Team: Gettings; Dhesi, Sidwell, Saunders, Burgess; Thompson, Ellis (Shearsby), Mort, Adams; Eden, Nicholls (Agar)
A goal from returning captain Steve Thompson was enough to give Leamington a vital win ahead of the big six-pointer with Alvechurch on Tuesday. Thompson's goal came in the 68th minute of a scrappy game, which saw few incidents of any note, and neither team was ever really on top.
After the early morning frost, the pitch was soft underfoot, and it became apparent early on that if Brakes could find any rhythm, and play the sort of game we all know they are capable of, we could see some goals.
Paul Eden squandered an early opportunity, and Paul Nicholls had an effort blocked by a defender after a long cross-field ball in the tenth minute. Leamington's top scorer and Thompson were involved in most of the early pressure from the home side, the latter advancing into the box on the left wing and having a shot crowded out for a corner. Nicholls also had an effort saved by the Coleshill custodian. Thompson then sent a dangerous ball over which needed a defender to clear off the line almost. Harj Dhesi tested the crossbar with a trademark powerful free kick on the half hour. From the resulting corner, a ball played in by Andy Ellis saw Thompson just miss a header.
The visitors' first serious effort on goal was a 25 yard shot over the bar from their number eight, Christian Crisp on forty minutes. A couple of minutes later Nicholls looked to have created an opening for himself when he won the ball in the box and took it round the keeper, but he was forced too wide, and his attempted cross-shot was dealt with.
Early in the second half Nicholls tried to force his way through into the box again, but was hustled out of it, winning a corner. James Gettings was untroubled by another long range effort from Coleshill. Brakes' keeper then claimed the ball well in another raid on his goal, despite being under pressure from an attacking player. Coleshill's Lee McCarthy was played in on the right hand side of the area, beating Dhesi for pace, and Gettings saved his low shot well with his feet.
Kicking towards the favoured North Bank end second half, good work from Nicholls saw a pass across to Jonny Burgess on the right result in a shot that whizzed past the angle of post and bar. Another chance for Nicholls saw him shoot wide again.
The second half was very disjointed, with a lot a misplaced passes and needless balls out of play. Indeed, our Chairman Mick Brady felt that the team were perhaps too lethargic and laid back at times, and that some players were having a bit of an off day. However, Brakes managed to get a opening, on 68 minutes, as a pass out of defence was expertly flicked across by Eden to Burgess, whose ball over to the left of the area was met by Thompson, who despite the attentions of a defender and the onrushing goalkeeper, managed to clip the ball into the net.
Despite this breakthrough, the game was mainly being played in midfield, with chances at a premium. Eden was put through, but with two defenders on his tail, went slighly wide, and put his shot into the keepers arm's. Eden was involved again when chasing a ball on from Ellis into the box, and was bought down for what looked to be a good shout for a penalty, but despite him needing treatment, the referee didn't want to know. The game was never a dirty one, and there were no cautions for either side, which was nice to see. The referee also let the game flow as much as possible, which you don't often see at this level.
Barry Shearsby replaced Ellis, and knocked an overhead ball to put Nicholls in on goal with his first touch, but it was put behind for a corner. Leamington's best effort after the goal fell to Ben Adams from a Coleshill head on the right of the area. He hit a sweet left foot volley that the keeper did well to palm round for a corner, which came to nothing. Brian Agar came on for the last five, and was also immediately involved, playing Eden in on the right, but he couldn't get the ball across goal.
There were no real last minute jitters, and if Brakes had been on top of their game, they could have been out of sight against a team that did not really make Gettings work too hard for his first clean sheet for Leamington, but this win keeps us top for the big one on Tuesday. Match report by Paul Edwards
NBB Man-of-the-Match: Thompson
