Football
Trophy exit for Brakes

Leamington 2 Belper Town 2

(Belper won 4-3 on penalties aet)

NINE-MAN Brakes crashed out of the FA Trophy following an incident-packed first qualifying round replay at the New Windmill on Tuesday night.

Out-of-sorts Brakes found themselves two goals down early in the second half but Richard Batchelor hit a double to force extra-time.

Batchelor hobbled off with a foot injury shortly after grabbing the equaliser which left Brakes, who had used all three substitutes, to play the last ten minutes with ten men.

It got worse three minutes into the first period of extra-time when central defender and skipper Jamie Hood was sent off for a reckless challenge on Colin Marrison.

Brakes managed to keep the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Division One South visitors at bay in driving rain but were then beaten in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

Tom Berwick wasted a golden opportunity after two minutes by shooting wide with just keeper Aaron Chapman to beat.

It proved a costly miss as Andrew Siribour fired the visitors into an 11th minute lead after the home defence failed to clear Marrison’s free kick.

Brakes enjoyed plenty of possession but struggled to create any clear cut chances and they fell further behind three minutes after the break when some poor defending was punished by Simon Harrison.

Belper should have increased their advantage 60 seconds later when Ashley Longstaff found himself in the clear but Kevin Sawyer turned his effort onto the post.

Brakes got back into contention in the 55th minute when James Mace’s free kick fell to Batchelor who fired home through a crowded goalmouth.

It sparked Brakes into life and Stephan Morley had a 25-yard strike superbly saved at full stretch by Chapman before Batchelor beat the keeper with a stunning long range effort.

The midfielder was injured shortly after but the ten-man hosts almost grabbed a winner in stoppage time when Jimmy Husband combined with fellow substitute Ricky Johnson but blazed over from a good position.

Hood’s dismissal left depleted Brakes on the back foot and Belper piled on the pressure.

Substitute Jordan Ball hit the post with a header, while Brakes survived one amazing goalmouth scramble and Sawyer produced a couple of outstanding saves to keep the score level.

Berwick, Liam Daly and Johnson all converted their spot-kicks but Joe Magunda and Morley failed to hit the target. Sawyer saved one effort from Mark Ward but Marrison, Ball, Harison and Richard Adams kept their nerve to end Brakes interest in another cup competition.

Brakes were held to a 2-2 draw in the original tie at Belper on Saturday.

Keeper Kevin Sawyer saved a penalty from Colin Marrison before first half goals from Tom Berwick and Stephan Morley put the visitors in charge.

But Belper hit back to earn a second chance thanks to strikes from Andrew Siribour and Ashley Longstaff.

Brakes signed 24-year-old striker Ricky Johnson from Southern League Premier Division rivals Banbury United but midfielder Craig Owen and defender Michael Tuohy have left the club.

Brakes have no game this Saturday but they return to Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division action when entertaining rock-bottom Kettering Town on Tuesday (7.45pm).

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