Myles' day as Brakes hold on
Team: Day; Thompson, Gregory, Sidwell, Walker, Adams; Shearsby (Blake), Webb, Hammond (Mort); Nicholls, Timms
It's been fifteen years since the Brakes last played in a national cup competition, and the last match was against Leicester United at The Windmill (which ended in a 1-0 defeat). It was fitting then that Leamington and the travelling army of well over 100 marched northwards to Leicestershire to face the Senior League's Barrow Town.
The match kicked off in the sunshine at a more traditional time of 3pm. As was to be expected from a team on an equal level in the pyramid structure, Barrow looked fit and tried to play good football.
The first half was spent with both teams feeling each other out. Neither goalkeeper was unduly troubled. Barrow looked good going forward, but didn't quite have the penetration when in front of goal.
The second half was infinitely better than its predecessor. Both teams seemed to be more attack minded. The only goal of the game came after 58 minutes. A corner on the left from Hammond was swung in and met with a firm header from Barry Shearsby and found its way into the back of the net. The travelling fans behind the goal burst into chorus, in the forlorn hope of more to come.
This should have been the cue for more attacking play from the Brakes, but instead they seemed to go asleep at the back. Barrow started to apply pressure, and Myles Day and the defence was called into action just after the hour, when a break-through by the opposition was somehow cleared off the goal-line.
Barrow continued to attack, and fail. Poor finishing was their enemy, as time and again they should have punished Leamington. There was one outstanding moment from man-of-the-match Day, as he made a fantastic double save to deny Barrow on 80 minutes.
In all honesty, a better team than Barrow would have punished the visiting defence. Thankfully they didn't, and the Brakes went marching on into the first round proper, where they will have to play better if they hope to progress any further. Match report by Simesy
NBB Man-of-the-Match: Myles Day
