Brakes prove spot on to beat Racers and lift Charity Cup

The Leamington squad celebrate with the Tony Horley Cancer Charity Cup. Pictures: Mike Baker

It was a tale of two penalties as Leamington won the annual curtain-raiser at Townsend Meadow to lift the Tony Horley Cancer Charity Cup.

After falling behind to an excellent Kieran Dunbar strike, Racers were presented with the chance to draw level when Trea Bertie was brought down in the box by Connor Gudger.

However, Tony Breeden guessed right to parry away Martin Slevin’s well-struck spot-kick.

And it remained 1-0 until the 84th minute when Brakes’ trialist Chekaine Steele won a penalty and then stepped up to send Neil Stacey the wrong way from the spot to make it 2-0.

Brakes named new signing Kieran Morris in their starting line-up, while the home side included former Brake Ben Mackey and Gerard McGahey, signed this week from Rugby Borough, along with Sean Castleton who joined in the summer from Rugby Town.

Goalkeeper Ryan Young was also making his debut for Racers and was almost embarrassed in the opening 60 seconds, Jack Edwards’ hopeful shot squirming from his grasp and trickling just past the post.

The visitors had started confidently and opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a moment of quality from Dunbar who picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and lashed home a first-time shot which cannoned in off a post.

Alex Price put a tame effort wide for Racing Club before they were presented with a chance to level.

Ben Mackey battles for possession for Racing Club.

Good battling from Luke Cole allowed him to break free from the clutches of the Leamington midfield and he released McGahey whose first-time cross was intended for Bertie eight yards out. However, as the pacy frontman attempted to turn on to the ball he was upended by Gudger.

Slevin took the responsibility but his spot-kick was at a good height for Breeden who parried the ball to safety.

An Alex Price free-kick was straight at Breeden and a McGahey shot was deflected for a corner after a good move from the home side, while Edwards wasted two good heading chances at the other end as a low-key half burst into life in the closing stages.

Both sides made changes at the break, with the prolific Ryan Harkin given a chance to impress up front for Leamington.

Kieran Dunbar, scorer of Brakes' opener, takes on Luke Cole.

Henry Leaver, one of those introduced for Racing Club, was unable to get decent purchase on a shot after neat build-up play from the hosts who were controlling play without being able to translate possession into goalscoring chances.

Sam Beasley shot straight at Breeden, while at the other end a Dunbar free-kick had substitute keeper Stacey at full stretch.

With the match petering out, the pacy Steele produced a neat piece of footwork in the box to earn a penalty which he converted himself.

Harkin almost took advantage of a mistake from Castleton in the dying seconds to make it 3-0 but Stacey was well placed to pouch his speculative 40-yarder.