Brakes beaten on Boxing Day

With half of the Canaries side having turned out for Leamington in years gone by it was perhaps inevitable that their goals would be scored by players who were once cheered on by those following the gold and black.

Jamie Towers and Guy Sanders were both popular figures at the New Windmill Ground in their time at the club, but their goals in this game put a dampener on the Christmas festivities for the travelling support.

Michael Tuohy headed an early opportunity over the bar and Luke Corbett rode a challenge from Sanders, cut inside another and shot across goal and wide in a cagey opening to the game.

The home side went in front with the first clear-cut chance of the afternoon 22 minutes in.

The free kick was a little contentious, but Jai Stanley clipped it into the penalty area, where Towers cushioned his header beyond the dive of Lee Evans and into the net.

Richard Batchelor was denied at close range by a valiant block following Corbett’s free kick played in from the left, the midfielder left standing in disbelief wondering how he had been prevented from equalising.

Liam Daly, the latest connection between the two clubs, appeared to be playing up front with Towers after Barwell went in front but the closest he came to scoring was a deflected effort that was safely held by Evans.

Corbett flashed a neat first time volley wide of the far post early in the second half but Brakes were not creating enough chances to fashion a goal at this point.

Barwell added the killer second eight minutes in, catching out their visitors for a second time with the same free kick routine used for the first goal, The header came from Guy Sanders on this occasion.

Paul Holleran attempted to change the fortunes of his side by throwing on the returning Jacob Blyth for James Husband, but the hosts very nearly grabbed a third goal when Kevin Charley stabbed in a shot from close range, only for it to somehow be deflected over the bar.

With time beginning to run out Leamington finally began to wake up, and Stephan Morley dragged his side back into contention with an absolute screamer of a free kick from fully 25-30 yards out that whistled past Liam Castle into the net before he could move.

Michael Tuohy saw a shot saved, and Blyth cushioned a header down perfectly for Corbett to strike, only for Guy Sanders to nip in and clear the ball away.

Brakes continued to look more threatening, but with time almost up the points were sewn up by Jamie Towers, as he out-muscled Asa Charlton to a ball played back towards the Leamington goal and stole an extra yard to poke it past the advancing Lee Evans into an empty net.