Sun, 07 Sep 2008 @ The New Windmill Ground. vs Marlow (7-2). BGB Football League Midland Division. By C Baker. Brakes were extremely lucky that their front runners were not arrested by the Police at half time for the wanton destruction of Marlows defence, such was the scintillating display with three contenders for goal of the season, writes Paul Vanes.
The first note on my pad was after nine minutes when I wrote, uneventful was Cadzy reading over my shoulder? Sixty seconds later, James Husband threw in to Jai Stanley and Mark Bellingham strode through to collect his pass only for the ball to be rushed out for a corner. Jamie Towers floated the ball high into the six yard area where a number of bodies jumped and it fell to the feet of Guy Sanders and the skipper belted it home giving Kieron Drake no chance.
Seven minutes later, the score was doubled, as Adam Cooper bore down on the ball near the half way line releasing Luke Corbett, who smashed it into the net to the delight of the youngster, and it was three on 19 minutes with another tremendous goal. Stanley fed Husband out wide left and his first time out-swearving cross was inch perfect for the onrushing Jamie Towers whose bullet header beat keeper Drake, who could only have seen as a blur as it whizzed past him.
Another yard high cross from Towers had Drake leaping off his line to punch away towards the penalty spot as the strikers scented blood like sharks. Soon after Marcus Jackson was cynically fouled by defender Sam Arhin, which earned him the games only yellow card. Towers executed the maximum punishment from the free kick hitting the ball onto the head of Adam Cooper who had an empty goal to aim at. Keeper Drake indicated to referee Howes that Ace had aimed an elbow towards him, but Cooper was exonerated by photographer David Clough who immediately showed me his picture of the goal.
Keeper wrong, referee right, 4-0 as David Coleman used to say. It was better than a fourth officials TV monitor.
Twenty-nine minutes gone and Marlow got onto the score sheet with a great goal as Jon Case crossed for Simon Lane to bullet a header beyond the outstretched reach of Richard Morris. That was following by a superb header from Sanders to Stanley, whose accurate pass sent Bellingham hot on goal, but Drake dived full length to save.
The Brakes were not to be denied and another classic goal followed, as Stanley found Corbett, whose first time flick took out defenders left and right for Mark Bellingham, in acres of space, picked his spot, turning away arm raised, well before the ball crossed the line.
Then, three minutes later, Stanley was again the provider with a great defence splitting pass that James Husband controlled at speed before unleashing a thunderbolt that hit the underside of the bar and nearly took the net off its hinges. What a goal to make the half time score 6-1 and Leamington left the field to great applause. Is it any wonder Marlow went off shell shocked?
Marlow replaced Sam Arhin with Johnny Isaac and a minute later pulled a goal back following a cross from the right which Jermaine Roche controlled bringing the ball to his foot and casually flicking it into the far corner of the net with Morris helpless.
To the credit of the visitors, they never stopped trying, but for Brakes to match their opening 45 minutes was almost an impossibility. They tried, however, with a Stanley free-kick was well held by Drake, before Jackson sent a free to Bellingham only for a defender to concede a corner in desperation as the striker shaped to shoot. Bellingham headed the cross onto the top of the bar.
Stanley hard little luck with an Aylesbury chip that cleared Drake and the bar. Midfielder Liam Reynolds, who had been in everything, was substituted by Stuart Herlihy, who got a great ovation as he returned from injury. Then Cadzy asked Josh Blake to replace Luke Corbett, who also earned generous applause from the faithful.
On 63 minutes, Husband crossed towards the head of Bellingham and a defender had to head over his own crossbar to temporarily clear the danger. Mark Bellingham had done enough and left the pitch to give Shay Morgan a run out.
Marlow were denied another goal by some desperate defending by the home team, but Leamington were soon back in their visitors half with Jackson winning another corner. However, Stanley found Blake, whose side foot shot was held by Drake. Christian Pierce broke down the Brakes right and forced a fruitless Marlow corner, then Roche was substituted by Phillip Nugent.
The last word or goal went to Leamington, as Towers steamed down the right, tormented Pierce and near the bye line looked up to see Josh Blake making a diagonal run to the angle of the six yard box and Brakes all-time leading scorer added another to his total, sliding home the wingers cross past his marker into the far corner in the 89th minute.
Nine goals and the woodwork rattled on three occasions; what more could a neutral fan ask for? Manager Jason Caddens only comment was What could I say?
Brakes Richard Morris, Jamie Towers, Ryan Parisi, Adam Cooper, Guy Sanders [Captain], Liam Reynolds (Stuart Herlihy 58), Marcus Jackson, Jai Stanley, Mark Bellingham (Shay Morgan 64), Luke Corbett (Josh Blake 60), James Husband.
Subs Not Used: Neil Stacey, Richard Anstiss;
Marlow Kieron Drake, Sam Arhin (Johnny Isaac 46), Christian Pierce, Jeff Lamb, Chris Elsewood [Captain], Sam Wadieh, Simon Lane, Jon Case, Daniel Stowe, Jermaine Roche (Phillip Nugent 82), Aaron Couch.
Subs Not Used Steve Croxford, Adam Harman, Colin Simpson.