By David Hucker

Brakes Cut Through Timbers to Maintain Challenge

This was a comfortable enough win in the end for Brakes as they chase the ICIS MIdland Combination Premier title, but the home side put up some stiff resistance succumbing to a first-half strike from a rejuvenated Josh Blake.

The rock hard pitch and windy conditions were against Brakes' flowing style of football and combined with the long ball tactics of the home side meant that the match never quite lived up to expectations. Boosted by their draw at Rugby Town the week before, Timbers were certainly fired up for this one and the opening ten minutes were a testing time for Leamington. The visitors' first real goal attempt didn't come until the fifteenth minute when a shot from Chris Hanrahan, who excelled for the second week running in midfield, went over the bar. Nick Mort, Brian Agar and Josh Blake were all involved in a good move a minute later but the opportunity went begging. However, all was well on eighteen minutes when Blake converted a cross from the left from skipper Steve Thompson to score his fifteenth goal of the season.

Timbers struck back and Jonny Burgess was forced to clear off the line. This seemed to spur Brakes into action as they entered their best period of the half with shots from Mort and Thompson that could have brought a second. On thirty-three minutes the improving James Gettings saved at full stretch to keep Brakes in the match and, with play ebbing and flowing, Harj Dhesi sent a free-kick just the wrong side of the post as half-time approached.

The second half started just as the first had with Timbers pressing, but the first real chance fell to Brakes when the evergreen Brian Agar put his fifty-first minute shot into the side-netting. Then Blake set off on a fine solo run before passing to Agar whose shot was cleared off the line. Further efforts by Thompson and Hanrahan failed to prise open the Timbers' defence in which 'keeper James Trevalen had a cracking match and Brakes had to settle for a narrow but important winning margin.

In the absence through injury of Tom Sidwell, the central pairing of Andy Gregory and the impressive Neil McFarlane looked solid at the back and Baz Shearsby worked hard with Hanrahan and Mort to give the midfield some bite and creativity. It is getting tough at the top but co-manager Jason Cadden couldn't have been more pleased with his side saying "it was a good performance and we thoroughly deserved to win. Chris Hanrahan won everything in midfield and the back four were immaculate. I couldn't have asked for more."

Leamington: James Gettings, Jonny Burgess (Ben Adams 70), Harj Dhesi, Nick McFarlane, Andy Gregory, Chris Hanrahan, Nick Mort, Barry Shearsby, Josh Blake, Brian Agar (Paul Nicholls 87), Steve Thompson [Capt.]
Subs Not Used: Darren Timms

Team News: Tom Sidwell dislocated shoulder, could miss rest of season. Two "new boys" are signed just ahead of the transfer deadline of 31 March: Jamie Ball (brother of Adam and a midfielder) and Leamington's Director of Football, Dave Draper (striker extraordinaire) - the term "boys" is used loosely, very loosely in at least one instance.