By Roger Vincent

Luffs Beaten by 40yd Wonder Goal in Promotion 6-Pointer

A crowd of 222 saw Brakes make all the running for 30 minutes at The Drome but Luffs snuffed out this early threat and started to get on top. Then, after some sustained Loughborough pressure, a panic clearance from the Brakes' defence found Nicholls 5 yards over the half-way line from where he picked his spot and drove the ball over the Luffs' goalie into the net for a superb goal. Brakes' leading goal-scorer, Josh Blake, was unlucky not to score for what would have been the 8th game in a row and the defence battled well to keep a strong Loughborough at bay for what was probably a fair result over the 90 minutes and a very good one for Brakes against one of the chasing pack.

Opening the programme to the centre page A Brakes' fan exclaimed that Loughborough had the cheek to carry Leamington adverts. A closer look revealed that the Courier cost 3d and that this was 4 pages from a 1959 Lockheed-Leamington F.C. programme. Other items in the award-winning programme that caught the eye: No apologies for upping the gate prices against the Brakes; they'd been upped for visits by Nigel Clough's Burton Albion, Shepshed Dynamo and Rugby Town and "it would be bad-mannered if we weren't bracketed with them". And, the best comment I've seen on Rugby Town's attempt at the end of last season to bypass Div.1 on the grounds that they'd once been "much higher fliers": 100% in agreement, said Luffs' John Belton, so could the Luffs go back to where they were (albeit a 100 years ago) in Division 2 of the football league having just beaten Arsenal 8-0?

Just over 220 fans saw this one about 40 of whom had commandeered the stand before most of us arrived and were, suspiciously, an orchestrated band of Luffs' supporters all about the same 12 years old. Leamington's support is legendary so I suppose this is one way of trying to counteract it, and why not? It certainly added to the occasion.

However, rent-a-yoof had little to cheer for the first half an hour as Brakes pinned Luffs into their own half. Within 5 minutes Blake had a shot charged down, Nicholls nearly wriggled through and Mort was denied when the referee ignored the advantage and awarded Brakes a free kick when he was clear on goal. Timms headed the free kick just wide. Soon after Thompson skimmed the defence and crossed beautifully for the chance to be wasted by 2 players going for the same ball and got in another cross just missing Blake's head minutes after that. But a series of Brakes' corners came to nothing and Loughborough had chances in the 21st and 24th, the second headed just over.

After 30 minutes there was a definite feeling that the early Brakes' threat had been snuffed and a concern that, what must be a tired team, had had its purple patch and this would now become a dour struggle on a more equal footing. Indeed Luffs nearly scored twice in the 37th when, first, a looping header bounced off the top of the bar and then Morris made a spectacular save. But there was a hint of what was to come when Nicholls turned inside and shot from distance with such power that the Luffs goalie had difficulty holding the ball with 2 Brakes forwards on hand.

Again, the dependable Morris saved Leamington when he stood up well to 2 Luffs' forwards bearing down on goal and saved a hard shot. And then, one of those moments that turns games and, who knows, maybe the season. With Luffs on the attack and the ball bobbling around the Brakes' area I saw a flap from Morris followed by a panic clearance out of defence, of the "upfield, anywhere will do" variety. In the 45th, into first half stoppage time, the ball broke to Nicholls barely 5 yards inside the Luffs half. He looked up, saw the goalkeeper off his line, and placed a hard shot (this was no hopeful punt) over the 'keepers head into the net. All I can say if you weren't there is that you should've been.

For the neutral the second half must have been an entertaining affair with both sides trying to win the game. Blake was clean through in the 49th but slipped his shot round the advancing goalie, and the post, but Luffs also had chances. Sidwell and Walker were outstanding in defence as Brakes battled and fought for every ball. Brakes were missing the strength of Webb in midfield with the strikers having too much to do up front. A Mort free kick in the 61st was just turned wide by Timms at the post, a strike position fast becoming his trade-mark. Wickson came on for a tiring Barr in the 68th and added a midfield presence previously lacking.

Brakes were now in the ascendancy and the hard-working Blake nearly put Thompson on goal before missing 2, hard chances in the last few minutes, the first when Nicholls slipped him a cross-ball which was turned round for a corner and a minute later, in the 89th, when a Mort short corner was crossed by Thompson for another fine save for a corner, this time from a header. Three, agonising minutes were added (for what I don't know) before the final whistle went and the Brakes' fans erupted in a release of tension, savouring a 6-pointer against rivals who could catch us in a promotion spot and will have the facilities next season to go up after a planned merger with Loughborough United.

Leamington: Richard Morris, Jonny Burgess, Simon Walker, Tom Sidwell, Andy Gregory, Darren Timms, Nick Mort, Jamie Barr (Simon Wickson 68), Josh Blake, Paul Nicholls, Steve Thompson [Capt.]
Subs Not Used: Brian Agar, Liam McGovern

Team News: Benson Miyoba recovered from injury only to get the 'flu'; Andy Dix's knee ballooned up after injury at Northfield and he may well miss the rest of the season with cartilage problems.