Saturday 31 January 2009

Brakes Failure

A second half fight back could not stop Leamington losing their unbeaten league record when they went down 3-5 to AFC Sudbury at the New Windmill Ground today in a front of a crowd of 639.

Brakes started with what was essentially a weakened side despite the Suffolk side's reputation as a good footballing outfit. A number of substitutions in the second half remedied this starting with Josh Blake being taken off in favour of Luke Corbett on 50 minutes. Subsequent substitutions which brought on Beckley and Reynolds aided the fightback, but they should have been on the pitch from the beginning.

Sudbury got on the score sheet on 14 minutes when the youthful Piers Wixon burst through and as Richard Anstiss in the Leamington goal advanced off his line, the former Cambridge United player lobbed the ball over him.

The second Sudbury goal came from a corner and although it was again Wixon who was given the credit, the unfortunate Anstiss aided the ball's trajectory into the net. On 34 minutes the keeper was caught off his line again and this time it was former Glazier Richard Howell who took advantage.

Leamington's misery was complete when Sudbury were awarded a penalty. Anstiss managed to position himself correctly, but the ball still ended up in the net courtesy of Heath.

Brakes looked a lot brighter in the second half and it was Bello who made the first reply on 52 minutes. Corbett made it 2-4 on 71 minutes and then a mad scramble in front of the Sudbury goal saw Corbett score again to make it 3-4 on 80 minutes. Meanwhile, a blizzard of yellow cards had descended on the visitors.

However, there was a sting in the tail when a throw in decision went against the Brakes and Sudbury broke away to make it 3-5 through Howell to the delight of the sizeable contingent of visiting supporters. It all then kicked off and Leamington suffered a red card for Jai Stanley seconds before the end of the match. He will now be out for three games.

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