A look back at how Brakes have fared on this date in our history......
1936 - A Coventry & North Warwickshire League Division Two game away at Humber-Hillman Reserves ended in a 4-4 draw.
1947 - A Foleshill Nursing Cup tie at Kirby Corner against Coventry Amateurs saw Brakes win 1-0 with a goal in the 46th minute from Bailey.
1958 - A crowd of 1,558 at the Windmill Ground for a Birmingham Senior Cup Semi Final against Tamworth saw Brakes win through 3-2 to reach the final for the second consecutive season.
As mentioned in the Warwickshire Combination article to the right of the match report below, the Reserves thumped NINE goals without reply away at Warwickshire Constabulary. Scorers were Arnold 3, Butler, Robertson, Eales, Prosser, and two own goals.
Team: Lawler, Upton, Grimwood, Savage, Newey, Lewis, Prosser, Butler, Arnold, Eales, Robertson.
1964 - Lockheed Leamington scored twice, late in each half, as they defeated league leaders and reigning Champions Long Eaton United 4-1 at the Windmill Ground.
Team: Peter Woodward, Geoff Coleman, Mick Lane, Roy Bradley, Gordon Hancocks, Colin Davis, Ernie Ward, Cyril Parry, Barry Jepson, Barry Shorthose, Syd Hall.
*Report: Coventry Evening Telegraph.
*Report: Long Eaton Advertiser.
Report: Leamington Spa Courier.
1969 - Caretaker Manager Bill Branston’s first game in charge after the sacking of long serving Syd Ottewell saw Brakes go down to Arnold at the Windmill Ground in a Midland Counties League game, after taking a first half lead through Syd Hall. Mr Branston would remain in caretaker charge for almost three months, until former player Geoff Coleman took over at the beginning of April.
Team: Bob Steane, John Anthony, Bill Tedds, Ralph Ramshaw, John Roberts, Bill Salmon, Geoff Skellington, Richard Gretton, Ray Holmes, Alan Vest, Syd Hall. Sub: Neil Unwin.
In the Coventry Works League Division One, our Reserve side drew 2-2 at Kingfields; Den Butler and Paul Wade cancelling out goals from the home side.
Report: Leamington Spa Courier.
1975 - A Birmingham Senior Cup Third Round tie at Ly Meadow against Alvechurch in front of a crowd of 312 sees AP Leamington win 2-1, with goals from Roger Brown and Adrian Stewart.
Team: Dave Jones, Dennis Taylor, John Brady, Doug Griffiths, Roger Brown, Mickey Boot, Bobby Horne, Steve Lee, Adrian Stewart, Dave Scriggens, Mick Keeley. Sub: Anthony Bowden.
Report: Leamington Spa Courier.
1977 - A 2-2 draw at the Valley Stadium in the Southern League Premier Division against Redditch United. Both sides were in their first season in the division having been promoted the season before.
Team: Dave Garratt, Dennis Taylor, Gerry Kavanagh, Alan Jones, Roger Brown, Mickey Boot, John Dyer, Steve Lee, Adrian Stewart, Mick Keeley, Bob Turpie. Sub: Doug Griffiths.
Report: Leamington Spa Courier.
1986 - Brakes registered only their eighth win of the season in all competitions as they won against Wellingborough Town in the Southern League Midland Division in front of just 165 people at the Windmill Ground.
Team: Maurice Harnett, Tony Belcher, Tony Upton, Stuart Hall, Steve Thomas, Ashley Alexander, Steve Johnson, John McDonald, Mick Hartfield, Albert Johnson, Tony Higgins (Rob McKay).
2003 -
Southam United 1 Leamington 2
Midland Combination Premier Division
Saturday 18th January 2003
By David Hucker
Brakes Break Saints as Rugby Falter
Brakes eventually emerged on top in this closely-fought local derby, but a resurgent Saints side ensured that there would be no repeat of the 5-0 scoreline from their first league encounter last August.
In the continuing absence of Steve Thompson, Brakes were captained by Darren Timms and, hard as he tried to instill some urgency into the play, the visitors never really fired in the opening exchanges. The match could have taken on a different look after only five minutes when Saints winger Sean Davis saw his goal-bound shot pushed over the top by debutant keeper James Gettings.
Long-range shots from Paul Nicholls and Jonny Burgess were the only worthwhile early goal attempts by Brakes but they gradually got their act together and the experienced Pete Dye in the home goal came more into the action. Within a fifteen minute spell of pressure, Nicholls' flick-on from a NIck Mort corner was well saved and both Darren Timms with a header and Josh Blake with a drive over the top could have given Brakes the lead.
However, Dye was powerless to prevent Brakes taking the lead four minutes before half-time when Chris Hanrahan and Timms combined before Blake slotted home much to the relief of the visiting supporters.
The interval team talks seemed to have more effect on Southam as they reappeared the more eager team and, in the fifty-seventh minute, the industrious Davis rose high to head home a corner from the left. However, the celebrations were short-lived as Brakes pushed forward and a fine run by Burgess into the penalty resulted in his being upended. Nicholls stepped up to send his spot kick low to Dye's right to restore the lead. From then on, the home side did not really look like pulling back the deficit for a second time and Brakes took the opportunity to bring on substitutes Ryan Parisi and Brian Agar.
The introduction of nineteen year old Parisi injected some pace into the Brakes attack and he nearly capped a fine performance with a goal in the dying seconds with a shot that rebounded off the post. Like the solid performing Andy Gregory, he is a product of the Central Ajax youth set-up and could be a real asset to the club.
Nick Mort was booked for a foul and Saints' Niall O'Rouke for dissent but the match was played in a good spirit throughout.
The crowd of 245 was the largest at Banbury Road for ten years and, despite the swirling cold wind, there was enough excitement to keep everyone on tenterhooks throughout the ninety minutes. Brakes joint-manager, Barry Proctor, was pleased with the result, made even better by the news of leaders Rugby Town's defeat at Castle Vale KH. He said, "although we have tried to keep the players fit, we were a bit rusty after our enforced layoff. Southam have improved since we last met them and James Gettings made an important early save for us. Ryan Parisi also looks a promising addition to the squad. However, we still need to improve if we are to be real championship contenders."
Leamington: James Gettings, Jonny Burgess, Harj Dhesi, Andy Gregory, Tom Sidwell, Andy Ellis, Nick Mort (Ryan Parisi 67), Chris Hanrahan, Josh Blake, Paul Nicholls, Darren Timms © (Brian Agar 75)
Subs Not Used: Simon Walker.
2005 -
Coventry Sphinx 2 Leamington 2
Midland Combination Premier Division
Tuesday 18th January 2005
By David Hucker
A Game of Two Halves as Sphinx Snatch Share of Spoils
On a windswept and wet night at Sphinx Drive, Brakes took a giant step towards landing the Midland Combination Premiership with a valuable point against their Coventry rivals. Two first half goals by former youth team striker Ryan Howell had set up victory, but in the end a draw was a good result as the home side took the second period honours to square the match.
With water lying in the centre circle and along the touchline, conditions were far from ideal and the pitch deteriorated as the evening wore on. Full marks, therefore, to both sides for producing a match which ebbed and flowed and was never less than exciting. Brakes were smartly out of the starting blocks with Josh Blake from a free kick and Richard Adams both having chances in the first five minutes. However, the visiting fans were given plenty to think about with a succession of Sphinx corners, one of which needed an acrobatic save from Andy Harper (starting for the fourth consecutive match) to keep Brakes in contention.
However, the goals did come and it was young Howell who came away with something to show for an evening of endeavour. The first came in the 28th minute courtesy of a Blake free-kick on the left which was helped on by Richard Adams and Howell rose to head home after rookie Sphinx 'keeper Rob Newman had failed to collect, 0-1. Nine minutes later in the 37th, Richard Adams went on one of his darting runs down the right and, after beating two defenders, put a precision cross to Howell's feet for the second, 0-2.
Sphinx needed to strike early after the interval and it took only two minutes for them to pull one back. A free kick from the right was not cleared by the Brakes defence and Paul Gibbons was on hand to head home, 1-2 in the 47th. The visitors came back and a cross from Leon Morgan was headed just over by Blake. Newman then saved well at close range from Howell but one felt that another Sphinx goal was just around the corner. So it proved in the 58th minute when Harper failed to gather a cross and McSheffrey stepped in to score, 2-2.
Sphinx should have wrapped things up with five minutes to go when substitute Chris Harris had a golden opportunity to score but, with the goal at his mercy, shot wide. So a draw it was in the end and few amongst the crowd of 340 had cause to complain. Brakes certainly missed the craft of Jon Adams in midfield and his groin injury is hopefully only going to keep him out for two weeks.
There were bookings for Jamie Towers (for a foul on Andy Gregory) and Danny McSheffrey (for dissent), the latter earning a large cheer from the visiting supporters crowded into the stand.
This was Brakes' 27th match and the first draw of the season. Manager Jason Cadden was well satisfied saying "although I am disappointed to have let the two goal lead slip, a point apiece was probably a fair result. We remain on track and, with only seven matches left at home, I would like our supporters to turn out in force and get behind the team to help see the job through."
Leamington: Andy Harper; Ben Adams; Darran Tank; Steve Smith: Andy Gregory; Chris Hanrahan; Leon Morgan (Darren Timms 88); Stuart Herlihy; Richard Adams; Ryan Howell (Paul Nicholls 71); Josh Blake ©
Sub not used: Tom Sidwell
Coventry Sphinx: Rob Newman; Jamie Towers; Adam Knibbs; Danny Sharples; Terry Ward; Paul Gibbons; Danny McSheffrey © (James Halton 90); Paul John; Paul Woods; Rob Stevenson (John Woodhouse 69); Wayne Pulford (Chris Harris 62)
Team News: Jon Adams has a groin strain and is likely to miss two weeks.
2014 - A crowd of 608 at the New Windmill Ground saw Leamington go down 2-1 to Harrogate Town in the Conference North. The game marked Danny Newton’s first goal for Brakes, but Paul Holleran’s side couldn’t hold on to their lead.
Leamington 1 Harrogate Town 2
The Skrill North
New Windmill Ground
Saturday 18th January 2014
Brakes slipped up from a winning position to fall to defeat at the New Windmill Ground for the second time in 4 days. Visitors Harrogate Town are an experienced Conference North outfit, usually in or around the cusp of the play off places each season, and once they had edged in front they drew on that knowhow to comfortably see this game out. Brakes had looked lively in the opening stages with Danny Newton putting in another hard working performance which was this time rewarded with his first goal for the club.
With Paul Holleran bringing Josh Hawker and Lee Chilton back into the starting line up for the first time after injuries there was a case for a little ring rustiness, but the defeat was disappointing despite that, as Leamington had looked well capable of taking something from the game until the latter stages of the second half when Harrogate began to turn the screw.
Both sides moved the ball around well in a high tempo opening that lacked any real incident and it was not until the 19th minute that the game came to life, Newton nipping between Town skipper Shane Killock and goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray to steer home his first goal in the gold and black in front of the North Bank.
Ricky Johnson headed over as Brakes looked to strengthen their advantage but they were pegged back on 34 minutes when Adi Yussuf got the better of Liam Daly down the left and fired a dangerous ball into the centre. Ashley Worsfield saw Tony Breeden save his initial effort but was quickest to the loose ball to tuck it into the net. The Harrogate number 9 brought the best out of the Brakes keeper again before half time when his sharp turn and shot produced a fine save.
Impressive link up play between Lee Moore and Newton saw the former flash an inviting ball across the face of goal early in the second half, while Breeden had to be alert to rush out to the edge of his penalty area to beat half time substitute Chris Hall to a forward pass. .
MacGillivray did well to save Josh Hawker’s low drive from the edge of the box despite being unsighted, while Newton had chances to add to his tally, first firing wide of the target and then shooting straight at the keeper having drifted past Harrogate’s two central defenders inside the box.
A shot from the visitors went out for a throw-in on the far side, while Ryan Higgins did superbly to get a right wing cross in, Liam Daly heading it back across goal for Ricky Johnson to head just over the bar from close range, though the whistle blew for a foul on the goalkeeper.
Harrogate always looked well capable of snatching the lead, and so it proved when substitute Conor Sellars nodded in from close range after Adam Bolder had clipped in a cross from the left after the ball had deflected off Higgins.
Breeden plucked a good cross from Cleveland Taylor out of the air as Sellars looked for another goal which would have really put the game out of reach for Leamington, but Brakes were unable to muster a serious response, and must now look to successive games against teams currently below them in the table to put more points on the board, with many of the sides around them having games in hand.
Leamington: Tony Breeden, Ryan Higgins, Stephan Morley ©, Josh Hawker, Liam Daly, James Mace, Lee Moore, Craig Owen (12 David McNamee, 74), Danny Newton, Ricky Johnson, Lee Chilton (15 Will Green, 84).
Subs not used: 14 Luke Connolly, 15 Josh Green, 17 Lewis Fenney.
Harrogate Town: Craig MacGillivray, Dwayne Samuels, Dave Merris, Adam Bolder, Matt Heath, Shane Killock ©, Steve Mallory (12 Cleveland Taylor, 60), Adam Nowakowski, Ashley Worsfield (17 Conor Sellars, 66), Jahmal Smith, Adi Yussuf (15 Chris Hall ,46)
Subs not used: 14 Craig Nelthorpe, 16 Matt Bloomer.
Attendance: 608
Referee: Mr Antony Coggins
Assistant Referees: Mr Kevin Howick & Mr Ben James
Brakes Man of the Match: Danny Newton.
2020 - We played out a goalless draw with Chester in the National League North at the New Windmill Ground.
Match report: Leamington 0 Chester 0 - Report + Reaction
2022 - A Birmingham Senior Cup Quarter Final win over Tamworth saw James Mace pass Josh Blake’s modern day club appearance record of 406 games.
Match report: https://www.leamingtonfc.co.uk/index.php/component/content/article/59-2021-2020-match-centre/1859-leamington-3-tamworth-1?Itemid=355
