Leamington 0 Birmingham City U21's 1
Pre season friendly
Phillips 66 Community Stadium
Saturday 16th July 2016 

Brakes fell to a single goal defeat in their third pre season friendly against Birmingham City's Development squad. Despite enjoying the bulk of the attacking play throughout they were kept at bay well by the Blues youngsters, who scored from the one real clear cut chance they created.

A low free kick into the six yard box struck a diving James Mace and spun behind early on but it was the visitors who moved ahead thanks to a storming run by Kyle McFarlane, who weaved through the Leamington half unchallenged before sending a low ball in from the left that Ronan Hale took in his stride and slammed first time into the net.

Charlie Cooper dragged a free kick well wide for the visitors, and Joe Magunda was unfortunate not to register his third goal of pre season when he met another free kick with a diving header that just cleared the post.

Paul Holleran introduced four of his substitutes at half time and one of them, Jack Edwards, sent a couple of  headers spinning wide from free kicks, while in between times former Brakes loan keeper Conal Trueman was forced to push Richard Taundry's pile driver behind for a corner.

Another substitute, Lee Moore won a corner on the left which was played to the far post, Mace heading it back across for Edwards to direct another header towards goal, Trueman getting to the ball inches ahead of Ryan Rowe. The striker then almost set up another chance, cushioning Moore's ball in from the right into the six yard box for the advancing Darren Pond, only for Blues skipper Noe Baba to nip in, forcing Trueman to palm the ball behind for a corner.

Despite Leamington's enterprise in the second half they were unable to force a goal.

Attendance: 238

Leamington: Jon Brown (Tony Breeden, 72), Richard Taundry, (15 Lee Moore, 65), Connor Gudger, Joe Magunda (16 Rob Elvins, 46), Jamie Hood (c), James Mace, Ross Oulton (12 Darren Pond, 46), Ben George, Courtney Baker-Richardson (17 Ryan Rowe, 46), Rob Thompson-Brown, Tom James (14 Jack Edwards, 46).

Birmingham City: Conal Trueman, Corey O'Keefe, Steve Seddon, Noe Baba (c), Wes Harding, Josh Martin, Emanuele Sonupe, Charlie Cooper, Alex Jones, Ronan Hale, Kyle McFarlane.

Subs: 12 George O'Neill, 14 Wes McDonald, 15 Dan Cleary, 16 Tyler Harvey, 17 David Popa.

Referee: Ravel Cheosiaua.

Assistant Referees: Joe Clarke & Ryan Williams.