Leamington 2 Brackley Town 1: Brakes wake up after the interval to secure first home win of the season

The turnaround scarcely seemed possible after a first half in which Brakes had struggled to get any support to Stefan Moore who cut an isolated figure up front.

A sense of injustice also pervaded as the hosts had yet another penalty turned down as Lee Moore was sent tumbling in the box.

But in truth, Brackley had as much reason to vent their anger at referee Amy Fearn after she turned down a strong spot-kick claim of their own amid an afternoon of baffling decisions which antogonised both sides.

Danny Newton stung the palms of Brackley keeper Dean Snedker in the third minute, while Lee Moore looked to be blocked off just inside the box after a neat move, only for Fearn to wave away the penalty appeals.

With the first period coming up to its half-way point, Brackley moved in front. Greg Kaziboni turned his man far too easily and then outstripped the cover defence before slipping the ball past the advancing Neil Collett.

Brakes tried to fashion an immediate response, with both Lee Moore and Stefan Moore clearing the bar.

Richard Batchelor slid a header just wide from close range, but Brakes were thankful to Fearn for two crucial decisions to prevent them falling further behind.

First Fearn chose to ignore the penalty claims of Gary Mulligan after the striker appeared to be brought down by Collett. Then she blew up for handball after Greg Pearson bundled home a Jon Brown free-kick which had come back off the post with Collett motionless.

A Jamie Tank mistake almost handed Kaziboni an opening on the stroke of half-time but the goalscorer’s cut-back was cleared from inside the six-yard box.

The home side emerged a much more positive outfit after the break, which was demonstrated by James Mace’s ambitious 40-yard effort.

Kaziboni flashed a shot wide for the visitors, but it was their sole effort at goal after the break as Brakes exerted control.

They were helped in their fightback by a clever piece of skill from Stefan Moore who invited a clumsy challenge from Dwayne Samuels, which provided Fearn with her easiest decision of the afternoon.

Moore picked himself up to send Snedker the wrong way from the spot to bring the hosts level.

Town manager Jon Brady responded by bringing Ricky Johnson off the bench, but the former Brakes striker was forced to feed off scraps as the home side sensed a winner.

Stefan Moore’s persistence should have provided him with a second after he blocked off a clearance and then continued his hustling to latch on to a short back pass and round Snedker. However, he seemed to want too much time to put the ball into the empty net and Samuels recovered to pull off a goal-saving challenge.

Leamington were not to be denied, however. Stephan Morley’s 81st-minute free-kick caused chaos in the Brackley box and Jordan Goddard proved the calmest man in the New Windmill with his assured finish giving Snedker no chance.

The home side could even have had a third, but Danny Newton was denied at close range by Snedker after substitute Matt Dodd had cleverly worked his way to the byline

Brakes: Neil Collett, James Mace, Stephan Morley, Joe Magunda, Stuart Pierpoint, Jamie Tank, Lee Moore (Matt Dodd, 72), Jordan Goddard, Stefan Moore, Danny Newton, Richard Batchelor (Jack Edwards, 78). Subs not used: Liam Maher, Aron Wint, Luke Connolly.

Brackley Town: Dean Snedker, Dwayne Samuels, Curtis McDonald, Eddie Odhiambo, Tom Sharpe, Ryan Austin, Jon Brown (Will Green, 83), Gary Mulligan (Ryan Rowe, 70), Greg Pearson (Ricky Johnson, 65), Joe Curtis, Greg Kaziboni. Subs not used: Tom McGowan, Michael Built.