Brakes go all that Wey for nothing

Brakes fell to a devastating late defeat on the South Coast having produced a commanding performance for the majority of the game, writes Paul Edwards.

Under normal circumstances an 87th-minute goal would have been enough for victory, but Weymouth refused to give in and the winner came so late into added time that it was impossible for the visitors to respond.

The loss of Jamie Hood to a possible knee ligament injury with just over ten minutes remaining was a bitter blow, further decimating a squad that was already without the injured James Mace and the suspended Lee Downes.

The first half produced very little in the way of goalmouth action, but Brakes had the better of the play.

A neat exchange of passes with Jacob Blyth presented Richard Batchelor with a chance to shoot, but his low drive was straight at Terras keeper Tom Manley.

Asa Charlton saw a volley deflected for a corner before David Kolodynski received a caution for simulation in the Weymouth box.

Manley fumbled a back-pass to concede a corner as Leamington pressed again, and was then fortunate as his punch away was volleyed straight back at him by Hood.

The hosts believed they had opened the scoring with their first serious attack just before half-time. A free-kick was played into the area and the ball was helped into the net by Craig Duff, who was adjudged to have used his arm.

Brakes began the second half with a sustained period of pressure.

Kolodynski saw a shot saved and a James Husband curler was easily claimed by Manley, while a dangerous Craig Owen cross was headed behind by defender Scott Dixon.

A piece of improvisation from Kolodynski saw the ball fly just over and the striker came even closer in the next attack, with his deft flick pushed away by Manley.

Batchelor was almost played through as Leamington continued to pin their hosts back, but Manley was off his line quickly to snuff out the danger.

The home side then ventured forward and were awarded a soft free-kick, which Sam Malsom fired straight at Lee Evans.

Stephan Morley came desperately close at the other end when played in by Husband, driving a shot across goal and inches wide of the far post. Michael Tuohy then came even closer, crashing a shot against the bar.

Luke Corbett was introduced for the final 20 minutes, making his second debut for the club after signing on a loan deal from Worcester City.

Paul Holleran was forced into another change minutes later as Hood left the field on a stretcher following a challenge on the edge of the area.

Weymouth struck the bar as the game began to swing the way of the home side in the closing stages, but it was the visitors who would open the scoring in the 87th minute.

Referee Adam Penwell ruled Corbett to have been caught illegally as he tried to twist and turn past a couple of challenges inside the area and Blyth stepped up to smash the spot-kick into the roof of the net.

It appeared the contentious decision count had been evened up a little over 60 seconds later, when the home side were awarded a penalty of their own after Morley bundled over Ben Gerring. Weymouth skipper Warren Byerley duly stepped up to level the scores.

As if this was not enough drama for the final minutes, there was more to come. Craig Owen did well to create space for himself on the left wing, and swung over the perfect ball for Blyth, who crashed to the turf with his head in his hands after heading the ball wide of the target.

Sadly, this was not to be the final chance for a winner.

Weymouth moved the ball swiftly out to the right wing, where they suddenly found acres of space. The ball was whipped into the area and Duff made up for his disallowed first-half effort by powering a header beyond the despairing dive of Evans.

Weymouth: Tom Manley, Ollie Tribe, Scott Dixon, Byron Napper, Ben Gerring, Sam Poole, Craig Duff, Sam Malsom, Matt Groves, Warren Byerley, Lewis Tasker (Stephen Reed, 65). Subs not used: Jamie Beasley, Ryan McKechnie, Richard Marshallsay, Carl Mutch.

Leamington: Lee Evans, Michael Tuohy, Stephan Morley, Craig Owen, Jamie Hood (Sam Adkins, 76), Asa Charlton, Alex Taylor, James Husband, Jacob Blyth, David Kolodynski (Luke Corbett, 70), Richard Batchelor. Subs not used: Jamie Sheldon, Dior Angus, Lee Williams.