Townsend Meadow
Tuesday 14th July 2015

'Only pre season' it may be, but those Brakes fans who made the short hop across to Hampton Road witnessed their team record a win for the first time since the 5-1 hammering of Colwyn Bay back on February 28th.

Last season is gone now but it was nice to be able to see goals and an all round confidence returning to the players who were involved in it. There were some promising early signs of good link up play going forward, the ball being moved around well.

Lee Moore and Ross Oulton were absent from Saturday's starting line up but there were first run outs of pre season for Tony Breeden, Jack Edwards and Ben Mackey, while young Matt Warner started the game at left back, allowing Connor Gudger to push forward.

Midland League Division 1 Racers stunned their visitors by taking advantage of a lack of communication at the back on 3 minutes to take the lead. There did not look to be any danger as the ball was moved back to the edge of the penalty area but Jamie Hood, James Mace and Jamie Tank all appeared to leave it for each other, allowing the nippy Warwick number 9 to pinch possession and lift the ball over the advancing Tony Breeden with a smart finish.

Prior to this Mackey almost made the perfect start, chesting down a ball into the 6 yard box in the opening minute and forcing a save out of keeper Conal Dowling at his near post.

The equaliser was not long in arriving however. Only a couple of minutes had passed when Jack Edwards forced two corners, meeting the second with a powerful header towards goal which was diverted into the net by an unfortunate Racing Club defender.

Connor Gudger was a whisker away from firing Brakes ahead when he took Mace's header down well on the edge of the box, a neat touch creating space for a rising drive which skimmed the top of the crossbar.

Richard Taundry was next to go close, curling in a low free kick that rippled the side netting. Rob Ogleby then extended the keeper with a well struck half volley that Dowling pushed around the post.

Mackey got his comeback goal on 36 minutes, heading home from close range after Mace had nodded a corner back into the 6 yard box. The hosts responded with a rare shot that cleared the bar before Mace set off on a marauding run through the centre, exchanging passes on the edge of the box before threading one through for Mackey on the right, but Dowling was equal to the striker's curling shot towards the far corner.

The keeper could do nothing about Leamington's third goal a moments before half time however, Mackey picking the ball up midway inside the Warwick half before looking up and sending a perfect pass through for Ogleby to latch onto, and advancing into the box he picked his spot and fired past the keeper low into the net.

Tony Breeden had been forced into a save just before half time from a shot across goal, but he found a free kick struck from a central position around 25 yards out more comfortable to deal with as the half got underway. The chances began to come thick and fast at the other end however, Mackey finding the net again after Gudger played him in, only to be flagged offside while Ogleby snapped up a second goal after the Warwick defence suffered a similar nightmare moment to their counterparts when scoring the opener. With a defender missing his kick and Dowling unable to hold onto the ball, the summer signing had the easiest of tasks to smuggle the ball home from close range.

Taundry was unfortunate with another well struck free kick after Mackey was fouled just outside the box, the ball deflected inches over the bar, while Mackey himself looked odds on to grab a second goal at the far post only to lose his footing at the last moment. He was still able to poke the ball back towards Jake Jones, who drew a flying save from Conal Dowling. The keeper then denied Ogleby a hat trick goal with another top drawer stop as the Leamington man bore down on goal.

acing Club's skipper for the night prevented an almost certain fifth goal when he stretched to divert Ogleby's centre for Mackey after a quick burst down the right. Edwards then saw a shot blocked on the edge of the box, before Dowling denied Jones as he burst through on goal, opting to try and lift the ball over the keeper rather than pick out Ogleby to his right.

Another smart touch from the tall frontman saw him hammer a low drive towards goal that was met by an equally good save from the overworked Dowling, who would deny Jones again before the final whistle.

Attendance: 212

Leamington: Tony Breeden, James Mace (16 Martyn Naylor, 69), Matthew Warner (15 Reece Mitchell, 55), Richard Taundry, Jamie Hood, Jamie Tank, Jake Jones, Jack Edwards, Rob Ogleby, Ben Mackey, Connor Gudger (12 Joe Magunda, 60).

Subs not used: 14 Ellison Porter, GK Matt Hill.

Racing Club squad and officials unknown.