THE Brakes recovered from the weekend’s pre-season defeat to Coventry City by holding Walsall to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday night.
A Colby Bishop strike just after the hour mark nudged the National League North side in front, before a trialist pulled the visitors on level terms with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Paul Holleran’s side proved more than a match for the League Two side, and take plenty of encouragement from their response to Saturday’s 4-0 drubbing by the Sky Blues.
Reece King’s low strike threatened to break the deadlock inside the first minute of the game, but saw his effort glance narrowly wide of the post.
Down the other end, Walsall’s Callum Cockerill-Mollett and Josh Gordon ensured that Tony Breeden was kept busy when drawing the Brakes keeper into a couple of saves.
He was then alert to keep out Saddlers forward Elijah Adebayo, who thrashed a swerving strike goalwards, but Breeden was equal to it to ensure the scores were level going into the break.
Darrell Clarke then introduced a young looking side in the second half, but still Leamington held their own.
Summer signing Josh March almost registered his first goal in a black and yellow shirt, but cleared the bar with his effort.
His perseverance was rewarded and moments later when racing down the right flank and whipping a low cross into Bishop to fire into the back of the net.
With the hosts tiring, Walsall levelled the scores when a trialist weaved through a number of players and fired low into the far corner past Breeden.
The Brakes keeper almost cost his side when mishitting a pass, but made amends to keep out the resulting shot and ensure Leamington take an encouraging draw.
In Saturday’s friendly, Mark Robins named a full-strength side in Coventry’s first-ever trip to the Phillips 66 Community Stadium, with the quality of the side proving too much for the Brakes.
New signing Wesley Jobello showcased his quality by swinging a left-wing cross into fellow new boy Gervane Kastaneer, who fired a deflected effort goalwards that caught out Brakes keeper Ben Newey.
Leamington began to build their way into the game, but were knocked back by a stunning goal by Jordan Shipley – who picked out the bottom corner after the half-hour mark.
Josh Pask made it three just before half time, when meeting a cross at the far post and sending his shot into the far corner.
A diving header by Bishop in the second half threatened to remove Marko Marosi’s clean sheet, but the Sky Blues keeper managed to push the shot away.
It was as close as the Brakes came to a consolation goal, as Maxime Biamou fired a late penalty into the roof of the net to finish off the scoring.
The Brakes host their third pre-season friendly in a week when Solihull Moors visit on Saturday (3pm).
