Tue, 08 Apr 2008 @ Cecil Street, Rothwell. vs Rothwell Town (3-0). British Gas Business Football League Midlands Division. By D Hucker. Brakes saw off the determined challenge of Rothwell to secure a Midlands Division play-off place in their first season back in the British Gas Business Football League.
Ben Mackey and Robbie Beard both made the starting line-up, with Ryan Parisi wearing the no.2 shirt and James Husband reverting to the left wing-back role.
Home 'keeper Tom Smith denied Brakes an early lead when beating back a fierce shot from Beard, but it didn't take long for the deadlock to be broken as, on six minutes, Mackey ran at the Rothwell defence and crossed to the far post where Parisi was on hand to crash the ball home.
Smith again denied Beard before Rothwell almost equalised when Jon Stead turned Marcus Jackson on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot went across the face of the goal.
Beard went close for a third time and a header by Guy Sanders from an inswinging James Husband corner was cleared off the line, before Rothwell hit back with Stead drawing a good save from Richard Morris.
Leamington pressed after the break with Sanders sending a free-kick just wide and then having another goalbound header stopped by Smith with the help of a defender. Parisi also blasted wide after being set up by Mackey.
Rothwell's young side didn't give up the chase and Chris Difante had a golden opportunity to level, but put his shot wide of the far post with only Morris to beat.
Jamie Towers replaced Beard and, with Parisi switching to the left, Husband reverted to the midfield, where he has been so effective in recent matches, releasing Mackey to partner Justin Marsden in attack. The changes worked, as it was Brakes who were to score again, with Mackey heading home a perfectly flighted cross from the right from Towers. Husband wrapped up the points with the third after Smith had failed to gather the ball under pressure from Shay Morgan.
There were several Man-of-the-Match candidates with the back three all playing well and Jackson putting in his usual all-action performance. But, for his solid defensive display and two near misses on goal, Guy Sanders got the nod.
Manager Jason Cadden was delighted with the result, saying "we could have wrapped it up in the first 25 minutes, but went in at half-time just one goal to the good. I said to the lads that we needed to go out and score more and, in the end, we took control and won comfortably."
Rothwell Town Tom Smith, Adam Bridgeford (Grant 85), Stephen Purton, Michael Tolton, Andreas Kattus, Liam McNally (Ian Blackie 85), Chris Difante, Michael Boyle-Chong, Adam Cunnington, Robert Richie-Smith (Danny Bewers 20), Jon Stead
Brakes Richard Morris, Ryan Parisi, Arron Parkinson [Capt.], Guy Sanders, Martin Hier, Marcus Jackson, Scott Hadland, Ben Mackey (Martin Thompson 84), Justin Marsden (Shay Morgan 81), Robbie Beard (Jamie Towers 69), James Husband