Brakes go off the boil after early Powell strike

Leamington’s players will be thankful this result and performance will quickly be forgotten once the season proper gets under way at Bedford Town in August, writes Pete Davis.

Lewis Powell finished neatly in the visitors’ first attack and Brakes looked dangerous in the opening 45 minutes.

However, Paul Holleran’s side were pegged back by a wonder strike from Ben Atkins just before the break and struggled to re-establish their authority in the second half as the heat and a raft of substitutions spoiled the flow of the game.

After being stung by the third-minute strike, Sphinx worked the ball around well at the back, but for all their possesssion they failed to test trialist keeper Brendan Hazlett.

For Brakes, Jimmy Husband capitalised on a defensive lapse and was unlucky to see his lob drift wide with the home keeper stranded.

Husband again proved dangerous when he broke down the left and played in a sweet pass for Michael Tuohy, whose shot was blocked.

Atkins’ 30-yard strike brought Sphinx level and led to a frenzied celebration out of context with the sedatory nature of the game.

As the heat intensified, the game became disjointed and Jimmy Deabill was one of those to leave the field after he received a stud to the forehead in the process of winning a header.

Sphinx decided the game needed a winner and pressed a lot higher up the pitch in the second half, forcing Leamington to persist with long balls over the top for the returning Tom Berwick to chase with little effect.

The Midland Alliance side should have taken the lead when Nathan Vaughan, who had replaced Hazlett, miskicked a clearance and it needed Joe Magunda to spare the keeper’s blushes.

As Sphinx faded, Leamington bossed the final quarter, with Berwick shooting tamely at the keeper from a Husband through ball and then heading a Lee Chilton cross wide when it appeared easier to score.

A memorable melee in the Sphinx penalty area offered Brakes their final opportunity to win the game, but after Chilton had seen a shot blocked and a follow-up hit the post, Magunda’s mis-hit shot fell into his path and the left-winger could only find the side netting.

Brakes: Brendan Hazlett (Nathan Vaughan), Michael Tuohy (Joe Magunda), Alex Gudger, Sam Adkins (James Mace), Liam Daly, Jamie Hood, Alex Taylor, James Husband, Lewis Powell (Lee Chilton), Jimmy Deabill (Tom Berwick), Richard Batchelor.