Adams and Bates score goals to remember as Brakes stretch lead to 13 points

Jon Adams was the star of the show scoring twice to set Brakes up for their thirteenth consecutive league win as the leaders overcame a resilient Barwell side that had won the Team of the Month accolade for November.

The early exchanges were pretty even with Ben Mackey's shot in only the second minute lacking real power and Barwell's Martin Fox sending a free-kick over the bar in the 7th. Brakes 'keeper Jason Pearcey comfortably saved Stephen White's header from another Fox free-kick before Jon Adams became the first of four Brakes players to go into the referee's notebook.

However, Adams was relishing the central midfield role at which he excels and, on 19 minutes, he was on hand to rise and head home a perfectly placed far-post cross from Adam Knight to open the scoring for Brakes.

Pearcey was back in the thick of the action in the 27th minute, clearing an inswinging corner from Fox and then scrambling away a Fox free-kick that took a deflection on its way towards goal.

Leading striker Ben Mackey was having a quiet time up front, but on 36 minutes, he put White under pressure and the Barwell central defender passed the ball across his own goal, but no other Brakes player was far enough forward to take advantage.

As the first half came to an end, the excellent Morton Titterton sent a long-range shot just over the crossbar.

Barwell came at Brakes from the start of the second period and should have had at least a couple of goals. A good move involving Michael Skubalka and captain Karl Noble set up Kevin Charley who sent his shot flashing across the face of the goal and wide of the far post. Almost immediately, Charley found himself in the clear again but, this time, blasted his shot wide of the near post with only Pearcey to beat.

Josh Blake (who ran his heart out for little reward) set up Adams on 58 minutes, but the midfielder's shot rose over the bar. However, on 74 minutes, Adams made amends sending a brilliant shot from the edge of the penalty area past the rooted Castle to make it 2-0 to Brakes.

Fox then sent yet another free-kick through the packed Brakes defence but wide of the post and, just to show that Barwell weren't finished yet, Karl Noble forced Pearcey to get down well to save in the 84th. However, two minutes later it was all over as Tom Bates, on for James Husband, turned his marker on the edge of the penalty area and sent an unstoppable shot under the bar to wrap up the three points in the 86th.

Bates might have made it four with the last kick of the game, but Castle saved his well-struck free-kick at the second attempt.

As well as Adams, there were bookings for Stuart Herlihy, Josh Blake and Adam Cooper. The only Barwell player to find his name in the referee's notebook was Stephen White for a foul on Dave Pearson but, in this observer's view, the rash of yellow cards did not reflect the nature of the match, which was less of a physical encounter than some I have seen this year.

Assistant Manager Darran Tank described the win as "hard fought, adding "it was a heavy pitch that made playing football difficult. We defended too deeply in the second half and gave them a chance to come back at us. However, we scored three quality goals to win and, although we are now 13 points clear, will continue to take it one match at a time and prepare for a hard encounter with Romulus on Saturday."

Barwell Liam Castle; Perry Johnson; Carl Bacon; Richard Master; Stephen White; karl Noble [Capt.]; Martin Fox; Kevin Charley; Nicholas Pollard; Craig Noble; Michael Skubalka (Ryan Molloy)
Subs Not Used Craig Dawson; Scott Brown; Nicholas Grant

Leamington Jason Pearcey; Jamie Towers; Andy Gregory; Adam Knight; Adam Cooper; Morton Titterton [Capt.}; Stuart Herlihy (Craig Dutton 81); Jon Adams; Ben Mackey (Dave Pearson 65); Josh Blake; James Husband (Tom Bates 78)
Subs Not Used Tom Cudworth; Richard Morris

Author's Man of the Match Jon Adams

Attendance 379

Photographs from the match here»