Sat, 06 Oct 2007 @ The New Windmill Ground. vs Marlow (2-0). FA Carlsberg Trophy. By D Hucker. Competiton from England's rugby match against the Australians kept the gate down to 522, but those who came to the New Windmill saw a comfortable win for Brakes which set up the propsect of an exciting clash with Banbury United in the next round.
Russell Dunkley and Liam Reynolds both went close for Brakes in the opening ten minutes, but it was Marlow's Adam Harman who had the best of the early chances, drawing a point-blank save from 'keeper, Richard Morris.
Leamington were denied by a number of offside decisions in what became an increasingly scrappy first half. Marlow could have taken the lead when Simon Herbert stole in behind the defensive wall to collect Jack Smillie's free-kick, but put his effort wide.
With ten minutes remaining, Reynolds blasted over the bar from close range after good work by Dunkley down the left to increase the home fans frustrations. Richard Adams, making his 100th appearance for the club, then shot wide from long-range whilst, at the other end, Morris got down well to save a goalbound header from John Beale to keep the scores level at the interval.
The match came alive within a minute of the restart when Marcus Jackson's low cross from the right was met by Husband at the far post who gave Brakes the lead. Adams almost made it two, but his shot rolled onto the post, before Husband made no mistake in the 67th minute with his second, putting ball under Ian MacTaggart to seal the match.
The industrious Reynolds saw a shot charged down by the defence and Dunkley picked up the loose ball to send his effort across the face of the goal and just wide. As Brakes continued to apply the pressure, MacTaggart got down low to stop a well-struck shot from Jackson and then denied substitute, Josh Blake, who let fly with a stunning effort right on the stroke of time.
For Brakes, Stuart Herlihy and Liam Reynolds were dominant in midfield and the defence was again the bedrock on which the season's performances have been built. Husband and Jackson caused problems down the wings and the players can now look forward to the visit of neighbours Banbury United in the next round.
There were bookings for Russell Dunkley and Stuart Herlihy for Brakes and Simon Herbert for Marlow.
Manager, Jason Cadden, was pleased with the result, saying "It was a good all-round performance. We should have put our chances away in the first half, but we were commanding in the second and deserved our win."
Brakes Richard Morris, Marcus Jackson, Arron Parkinson [Capt.], Adam Cooper, Ryan Parisi (Craig Dutton 65), Stuart Herlihy, Liam Reynolds, Ben Mackey (Josh Blake 74), Richard Adams (Martin Thompson 77), Russell Dunkley, James Husband
Subs Not Used: Avun Jephcott, Chris Gibson
Marlow Ian MacTaggart, Jack Smillie, Scott Webb (James Flint 86), John Beale, Simon Herbert [Capt.](Steve Croxford 72), Chris Elsegood, Jeff Lamb, Adam Dickens, John Isaac (Colin Simpson 86), Adam Harman, Aaron Crouch
Subs Not Used: Sam Shepherd, Warren Carter