League & Cup Results 2002/03
home -> leamington fc era -> results 2002/03 -> match report
Leamington 0 Coventry Marconi 0  - 28/09/02 - Midland Combination Premier Division Taken from the Leamington Courier Online

TEN-MAN Brakes battled well for a draw against fifth-placed Marconi in a match dominated by defences. Jason Cadden and Barry Proctor's side were a man short for two-thirds of the game following Baz Shearsby's dismissal. Paul Nicholls pressed on alone up front, but the rare goalless draw proved inevitable  . Nick Mort was well to the fore in the early exchanges, laying on a free kick for Glen Webb to go close with a header in the second minute and then helping out in defence by clearing off the line in the tenth.   However, the job of overcoming a Marconi defence that had only conceded five goals in eight previous matches became even harder in the 33rd minute, when Shearsby was sent off for an attempted head-butt in retaliation for a foul. Darren Timms dropped back into midfield leaving Paul Nicholls as the lone striker in an attack already weakened by the continuing absence of Josh Blake. Despite this handicap, Brakes almost went ahead just before half-time when a cross from Steve Thompson was headed just wide by Nicholls.   Marconi were expected to take the game to the home side in the second half to make use of the extra player. However, they continued to pack the defence, seemingly as interested in not letting in a goal as scoring one. In the 59th minute Thompson supplied a perfect corner for Tom Sidwell to head just wide and three minutes later did the same for Nicholls, who also just missed the target.   The Brakes defence held out against everything Marconi threw at them, with Simon Walker, Andy Gregory and Sidwell all playing well. When they were beaten, Myles Day was a commanding figure in goal and is looking to be a very good signing. All could have gone wrong ten minutes from the end, but striker James Towers headed past the post with the goal at his mercy. In the end it was a good result, which keeps Brakes up with the leading pack. Five teams are beginning to detach themselves from the rest and there is little between them in points. Co-manager Jason Cadden said: "It was a battling display from everyone. We dug in deep for a point and the back three deserve praise for their fourth clean sheet on the trot".