Superlatives Not Enough For Magic Match!

With Leamington’s season still not quite half way there is a danger of running out of superlatives. This win against the team in second place takes Brakes 16 points clear at the top, their 20th league match unbeaten and 15th straight win in all competitions.

There was a festive air with mulled wine and presents for the many helpers at the club over the year, decorations and a Father Christmas emulating several Brakes players by being in (at least) two places at once, the clubhouse and the North Bank in his case. Dolly the sheep, wearing a rather fetching hat, made a welcome return to the Sheepside after her leg operation and all the proceeds from the raffle went to Myton Hospice.

Ex-Brakes striker Richard Adams got a rousing welcome and put Romulus ahead 2-1 after the Roms had cancelled Morton Titterton’s opener for Brakes with a Lei Brown free kick. Martin Thompson equalised for Brakes just before half-time but Roms were back in front for a second time through top striker Tyrone Fagan before a touch of “Mackey magic” a minute later put Brakes back level.

A third goal in four minutes, this time from Jon Adams won a pulsating tie for Brakes and, arguably, tilted the battle of the Adams brothers in favour of the Brakes Adams as well. 658 people were privileged to watch this one with many fans describing it as the best match they’d seen at the NWG and a credit to the Midland Alliance.

After days of dense, often freezing fog the temperature and spirits rose on a clear day as probably the two best teams in the MFA walked out together to do battle. The Roms made the early running with Richard Adams going close in front of the North Bank before the league’s top scorer, Fagan, powered past the Brakes’ defence only to shoot well wide.

But three chances for Brakes in three minutes set the tone of the game with Brakes creating more chances and Romulus looking dangerous on the break. Bates moved down the left and his cross was hustled clear in the 8th minute then a Jon Adams strike from a Martin Thompson cross was kept out by the ‘keeper who knew little about it before Jon Adams again volleyed the ball against the woodwork.

In the 17th Bates ghosted past two defenders to crash the ball against the post with the ‘keeper well beaten but Fagan and Richard Adams were causing trouble at the other end and an Adams strike in the 23rd brought a solitary, though triumphant “Yes” from either an old admirer or, maybe, a Romulus fan followed by laughter from most of the crowd as it sped several feet wide of Pearcey’s post.

A superb piece of skill brought Brakes a deserved goal from Titterton in the 26th as he fed the ball to Jon Adams on the right then ran on to convert the return with a form of bicycle kick that needs patenting, 1-0. But it needed an excellent save by Pearcey from Fagan to stop Romulus equalising almost immediately before Brakes gave away a free kick that was struck home from the edge of the box by Lei Brown in the 31st for 1-1.

This was as entertaining a match as I have seen in a long time with both defences finding life difficult against fast, powerful forwards and Martin Thompson as fast and strong as only he can be when in top form. But it was Towers who, twice, nearly swung things Brakes’ way with two shots from distance that bulged the side netting.

But, in a pulsating game, it was Romulus who scored next taking the lead 1-2 through Richard Adams in the 41st after a darting run from Roms’ Seb Hamilton though the men in red only had a few brief moments of jubilation before Martin Thompson made it 2-2 in the 43rd crashing in a Jon Adams cross at the far post for a thoroughly deserved 7th goal of the season.

The quicksilver Blake nearly put Brakes back in front on the stroke of half-time being adjudged marginally offside as he converted a slide-rule Jon Adams pass.

Romulus started the second half with a purpose and the admirable Pearcey had to save well in the 48th but there was no respite for either side as Blake’s header from a Towers corner was cleared off the line, or from over the line according to a vociferous few.

A period of Romulus pressure brought the best out of Brakes with Knight and Herlihy in commanding form and Titterton marshalling the beleaguered forces. But the pressure told when Romulus took the lead once again, their second from a free kick, this time from Fagan in the 73rd for 2-3. But, it being a requirement to refer to “Mackey magic” at some stage of every report, that man Mackey, off the bench in the 60th equalised for Brakes a minute later in the 74th at 3-3 when he rounded a defender and the ‘keeper to slot home with a moment of, well, magic.

With many fans pronouncing that 3-3 would do for them Brakes played another ace bringing on the fresh legs of Dave “Pancho” Pearson, a man with speed, power and agility who must frighten the life out of defenders thinking this would be the clogger sent on to shore up the defence for the remaining minutes to earn a draw. Before he had time to become properly acquainted with the Roms defence he sped down the left and sent a wicked cross onto the head of Jon Adams who headed in triumphantly and emphatically at the far post for 4-3 in the 77th.

There was no comeback from the Roms now who, for the first time, looked a spent force. Brakes had finally cracked their resolve with another superb performance and the remaining minutes saw Brakes seek a 5th as they surged forward en masse. It was all a little too much for the otherwise excellent Fagan who received his marching orders in the 81st after seeming to soothe Herlihy’s brow with the flat of his hand. At last the crowd could relax a little as Brakes showboated for a celebratory 10 minutes before leaving the pitch to the rapturous applause of their delighted fans.

Manager Cadden said after the game: That was great, both teams were superb and it was just a very enjoyable game of football with some tremendous goals. I thought we deserved to win because we created more chances over the 90 but they were always dangerous as their goals showed. We’re 16 points clear at the top but all we’re looking for now is another three points at Racing Club on Boxing Day which will complete my ideal Christmas present of six points from the two games.

Leamington: Jason Pearcey; Jamie Towers (Craig Dutton 78); Tom Cudworth; Adam Knight; Andy Gregory; Morton Titterton [Capt]; Stuart Herlihy; Jon Adams; Martin Thompson (Dave Pearson 76); Josh Blake (Ben Mackey 60); Tom Bates
Subs Not Used: James Husband; Adam Cooper

Romulus: Matt Marshall; Chris Charles; Tom Wilmore; Glenn Jones; Michael Batchelor (Leon Mitchell h-t); Stanislav Duris (Aaron Drakeley 68); Seb Hamilton; Richard Allen; Tyrone Fagan; Richard Adams (Craig Thomas 86); Lei Brown
Subs Not Used: Marcus King; Terry Carpenter

Attendance: 658

Player News: Brakes have signed 21-year-old midfielder, Johnathan (sic) Crockett, from Ford Sports. He will continue to play for Ford Sports and is primarily intended as cover.

As reported on the website the Tamworth Herald announced that Jamie Towers was the subject of a 7-days notice of approach by Adders boss Ginnelly but though the seven days is up Towers told us that he has had no approach yet and wouldn’t be leaving Leamington anyway.

Photographs from the match here»