Leamington FC Blog

Brakes 1 – 2 Stourbridge (A.E.T)

Destiny had a very busy footballing weekend and didn’t get a chance to nip into the New Windmill Ground to fulfil its obligations and ensure that the right team gained promotion to the Southern Premier League. Rest assured that it will be brought up at its annual review and will probably result in a reduced pay rise as well as assurances that next season it will do its job properly.

Putting the result to one side for a moment, what a day it was at the NWG on Saturday. Summer finally decided to put in an appearance and bathed the ground in glorious sunshine, apart from a short spell where there were a few spots of rain, which is appropriate as the NWG has been quite consistent for changeable weather conditions this season. An incredible crowd of 1634 gathered (although Luck and Fate weren’t there as they were probably hanging out with Destiny at a bus stop somewhere drinking cheap cider and smoking dog ends) to witness a play off final contested by the 2nd and 3rd placed teams in the league. Nobody was complaining that, at this level, the play offs were unfair or unwarranted, as they looked forward to the last battle in the war for promotion.

Pointless though it is, I’m going to have a little moan about the play offs. Up in the giddy heights of league football they are a good earner for those clubs that are involved, with home and away legs and a final at Wembley, but down in the Southern League Midlands Division it’s not quite so lucrative. The gate money is split between the teams so our ‘cut’ is for a crowd of 817, which could easily be just one league game, depending on who we were playing. So no great shakes from a monetary perspective. The play offs are never to the benefit of the team finishing second but to those finishing third, fourth and fifth as it keeps their season alive and gives them each a chance to gain promotion despite, as in this case, finishing 11, 12 & 13 points behind second place. Of course we knew the rules at the start of the season and, no doubt, had we have finished third, fourth or fifth we would have been delighted at the prospect of the play offs, but that doesn’t make it right. The best two teams over the season should go up.

The game itself started well enough and, perhaps because I was surrounded by mainly Brakes fans, confidence levels were high that we would finally see off Stourbridge after three prior defeats. Things looked good in the first fifteen minutes with Ben Mackey being denied a shooting opportunity when tackled by Nathan Bennett but within 17 minutes of the kick off Brakes were ahead. Justin Marsden was brought down in the box by ‘Keeper Lewis Solley and though it could have brought a red card a yellow and a penalty were probably more appropriate as Marsden was heading slightly away from goal. Ben Mackey stepped up to take the penalty and it wasn’t a good one, but it rebounded of the feet of the ‘keeper back to Mackey who put it away at the second attempt.

Three minutes later and the lead was lost. It was difficult to see from the North Bank quite what happened at the other end but a deflected shot seemed to land at the feet of Bennett who had an easy finish for the goal. Moments later Leon Broadhurst could have put Stourbridge ahead but failed to connect with the ball when clear on goal.

Ben Mackey almost connected with a low cross that a Stoubridge defender swung a foot at and missed, Mackey slid in but was a couple of inches short of the ball in front of an open goal. Nobody expected the defender to miss his kick but sometimes you have to gamble. Marcus Jackson cut in from the left and his blocked shot rebounded to Marsden, who put the ball well wide.

The second half was all Brakes, with a free kick from Mackey going over the bar and a shot from a Towers corner following suit. James Husband had a chance from a free kick that the Stourbridge defence failed to clear but skewed his effort high and wide.

With four minutes remaining Towers put the ball in the net. I was pretty much in line with play and, at the time the ball was played, he appeared to be well onside, but the lino raised his flag and the goal didn’t count. None of the Stourbridge players claimed an offside either. That decision by the lino was massive as, had the goal been allowed to stand, and I believe that should have, then I doubt that Stoubridge could have come back from it, such was the Brakes dominance by this time. But it wasn’t allowed to stand and, despite another couple of chances, one for Husband and one for Marsden, extra time beckoned.

Brakes continued their dominance in extra time, the best chance resulted in one of many outstanding saves by my man of the match for Stourbridge, ‘Keeper Solley, as he threw himself at the feet of Blake to prevent a certain goal. I would have liked to have seen Shay Morgan brought on, as he has already done enough, in my opinion, to warrant a run out and he does like to pressurise the ‘keeper, which is just what we needed.

With only 4 minutes remaining and with Brakes all in the opposition half for a corner, the ball was cleared and, as far as I could tell due to the action being obscured by the large crowd, Sam Rock beat James Husband to the ball and then passed the ball past a retreating Liam Reynolds into space resulting in a 2 on 1 against Brakes ‘Keeper Morris, who had no chance as Broadhurst finished the move and Brakes’ hopes of promotion.
The break resulted from another short corner routine (of which there had been six or seven during the match by then) that broke down. It’s certainly true that during the season the short corner routines have brought goals, but in a game such as this one, when so many of them had failed, the ball should have been put directly into the mix more often and not dithered about with and lost in the corner or on the edge of the box. We also lacked a cutting edge up front, as we have for the majority of the season as we see other teams beaten handsomely the week before we play them only for us to scrape a 1-0 win or a draw.

There was some criticism of the stewarding after the game and I’d like to take this opportunity to suggest that those offering up their opinions have no idea what the stewards were up against. It’s one thing to stand to one side and watch but another to be the people responsible for the safety and wellbeing of such a large crowd. To my left on the North Bank an older gentleman collapsed and within moments of him doing so there was a steward there to tend to him, another brought a chair and a first aider appeared as well. A little later on he was back up on his feet and enjoying the rest of the game. We, as supporters, are not used to having stewards tell us what to do, as under normal circumstances there is no need for them to do so, but this game was different and they did their job efficiently and well as far as I could see. Personally I would have let the Stour supporters have a minute on the pitch before moving them on but rules are rules and the Stewards can’t be criticised for enforcing them.

The team surpassed my start of the season expectations but the disappointment in falling at the final hurdle felt like an unexpected death in family on Saturday afternoon, as though there was a hole that had opened up and couldn’t be filled. Enough criticism though, we should have won, but we didn’t, that’s the way football is sometimes, the cruel bugger.

Let’s look back on the season at what we have achieved, such as the FA Trophy run, which suggested that our current squad would not have been out of place in the next league up. It began with a 2-0 against Marlow (Step 4, as are we) followed by another 2-0 against Premier League Banbury (Step 3). Then came Margate of the Isthmian League Premier Division (Step 3), who forced a replay via a very dodgy decision but were defeated 1-0 at their place. Fisher Athletic of the Conference South (Step 2) who we played off the park and took the victory with a Josh Blake brace. Finally came Halifax (Step 1), a game that was called off twice due to the weather and probably shouldn’t have been played at the third attempt either. Brakes took the lead and Halifax equalised just before half time through a questionable penalty. Final score 2-1 to Halifax, and the end of an excellent run.

We amassed 89 league points and 1 win in place of a draw would have seen us crowned champions, it would be difficult to come any closer than that. For it to be in our first season in the league is quite incredible. The team saw many changes from the one that began the campaign and, perhaps, a more settled side may have turned some of those draws into wins, but if we can keep the majority of the squad together for next season then we will, again, be a major force in the league.

We said goodbye (and hello then goodbye on occasion) to John and Richard Adams, Tom Bates, Russell Dunkley, Tom Fountain, Chris Gibson, Avun Jephcott, Adam Knight, Keith Rostill & Neil Stacey. New to the squad were Robbie Beard, Scott Hadland, Andy Harper (again), Marcus Jackson, Dale Jones, Justin Marsden, Shay Morgan, Aaron Parkinson, Vijay Sidhu, Guy Sanders, Ryan Willetts and the returning Jamie Towers. That is a lot of changes but it is clear that as the season progressed the club made a push for promotion, both on and off the field as the necessary ground grading was also achieved.

Will we be able to keep this team together for next season? Time will tell but I expect that some will move on and some new faces will appear, but if we can keep the nucleus of the squad together then they will be more settled, more familiar with each others play and better for it.

Was it a great season? I’d say not, but it was a very, very good one and there was plenty to be proud of. There’s little point dwelling on what might have been any longer so I won’t, but damn we were close!

Player of the season? Guy Sanders, but there is a case for many others that could be made as well.

Soon we can begin to look forward to next season, with the first Friendly only ten or eleven weeks away at home against Newport County on the 19th July. We’ve spent more than one season in a league before on our upward climb and this is a pretty good one to hang about in for a while. The away trips will certainly be easier than if we went up and that means I’ll be able to go to more.

In the close season I will be getting my Brakes fix from the new book, which is well under way, charting the club from 1983 until 2000. The research material is fascinating and, hopefully, I will be able to create a coherent and engaging story from it. I’ve just about finished 1983 and I think it has transferred to the page pretty well, though who ever eventually buys a copy will be the final judge of that.
Onwards and upwards then, next season, Champions!

Brakes Richard Morris. Jamie Towers (Ryan Parisi 104), Arron Parkinson [Capt.], Adam Cooper, Guy Sanders, Liam Reynolds, Scott Hadland, James Husband, Justin Marsden, Ben Mackey (Josh Blake 97), Marcus Jackson

Subs Not Used: Shay Morgan, Martin Thompson, Andy Harper

Stourbridge Lewis Solley, Sam Rock, Gavin Winsper, Ross Collins, Kyle Hadley, Nathan Bennett, Craig Slater [Capt.], Leon Broadhurst, Andy Wright (Calum Martin 71)(Ryan Broadhurst 88), James Dyson, Damian Whitcombe (Ryan Mahon 65)

Subs Not Used: Mark Jones, Morgan Brookes.

The Goals courtesy of Brakes Videos

In hindsight, having now seen the videos, both were crappy goals to give away.

Category : Videos, Match Day

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Here we are then, on the eve of the biggest game that this club will have been involved in since it was born again back in 2000. Are we equipped to take the prize? More than any other club in the division I would say. All this talk of bogey teams is an irrelevance, there is no such thing and this will be proven today. I am completely convinced that Brakes will triumph, I’m apprehensive just like anybody would be but ours is a team that inspires confidence in its supporters because we’ve been there before and seen hearts burst with effort for the cause, for the team, where victories have been carved out against the odds, demons exorcised and battles won. This is the squad and this is its time, right here, right now!

Category : Announcements, Match Day

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Brakes 1 – 0 Rushall Olympic

Though there are some who would call the people from my work who were definitely coming to the game last night lightweights for not turning up last night, others might say they made the right decision as last nights rain was the worst I’ve seen at the NWG, ever. I still haven’t dried out yet and this morning I discovered that my tobacco, which was in my coat pocket, is all soggy and my fag papers are all glued together. I was facing west in the first half and the rain was lashing in from the East so only my back got wet, by the time the game was over though it was as if I’d been stood fully clothed in the shower for an hour. It was either dedication or stupidity, or perhaps a mixture of both. The only thing that was close to dry was my head, thanks to my excellent hat.

Prior to kick off the atmosphere was muted due to the death of the PA system. Normally there would be ‘Two Tribes’ blasting out but this time there was silence, which some might say was better, at least I didn’t have to listen to ‘Gold’ by Spandau Ballet for the umpteenth time this season. After the match I had a chat with Paul who does the P.A and it died due to moss, which had grown underneath the system and had acted like a sponge in the rain causing everything to get very damp. After the moss was pulled out, and about half way through the game, he made an announcement and it scared the bejeezus out of me as I wasn’t expecting it.

The Official Website had announced that Rushall were bringing four coaches of supporters but they must have been little horse drawn things as there were hardly any opposition fans there, in fact, I don’t recall seeing more than a couple. I was speaking to a Rushall official after the game who told me that even if they sent taxis out to pick up people for their homes they wouldn’t get much more than 100 turn up for home games. He was also very gracious in defeat and was kind enough to say that of all the teams in the league that Brakes are best equipped to go up and deserve to. Rushall finished in 5th and had a decent FA Cup run and a decent Trophy run and were delighted with how their season had gone, and so they should be, they really made us fight hard for our win.

The game itself was a tight affair and the shoals of fish that kept swimming across the pitch didn’t help much. The first half was just shaded by Brakes who built the best attacks with an early chance falling to James Husband after the keepers clearance went straight to him and the shot/rebound went directly back at the keeper and safety. The most clear cut chance fell to Neil Barnfield of Rushall who was free and clear with only Brakes Captain for the night Richard Morris to beat, but he put his shot wide of the post.

For a while the rain stopped and then, just as people were removing hats and shaking umbrellas, it came down heavier than before. I don’t know about other supporters but sometimes I get a feeling and don’t worry about the game at all as I have a strange confidence that we will win. I had that last night, especially after we went 1 – 0 up from a Guy Sanders shot inside the box after a Cross from Towers. Then, for some reason, thye feeling deserted me and I was crapping it for the last 20-25 minutes as we battened down the hatches for the last 20-25 minutes. I became so tense that I started to feel quite ill. Also, the ref was overly officious and made some crap decisions, fortunately he didn’t influence the result though.

The final is on Saturday against Stourbridge, a team who have beaten us twice in the league this year and knocked us out of the FA Cup. They are regarded by some as our bogey team but I don’t believe in all that, if we get a decent ref then we’re good enough to beat them, and I think we will.

Here’s a video of a chap who should grow up a bit, oh, and there’s a goal as well.

Category : Videos, Results, Match Day

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As we beat Rushall 1 - 0 tonight, here is a poster for Saturday. Although I still won’t have dried out by then.

Right click and save as to download

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Right click and save as to download

Category : Posters

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When I saw the designs for next year’s kit I went on a bit of a crusade to ensure that my choice of the three was the one that was chosen. There were three choices, the first was black and gold hoops and, thankfully, was immediately dismissed. The second was predominantly black, which the League would not allow to be used, so I made a negative of it and put it forward as the best choice. There was some agreement with this as it was not far away from what we already had, just some minor changes such as a black side panel and a change to the neckline. The third choice was stripes. I harped on about tradition and how not all change was for the good and suchlike but, the more I said it, the more I realised that it wasn’t necessarily true.

A couple of weeks ago, while trawling through newspaper clippings from 1983, I came across a photograph of the Southern League winning side, and, much to my surprise, they were wearing stripes. Not as bold as those proposed by Joma, but stripes all the same and this discovery softened my resolve to the point where I ended up thinking that perhaps the stripes weren’t a bad option after all.

Today, I am absolutely behind the choice of stripes as, to me, it represents two things. It is a link back to the Southern League winning side of yesteryear as well as being representative of the clubs willingness to embrace change. Which is a pretty difficult thing to pull off. Also, it looks pretty good.

Here is an artists representation of the new home kit for next year:

Sorry, that should have read, “Here is a not very good artists representation of the new home kit for next year.”

 This is not a joke, it is stripes.

Category : Announcements

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Brakes 2 – 0 Aylesbury

The first half of this match was almost completely forgettable, apart from a couple of Aylesbury half chances, or it would have been if it wasn’t for the ridiculously effeminate referee. Pete and I spent the time issuing instructions every time he blew the whistle in an appropriately effeminate voice, such gems as “You do that again and I’ll see you afterwards, in the showers.” And such like. We may be in our forties but we can still manage to be immature gits.

The second half was better with Brakes having a slight wind behind them and, seemingly, a new desire to push on and win the game. We had stopped the whole ref thing by now as he was really very good, one of the best, if not the best, we’ve seen all season. A couple of chances went begging, one from Mackey who had only the keeper to beat but, due to the tiniest of bounces, he hit the ball with his shin instead of his foot and shanked it over the goal and into the crowd to a collective groan.

The introduction of Shay Morgan once again changed the game. It is quite clear that the boy is class. His movement, pace and distribution is excellent and could see us losing him to a higher placed team, particularly if we fail to gain promotion this season. The breakthrough came when Marcus Jackson played a diagonal ball that left the defence static and Mackey and Morgan through unmarked. Mackey ran on to the ball and this time he fired confidently home into the top left corner. It had taken 73 minutes for the breakthrough against a strong Aylesbury side and it was a cracking finish. Also, watch the video, he’s on side.

Ten minutes later and a Marcus Jackson free kick, which the keeper should have tipped over the bar, was knocked in by Scott Hadland as the keeper dropped the ball at his feet under pressure from both Hadland and Morgan.

At this point the small band of Aylesbury supporters began to sing “We’re gonna win 3-2”. Bless ‘em.

After the match I was in the boardroom trying to get a cup of tea when the officials walked in having showered and changed. The girly ref was just that, a woman! I really do need a new prescription for my glasses as she was rather nice looking as well, when in proper womens clothes and not a ref outfit. The two best refs we’ve had all season have been women, let’s have some more I say.

We needed Evesham to drop points to keep our hope of catching them at the top alive, but they beat Woodford 7 – 0 to clinch the title. Fair play to them, that’s a pretty good way to do it.

We have Berkhampstead next, which is a dead rubber, and then the play off semi. It looks as though it will be against either Sutton Coldfield or Rushall Olympic, but nothing is decided as yet. The semi will take place on Tuesday 29th April.

Category : Videos, Results

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Woodford United 1 – 3 Brakes
Saturday 12th April

It is often said that a pitch can be a great leveller, and this was true today as both teams were crap. The ball was bobbling about all over the place on the uneven surface and, despite the clear superiority of Brakes, it cause them problems. At vital moments, just as Towers was about to cross into the box for example, the ball would suddenly bounce a foot in the air resulting in a shanked connection and a ball in the trees behind the goal.

Things might have been different had Mackey put away his third minute effort. He seemed to have almost too much time to choose his spot and ended up hitting the post. Had that gone in so early there could have been a goalfest, instead, chances were limited to a Mackey free kick which the keeper save well down low and a clearance that was charged down by Thompson but went wide.

In their last ten games Woodford had shipped 37 goals and scored 6 so to go in at half time against a team second in the league was quite a result. When they came out and took the lead within two minutes of the kick off it must have been quite a shock to them! The defensive performance that allowed Standen to roll the ball unchallenged into the net was just as shocking. For a team who have conceded only 27 goals all season, as of today, with only Rushall and Evesham having conceded less, to mess it up quite that badly was unexpected, to say the least.

Fortunately Woodford did not have the wherewithal to hold on to the lead and a superb solo effort from Marcus Jackson (complete with acrobatic celebration) brought Brakes back into the game.

Ben Mackey was then tugged back when through on goal and about to shoot and a penalty was given by the linesman. You don’t see that often at this level of football and 99 times out of a 100 the penalty wouldn’t have been given. The majority of ‘assistant referees’ we see are there to flag for offside and throw ins, along with checking studs on the subs, anything more than that is outside their remit. It appears that this linesman got it right though.

The points were wrapped up when a Jamie Towers cross glanced off Shay Morgan and into the net. Or so it appeared from my elevated position on the grass bank behind the goal, which wasn’t cordoned off or guarded by stewards as the North Bank at the NWG had been before the terracing was put in place. Why is this? The grass bank at Woodford was much steeper than the North Bank and yet there does not seem to have been any requirement for them not to use it, in fact, the fence behind it had fallen down and access to the ground could be gained from a public footpath. A woman who was out walking her dog stopped and watched most of the game from there. Anyway, what I didn’t see was, so I’m told, the ball glancing off the head of a defender and into the net. The video evidence is inconclusive.

If we are to have any hope of winning the league (and there is very little hope left to cling on to) then Woodford have to get something at Evesham, which, on their showing today, is as likely as winning the lottery when you don’t buy a ticket.

Category : Videos, Results

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Rothwell Town 0 – 3 Brakes
Tuesday 8th April

I couldn’t ‘t go to this game. Goals for Parisi, Mackey and Husband. Video of the goals below.

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Brakes 1- 0 Rushall Olympic
Saturday 5th April

Let’s talk about the weather shall we? What a lovely day it was, a really delightful spring afternoon, until the hail came down like a punishment from a vengeful God. They hit me in the eyeballs and the ears and, though it may seem I’m being a big girls blouse about it, it really hurt.

On the pitch Rushall were well organised and were proving difficult to break down. They had a number of chances and half chances as well but our own defence was resolute. There were plenty of chances for Brakes as well in the first half but none were clear cut and the teams cancelled each other out for the most part.

The second half was a different story as Brakes slowly established themselves and took the upper hand. A good cross by Parisi was headed over by Towers, a Husband free kick forced the keeper into a save and a Sanders run and shot was blocked on it’s way to the goal.

With about an hour gone Ben Mackey was brought on and his introduction kept the impetus with Brakes as they continued to press forward. Within 15 minutes a Mackey shot went through the legs of Parisi and clipped a defender, sending the keeper the wrong way and the ball into the net. It would be uncharitable to chalk it up as an own goal as Mackey’s shot was on target.

Rushall didn’t give up though and carved out a couple of good chances, as did Brakes, but at the final whistle it was just the single goal that separated the teams. A reverse of the away game back way at Dales Lane back in August last year.

Category : Videos, Results

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