Holleran delighted with Brakes’ response to Bedford reverse

Goals from Richard Batchelor, Jacob Blyth, David Kolodynski (2) and Sam Adkins provided the perfect response to a 4-0 defeat to Bedford in the previous fixture and Holleran said it was a potential banana skin avoided.

“It was an FA Cup game so it’s tricky,” said Holleran. “You only have to look at some of the results on Saturday and some of the results Leamington have had in the past few years.

“Lower division sides raise their games but it was a good professional performance from us and only a good goalkeeping display kept them in it.”

After biding his time on the bench, Craig Owen was brought into the centre of midfield to face the Mikes, with Batchelor moving to the wing at the expense of Alex Taylor.

And despite the two-division gap between the sides, Holleran was encouraged by the improvement in his side’s ball retention.

“We tinkered with it in the middle of the park to try and get the balance right.

“We threw Craig Owen in there as at times we need a player who can roll the ball into the strikers.

“It gave Richard Batchelor licence to get forward more and get involved and it was more like the shape we had in the second part of last season when we had Neil Barnfield involved.

“We certainly had more control and it suited us having another sitting midfielder in there.”

Brakes have been handed a trip to near-neigbours Daventry Town in the next round, with the second qualifying round taking place on Saturday week.

Mark Kinsella’s side have made a stuttering start to the season, but Holleran is wary of the threat posed by the Evo-Stik Southern Division One Central side.

“At the end of the day, it’s a side from the league below and we should progress.

“But it will carry certain dangers, with them having players like Mark Bellingham, Howard Forinton, Arron Parkinson and Callum Burgess. They’ll certainly be looking forward to the visit of Leamington.”

Brakes travel to Swindon Supermarine in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier tomorrow, with Jamie Hood playing his final game before starting a three-match suspension.

n Ben Mackey scored five of Stratford’s six goals on Tuesday night as they knocked Newcastle Town out of the FA Cup.

The on-loan striker was also on target in the first encounter, which ended 5-5.