No signs of nerves in Brakes’ final dress rehearsal

Brakes gave another good account of themselves against higher-ranked opposition, with flashes of attractive football further whetting the appetite of the New Windmill faithful ahead of the season proper, writes Paul Edwards.

The home side twice took the lead, only to be pegged back, with Matt Dodd the architect of the opening goal against one of his former clubs.

He cut in dangerously from the right wing in the seventh minute, taking on and beating a defender before drilling the ball goalwards where Stuart Whitehead turned it into his own net.

City responded with a first-time side-footer from Danny Glover which was saved by Kevin Sawyer and Brakes’ new number one also ably dealt with a low drive from Charlie Reece.

Dodd continued to look dangerous for Leamington and fired over the bar after running at the heart of the City defence.

Worcester were level in the 36th minute when Reece broke down the right and, with the Brakes defence caught flat-footed, squared the ball for Glover who turned and fired wide of Sawyer in one movement.

Brakes looked lively in the early stages of the second half.

Visiting keeper Glynn Thompson was almost caught out by a long- range effort from James Mace, just managing to push the ball out from under the crossbar. Tom Berwick followed up, but his shot was deflected behind.

From the resulting corner, Dodd’s inswinger was cleared off the line.

Richard Batchelor clattered the base of the post with a header before winning the loose ball and forcing another goalline clearance with his second attempt.

The substitute was far too quick for Lee Ayres in the 70th minute, latching on to a loose ball in the Worcester penalty area only to be sent sprawling to the turf. A penalty award was the only possible outcome and Dodd stepped up to send Thompson the wrong way from the spot.

Substitute Lee Chilton should have put the game out of the visitors’ reach after being one-on-one with Thompson, but he sent the ball went high and wide.

City were the better side in the final stages and levelled for a second time in the 80th minute when Charlie Reece steered home a right-wing cross despite the best efforts of Sawyer, who had been a virtual bystander for the second half.