Brakes Hit For Six But Could Avoid the Drop

This match could summarise Brakes’ season with initial promise and possession not being turned into goals then some clinical finishing from opponents followed by a late collapse that makes it all look so much worse than it needed to be.

Gordon was making inroads into a suspect Harriers’ defence and in the 20th Brakes were in the lead at 0-1 when Rellis stroked the ball home after Harper in the Harriers’ goal beat out a strong Gordon drive. And again, as so often this season, this was followed by a swift riposte with the dangerous Byrne chipping over Heath’s head for the equaliser in the 21st, 1-1.

Harriers were dangerous on the break but Brakes had more possession. Heath made an excellent save in the 27th but around the half hour mark Rellis broke free twice in a minute, each time denied by the Harriers’ ‘keeper. Then, with Brakes looking more likely to score, Harriers’ Butler bundled the ball in the net after a corner in the 42nd to finish the half 2-1.

An excellent goal in the 61st by Chambers a few minutes after coming off the bench made it 3-1 and Brakes resistance crumbled with no further threat on the Harriers goal and an implosion at the end when Harriers ran in three, all “soft” goals that should have been cleared. Butler made it 4-1 in the 82nd, a goal that depended on his commitment with the ball forced home at the second attempt, Eaton made it 5-1 in the 84th and Butler scored his hat-trick from a corner to make it 6-1 in the 90th, four minutes into added time.

The “word on the street (in the stand)” was that Kiddie would not be running a youth team next season, reinstating a reserve team instead, and that Gloucester City would decline promotion from regional division South because of the extra travelling. At the moment, of course, all this is hearsay and rumour though either could offer Brakes a lifeline in avoiding relegation if true.

Leamington Youth: Tom Heath; Henry Jordan; Tom James [Capt] (Mark Griffin 70); James Footman; James Lockyer; Barry Hobbins (Alex Unitt); Andrew Gordon; Mike Ellis; Mike Deas (Sean McCarthy 76); Sean Rellis; Luke Hobbins
Subs Not Used: Sean Staunton; Dylan Russell

Kidderminster Harriers Youth: Tom Harper; Karl Hooper; Danny Upton; Joe Corbett; Ashley Walker [Capt]; Troy Manning; Nathan Walker; Tom McCrystal (Scott Eaton 57); Mitch Butler; Tom Byrne (Levi Chambers 57); Tom Meyrick (Luke Astley 71)
Subs Not Used: Andrew Baker; Matthew Williams