Brakes break winless run with FA Trophy triumph over Maidenhead

The FA Trophy provided a welcome distraction for both Leamington and their visitors, Maidenhead. A successful pitch inspection at the Your-Coop Community Stadium in the morning meant that the maiden (excuse the pun) encounter between the two teams would proceed. With both sides on substantial winless runs, a cup triumph would do much to lift the mood in their respective camps. The similarities between the two teams, both plying their trade in the sixth tier, didn’t end there, as they each exited the Trophy in the third round last year.

The Brakes’ squad boasted pedigree in this competition, with three former winners of the Trophy – skipper Adam Walker, Joe Clarke, and Theo Streete – part of manager Paul Holleran’s squad for the fixture. Additionally, there was no shortage of managerial experience on the sidelines, with Holleran and his Maidenhead counterpart Alan Devonshire having overseen over 1,600 games between them.

Despite early scares in their half, the Brakes started well

Holleran saw his attempt at a tactical shift to a three-at-the-back system scuppered by the pre-game injury of Demico Burton, meaning Ant Lynn started in his stead, with Dan Quaynor also replacing Luke Shaw. Birthday boy Ewan Williams played the furthest forward of the midfield three.

The game began three minutes late in support of the 3Up campaign. The first sniffs at goal belonged to the visiting Magpies, as a shot from Asher Yearwood was well blocked by Rob Evans. The Leamington defender also repelled a cross from the away side, but only as far as Liam Dulson, who fired a shot just wide of the top-right corner. A botched Rogan Ravenhill clearance then afforded Maidenhead another opportunity, but frontman Josh Umerah fluffed his lines and was unable to capitalise.

Despite early scares in their half, the Brakes started well, giving the vociferous home support something to shout about. Ant Lynn’s physical presence was clearly disconcerting for the away side, and he helped his team camp in the opposition half at times in the opening spell of the game.

The deadlock was broken in just ten minutes, with a flowing move tapped home on the goal-line by Ewan Williams. It was a piece of play that belied the direct style fans have grown used to in recent weeks, with Seb Thompson cutting inside to send a sweeping ball out to Dan Meredith. The right-back played in Tim Berridge, who had already made his mark a few minutes earlier with a promising ball into Williams. This time, the birthday boy made no mistake.

The goal was no less than the Brakes deserved for their efforts to that point against a Maidenhead defence that looked all at sea. Even though the Leamington’s winless run stretched further back, it was the Magpies who looked devoid of confidence, and the home pressure did not subside after the goal.

Nonetheless, Maidenhead came close to a goal of their own after a ball fell fortuitously for Coventry loanee Kai Yearn, who played a give-and-go but glanced a header from the resulting cross just over. It was a reminder of the threat posed by the visitors, who had only been relegated from the National League last year.

A sturdy performance from the Leamington backline helped keep the Magpies at bay

Despite this, Williams arguably should have made it two-nil to the home side with a point-blank header, which away goalkeeper Jordi van Stappershoef did brilliantly to keep out. Subsequently, a charge forward by Meredith led to a cutback for Berridge, who produced a shot from just inside the area that the keeper held at the second attempt.

Maidenhead struggled in much the same way Leamington had when chasing a lead last week, making avoidable mistakes in the build-up that prematurely ended many of their attacking moves. Additionally, a sturdy performance from the Leamington backline helped keep the Magpies at bay when they did get forward, with Archie Crowther distinguishing himself with a fine block from a left-wing cross that otherwise surely would have been prodded home.

The Brakes then saw two gilt-edged opportunities come and go. Firstly, some vintage hold-up play from Lynn sent Berridge completely free, but despite having the freedom of Warwickshire to run into, he produced a tame effort straight at van Stappershoef – a poor attempt at a dink from Berridge who had too much time to think. An almost carbon-copy chance fell to Williams a mere three minutes later, as Lynn’s efforts and a lucky bounce gave him a one-on-one opening, but he dragged his shot just left of the Maidenhead post. The same occurred again shortly afterwards when Lynn’s play once more sent Williams free, who benefited from a lucky bounce. These missed chances were head-in-hands moments that left the home faithful wondering whether they would come back to bite the team. The cliché ‘too much time to think’ certainly came to mind.

Maidenhead ended what remained of the first half in the ascendancy but were unable to create a clear-cut opportunity, including in the single added minute.

Warning signs flashed for Leamington right from kick-off in the second half, with Ravenhill needing to parry a shot from a tight angle by Umerah away before the rebound was sent just wide.

The home side’s first effort of the second half was an optimistic half-volley taken on by Meredith that ended well wide of the goal. Perhaps expecting a foul by the attacker to be given, the Brakes’ defence gave Dulson far too much time in the six-yard box, and Ravenhill had to swat away his shot expertly.

A dozen minutes into the half, Berridge made amends by doubling the Brakes’ lead. The move had Seb Thompson’s name written all over it, as the new signing jinked in from the left, played a one-two with Dylan Mitchell, and found Berridge at the back post, who atoned for his earlier horror miss. At this point, Devonshire had seen enough and made a double change on the hour mark.

A short while later, Dulson put a shot straight down the throat of Ravenhill from the edge of the area. The Leamington goalkeeper was kept busy and made a brilliant one-on-one save from Umerah, who had lost his marker Crowther. Despite Brakes fans serenading Ravenhill’s heroics, he received a yellow for time-wasting, joining away skipper Will de Havilland in the book.

A deserved victory was just what the doctor ordered [for the Brakes]

A moment of pinball in the box did little for the home fans’ increased heart rates, but the offside flag came to the Brakes’ rescue. Holleran’s original lineup was also showing clear signs of tiring, meaning Miro Pais’ long-awaited return with fifteen minutes left was timely. The substitution helped stabilise matters, and Maidenhead were unable to make any sustained inroads. Another home chance followed as Meredith showed his skill with a roulette on the edge of the area, though his finish straight at the keeper failed to match the build-up.

Going into the last five minutes, Joe Clarke came on for Lynn, before Ravenhill once again proved his worth by diving to tip behind a deflected shot that was destined for the top corner

Tempers flared with a couple of dangerous tackles by the visitors, with one such incident earning Josh Popoola a yellow card. When the referee blew the final whistle after four added minutes, the Magpies could have few complaints.

For the Brakes, a deserved victory, helped by captain Adam Walker’s tenacious display in midfield, was just what the doctor ordered. Two glorious missed chances were not decisive in the end, and the culprits redeemed themselves by getting on the scoresheet. This victory will give the mood in the camp a timely boost ahead of a home Senior Cup game against Atherstone, before successive away trips in the league to Wales.