Pre Season Friendly
The Trico Stadium
Tuesday 2nd July 2019

By Max Passantino

Brakes eased their way to a pre season win at Redditch United, with Jack Edwards scoring the winning goal midway through the first half. The Reds are now managed by former Brakes player and coach Ian King, and had a very different look about them to the side which ended the previous season

Paul Holleran handed new signings Kaiman Anderson, Reece King and Josh March starts, while Cieron Keane played his first minutes in a Brakes shirt after coming on in the second half.

Leamington started the brighter of the two sides as Kaiman Anderson won a corner from which Junior English touched the ball towards goal, but Ryan Moore cleared off the line.

Ten minutes later a set piece paid off for Brakes as Joe Clarke took a free kick 40 yards out and managed to find Jack Edwards’ head, and Edwards made no mistake in glancing the ball past the goalkeeper into the far corner.

In the 34th minute, Freddie Nibiett landed on his shoulder after jumping to head the ball, and was subsequently stretchered off, being replaced by Eddie Ikwa.

Josh March had an effort from 25 yards to end the half, but his volley went narrowly wide of Pardington’s post.

Brakes made three changes on half time, Jamie Hood, James Mace and Colby Bishop coming off for a Trialist, Connor Taylor and Richard Batchelor, who was guesting against the club he finshed last season with as he gets a head start on his team mates at new club Mickleover Sports, who don't begin their pre season training until Saturday. Ten minutes later, Junior English, Joe Clarke and Kaiman Anderson came off for James Mace, Cieron Keane and Callum Gittings.

In the 60th minute Josh March got on the end of a cross from Jack Edwards but headed over from close range. Brakes then gave away a free kick, but Hendrick’s dead ball was hit straight into the wall.

Trialist made a good run 6 minutes later and was brought down. From the resulting free kick Cieron Keane played a curling ball into the box, but no one could get their heads onto the end of it.

Two minutes later, March was brought down in the area, but the referee waved play on much to his dismay. Jack Edwards headed wide from a Cieron Keane corner a minute later.

Keane kept challenging the Redditch defence with his dead ball deliveries, as Reece King headed wide from a corner, which Josh March won initially by having a shot from the edge of the box turned onto the post by goalkeeper Pardington.

With 10 minutes left, Tony Breeden was replaced by Ben Newey for the Brakes last change of the evening.

Finally, with 86 minutes on the clock, Redditch registered their first shot, as Luke Shearer drove low straight at Ben Newey in the Brakes goal. Three minutes later, Nik Dkord shot well over the stand behind the goal, bringing the game to a close.

In what could be called a nice warm up for the visit of Coventry City’s first team on Saturday to the Phillips 66 Community Stadium, Brakes passed the first test of pre season comfortably.

Attendance: 76 (Head Count)

Redditch United: Jamie Pardington, Ryan Moore, Kamdl Campbell, Ben McLean, Jordan Shoddart, Freddie Nibiett, Luke Shearer, Kian Flanagan, Curvin Ellis, Michael Nelson, Nik Dkord.

Substitutes: Keenah Rosser, Abidan Edwards, Ronnie Hendricks, Kaylem Bailey-Nicholls, Miracle Okafor, Stanley Obina, Ellie Ikwa

Leamington: Tony Breeden (Ben Newey 80’), Junior English (Cieron Keane 55’), Jack Lane, Joe Clarke, Jamie Hood (Richard Batchelor 45’), James Mace (Connor Taylor 45’), Kaiman Anderson (Callum Gittings 55’), Reece King, Colby Bishop (Trialist 45’), Jack Edwards, Josh March.