Pre Season Friendly
Phillips 66 Community Stadium
Wednesday 25th July 2018

Brakes were given their usual tough test by Birmingham City’s Under 23 side, slipping to their first defeat of pre season after taking an early lead.

With Paul Holleran away on holiday Martyn Naylor took charge for this game, and while there were plenty of positives to be gleaned from it he will also have seen areas for improvement.

Matt Stenson has certainly hit the ground running in a Brakes shirt, the summer signing from Barwell notching his fifth goal in friendly matches as early as the second minute, driving into the bottom corner from close range after a brief scramble in the six yard box following Chekaine Steele’s right wing cross.

Kieran Morris acrobatically hooked a shot over the bar from an offside position as Leamington had the better of the opening half hour. James Bowen, making his first appearance since joining the club, also looked lively and showed particular willingness to drive forward when able to.

The recently signed Anthony Dwyer and Steele both looked useful on the wings, the former delivering a fine cross from the left which just eluded Stenson in front of goal.

Tony Breeden saved a low shot from Tommy Anderson as the young Blues began to settle into the game before half time, and they were level when Cameron McGilp cut the ball back from touch on the left for Francis Amartey to crash a smart volley inside the post.

Breeden was forced into an early second half save, parrying at his near post after Birmingham substitute George Baker won the ball on the right of the penalty area and advanced before driving a shot towards goal.

Morris displayed his expertise with the long throw in, a weapon which will prove useful during the season, hurling one in from the left which was knocked on by Jack Edwards, forcing Danny Lupano to hurriedly slice the ball behind from right in front goal. Stenson collected the ball from the resulting corner but the angle was prohibitive and he could only drive into the side netting.

The visitors hit the front on 54 minutes, Geraldo Bajrami’s fine ball out to Ollie McCoy on the right, who drove into the box and provided a fine low ball across goal which was finished off by Amartey at the far post.

Brakes were not as fluid as they had been in the first half but continued to show flashes of what they were capable of, Dwyer whipping in a free kick that Edwards met with his head. Stenson’s shot was blocked before in the next attack Dwyer flashed another promising ball across goal.

Tom James almost fashioned the unlikeliest of equalisers, a superb exchange of passes with Steele on the left saw him into the penalty area where he drove low across goal and just past the far post.

Stenson’s header from Dwyer’s cross was directed straight at Blues keeper Jake Weaver, while substitute Taylor Morrison almost got through late on, Weaver diving bravely at his feet to maintain his side’s slender advantage.

Attendance: 185

Leamington: Tony Breeden, Shay Nicholson (12 Junior English), James Bowen (Tom James), Jack Edwards, Joe Magunda, Kieran Morris (Connor Gudger), Chekaine Steele, Kieran Dunbar, Matt Stenson, Connor Taylor (Taylor Morrison), Anthony Dwyer.

Sub not used: 17 Brad Caswell.

Birmingham City: Jake Weaver, Ben Forrest, Caolan Boyd-Munce (19 Come Ferrand), Ryan Stirk (14 Danny Lupano), Geraldo Bajrami, Josh Martin (12 Joe Redmond), Ollie McCoy, Cameron McGilp (17 Odin Bailey), Kyle McFarlane (15 Leo Brown), Francis Amartey, Tommy Anderson (16 George Baker).

Sub not used: 13 Zach Jeacock.