League & Cup Results 2001/02
Taken from the Leamington Courier online
ON a weekend dominated by FA Cup shocks, Brakes caused an upset of their own to reach the last eight of the Midland Combination Endsleigh Challenge Cup - with the prize of a Villa Park final in their sights.
Goals from Harj Dhesi and Baz Shearsby sank Premier Division Feckenham at the New Windmill on Saturday. They earned Barry Proctor and Jason Cadden's men a quarter-final tie with either Coventry Sphinx or Cheslyn Hay - both top flight teams. The final is likely to be staged at Villa Park.
Dead ball specialist Dhesi opened the scoring on ten minutes, firing a low, powerful drive to the keeper's right. Liam McGovern collected a yellow card as the Redditch side responded, but Brakes were creating the better chances.
With a 4-4-2 formation replacing the more familiar wing-back system, Dave Care and Steve Thompson carved out chances from the flanks. Dhesi and partner Tom Sidwell looked solid at the centre of defence.
Brakes doubled their lead on 32 minutes when Shearsby collected a Josh Blake pass, a move started by full back Jonny Burgess.
Feckenham showed new resolve in the second half. They let Brakes off the hook inside three minutes, wastefully shooting with three men better placed to finish.
Blake fired a Thompson cross just wide with 15 minutes left and Care had a chance from a superb break. At the other end Richard Morris pulled off two fine saves but could only watch as a long-range effort crashed off the bar.
Substitutes Darren Timms, Glen Webb and Neale Perry added fresh impetus late on, helping create further chances for Blake and Care.
Proctor said: "I was really pleased with the team on Saturday, especially as the week before we had been a bit lacklustre - particularly in the first half.
"We've started marking the players and discussing it after the games. No one got less than a seven - and there were lots of eights and nines.
Steve Thompson collected the November player of the month award from supporters before the match - the only senior weekend fixture to survive the frosty spell.
Brakes company secretary David Hucker said: "I believe we've got one of the best pitches in the league. The weather helped, but the game was a vindication of the decision to put so much time and work into the pitch rather than on building work."