Spineless Brakes lose out in goalfest
Team: Day; Burgess (Bahi), Rowland, Sidwell, Gregory; Timms, Adams (Shearsby), Hammond, Thompson; Nicholls, Blake
The taste of defeat was suffered by Leamington for the first time, at the hands of Continental Star, in the Premier Division of the Midland Combination and it was a just result for a skilful Star side who punished some very bad defending by the Brakes.
The warning signs were issued early as débutant keeper Day, signed earlier from Pershore, was forced into a save and from the resulting corner Star took the lead with a near post header, in the second minute. It didn't take long for the Brakes to find their feet as Blake had a shot well saved and from the corner Sidwell saw his header cleared off the line.
Day was forced into another smart save before Leamington drew level with a quick break by Timms out of the midfield and the Star player tracking back with him put in a tackle which only succeeded in diverting the ball past his own keeper. Straight from the kick off Star regained the lead as Leamington's back line failed to clear the ball and a cross was put across for a tap in at the back post in the twenty first minute. This was a feature of Leamington's play all afternoon as the back line seemed too scared to kick the ball and the midfield's passing was all over the place, giving the ball away far too cheaply.
The same type of indecision lead to the third goal as Day was beaten by a shot from the edge of the area in the 31st minute. Nicholls and Blake both had shots easily dealt with and in injury time at the end of the first half Day was forced into two more saves.
Trailing at half time the Brakes had to come out fighting and they did as Timms headed over in the 49th minute before Nicholls scored a penalty to reduce the arrears. Then it was Star's turn for a defensive mistake, in the 60th minute, as the keeper came running out to try claim the ball only to see Adams nick ahead and pass into the net to equalise.
Yet before the Brakes could mount another attack Star had retaken the lead as Leamington failed to clear their lines with the ball banging around the area, only for it to break for Rowe to tap home. Then came the killer goal two minutes later as Rowe ran through the Leamington defence before dispatching a confident shot past Day for an excellent hat-trick. Timms wasted the one chance created to get back into the match as he blasted over at the back post under no pressure and an empty net.
Leamington were well beaten and this will be an important result as it shows the players that they just can't afford to think they'll walk over other teams like previous seasons. Match report by Tim Ward
NBB Man-of-the-Match: Myles Day
