Pre Season Friendly
PRG Stadium at Keys Park
Saturday 31st July 2021

Brakes played out a second consecutive goalless pre season contest as they came up against a spirited and hard working Hednesford Town side who gave them plenty to think about throughout the 90 minutes.

Jake Weaver looked a little shaky as he spilled a cross from Lewis Ludford-Ison in the opening couple of minutes, and the hosts executed a neat training ground routine from a corner involving skipper Courtney Richards, Todd Parker and Jed Davies, whose first time drive from outside the box was well off target.

Brakes’ first effort came on seven minutes, Trialist A’s smart snap shot on the turn pushed behind by a good save from Andy Wycherley.

Jack Edwards, taken down by Ludford-Ison for a free kick some 30 yards from goal which Steph Morley floated into the box, headed wide. With a clear height advantage against the Hednesford defence he was found again from another dead ball, but nobody was able to capitalise. Simeon Maye then saw a well struck drive held by Wycherley.

On the half hour a good ball out of defence from Josh Martin found Trialist A just the wrong side of his defender, inside the box, but there was enough on the block to send it behind for a corner.

A good passage of play from the hosts ended with a shot from Andre Brown that was straight at Weaver, while Andre Landell shrugged off Edwards before trying his luck from distance.

A glorious ball out to the right was met with an equally good cross from Hednesford’s trialist right back, Brown stooping to send a diving header wide of the target as the home side ended the first half on top.

They began the second half brightly too, forcing Weaver to punch an early cross out from under his bar before a nippy trialist cut in from the left to feed Todd Parker, whose first time drive whistled just over the bar.

Brown stung the palms of Weaver as he cut in from the left and thundered a fierce strike towards goal, the Brakes keeper connecting with a good punch away. Davies then tested him with another well struck effort.

Both sides introduced substitutes, and a beautiful through ball intended for Parker was missed by inches by the Hednesford man. Meanwhile Brakes’ Trialist went close again with another effort, while Edwards powered a header into the arms of Wycherley from Morley’s left wing cross, and Dan Turner sent a bouncing shot the same way.

The chances were coming thick and fast at both ends now, Trialist A’s shot deflected for a corner for Leamington, while at the other end Hednesford substitute Reece Styche cushioned Brown’s lay off before striking a decent effort just wide. The home fans were screaming for a penalty as Styche went down with Jack Lane inside the box in pursuit of a through ball, but the Referee immediately waved play on.

The best move of the afternoon came with sixteen minutes remaining, Styche’s vicious strike met by a fantastic save from Weaver, who still had work to do to stop the loose ball finding the net.

Lane saw a shot well blocked as Junior English sent a right wing cross in to the near post. From the corner Trialist A glanced a header over the bar.

Lane was quickly in action at the other end as blocked Styche’s attempted cross with a fine challenge, which led to four corners in succession.

There was a late chance on the break for Leamington as their substitute trialist sent in a cross from the right which was glanced over the bar, but the game was to end scoreless.

Hednesford Town: Andrew Wycherley, Trialist A (14 Kosta Mario, 56), Josh Webb, Lewis Ludford-Ison, Kyle Rowley, Courtney Richards ©, Trialist B (12 Rob Hanna, 59), Todd Parker, Andre Brown, Andre Landell (15 Reece Styche, 62), Jed Davies.

Subs not used: 16 Ben Bailey, 17 Rhys Williams.

Leamington: Jake Weaver, Josh Martin (12 Dan Merdith, 56), Stephan Morley, Joe Clarke 18 Kaiman Anderson, 56), James Mace (15 Junior English, 62), Jack Lane, Dan Turner (16 Trialist B, 64), Simeon Maye, Trialist A, Jack Edwards (14 Callum Gittings, 75), Kieran Cook (17 Joe Parker, 56).

Subs not used: GK Josh Allen.

Referee: Mr A Clarke

Assistant Referees: Mr M Joyce & Mr M D’Aguilar.