Team: Gettings; Thompson, Gregory, McFarlane, Ball, Adams (Burgess); Blake, Hanrahan (Shearsby), Mort; Agar (Timms), Nicholls Leamington's hopes of capturing the Premier Division Shield are hanging by a thread, in truth all but over, after this capitulation to a side thrashed 5-1 at the New Windmill ten days previously. I was not at that match, but I imagine the Police team contained a few different players, not least the number ten, who at times led the Brakes defence a merry dance, and, ultimately, scored the winning goal.
We were optimistic before kick off, as we studied the team sheet. We appeared to have one of our strongest line ups, but things didn't turn out as we expected. Nice to see Andy Gregory back in the side, Paul Eden was also at the game, but still no sign of the elusive Ian Clarkson. Will we see him turn out for Brakes this season? Sadly, I think not.
As you would expect, West Midlands Police have a very nice set up, and the pitch was in splendid nick for this stage of the season. I felt considerably safer than I had done on Saturday!
The first half was not really dominated by either side, but Leamington put probably their only chance of the first forty five minutes away, in the eighteenth minute, Ben Adams volleying home on the run, from a good pass by Brian Agar. The equaliser came on thirty-two, a free kick just outside the box, which, from my vantage point up in the stand, I thought Chris Hanrahan was unlucky to be penalised for. James Gettings was rooted to his line as the ball rocketed past him into the corner. In truth he redeemed himself later in the game, as he made the first of several saves that probably kept the score down, the first with his feet as the Police number ten burst through the centre of the Leamington defence, not for the last time either. The follow up shot was deflected over the bar.
Moments later Gettings was forced to save again from the same scenario. A defender also went on a run and shot for Brakes keeper to save comfortably, but the main threat from the home side was their pace, which unsettled the Brakes defence. The linesman on the near side appeared to have more influence on the game than the referee, and had Jason Cadden out of is dugout yelling in disgust more than once during the first half, for some strange decisions. Leamington forced a couple of corners before half time, but you felt they would have to improve to get a win. They certainly began the second half with much more purpose, and regained the lead on forty-eight minutes, Josh Blake chipped a short ball to Agar, who laid a perfect ball on for Paul Nicholls to smash low into the corner from just outside the box. Chris Hanrahan had headed a corner over just prior to this.
The officials got another decision on the near side wrong again, when Agar was penalised for nothing more than falling over a home defender. The Police attacks were still causng problems, and the number nine went through from a lucky deflection, but Gettings again saved with his feet. There was a lengthy stoppage as two home defenders clashed heads, but they were alright to continue after treatment. Ben Adams had an attempted cross clip the top of the bar as Brakes pressed for a killer third, but the home side were carving out far more opportunities, a shot just wide, and Adams got in the way to put off an attacker in a good postion. The pressure told in the eighty-second minute, as an attacker ran through to slot under Gettings to level the scores. They continued to press, and scored a winner in injury time, a shot looped over Gettings from the right of the penalty area. Leamington could hardly get out of their own half in the time that was left, and in all honesty probably did not deserve anything from the game. The Police celebrated a prize scalp at the end of the game, and the death of Leamington's title hopes. Match report by Paul
NBB Man-of-the-Match: Adams
