Brakes mount smash and grab raid to take the points
Mon, 27 Aug 2007 @ The New Windmill Ground. vs Sutton Coldfield Town (2-0). British Gas Business Football League Midland Division. By D Hucker. Despite the club tasting defeat at Rushall Olympic just 48 hours earlier, fans again came out in force with a crowd of 648 being easily the best so far in all three divisions of the League this season. They were not to be disappointed and this win sets Brakes up nicely for their FA Cup Preliminary Round tie at home against Shifnal Town next Saturday.
The goal action came at the beginning and the end with Ben Mackey opening the scoring in the first minute and James Husband wrapping up the points with just four minutes remaining on the clock.
In between, Brakes 'keeper, Richard Morris, saved a 19th minute penalty and kept his side in the game in the second half with good saves from a Leon Doughty free-kick and at close range from Matthew Dodd.
The sunshine of the previous days had given way to another blustery afternoon at the New Windmill and, when the ball landed at Mackey's feet from a headed clearance, his shot deceived visiting 'keeper Chris Gemmell, creeping inside the post. Former Sky Blue Mackey has now bagged five goals in four matches and his strikes are proving vital in Brakes new campaign.
Sutton had come into the match fresh from a 3-1 win over Evesham United and they must have thought that an equaliser was on the cards when awarded a penalty after an Arron Parkinson foul, but Morris was up to the task, saving from Doughty. They had plenty of opportunities to score in the second half with a string of free-kicks and, it was from one of these on 76 minutes, that Dodd found himself with only Morris to beat, but shot straight into the 'keeper's arms.
The Brakes defence, in which Parkinson and the returning Martin Hier were outstanding, held firm and contained the ever-threatening strike force of the experienced Justin Rowe and the speedy Mykel Beckley. On 86 minutes, James Husband put the match beyond doubt rifling in a left-footed shot after Richard Adams had sold the Sutton defence a brilliant dummy.
Manager, Jason Cadden said "I am much happier than on Saturday; we could only improve. Our workrate was tremendous and it was good to keep our first clean sheet of the season."
Brakes Richard Morris, Marcus Jackson, Arron Parkinson, Adam Knight, Martin Hier, Stuart Herlihy, Craig Dutton [Capt.], Ben Mackey (Adams 66), Russell Dunkley (Liam Reynolds 79), Josh Blake, James Husband.
Subs Not Used: Ryan Parisi, Tom Fountain, Chris Gibson (GK)
Sutton Coldfield Town Chris Gemmell, Kevin Jones, Warren Howes (Matthew Jackson 60), Neil Watkins, Phillip Male, Leon Blake, Matthew Dodd, Mykel Beckley, Justin Rowe, Leon Doughty, James Quiggin
Subs Not Used: Andrew Ling, Luke Fuller, Steven Behan, Mark Moloney (GK)