nardiello; Jake Duffy; Dave Barnett
Subs From: Dave O’Brian; Lee Bailey; Kyle King; Shaun Rowley; Ryan Birch

Attendance 72