BRAKES were sucked closer to the Conference North relegation places after slipping to a narrow 2-1 defeat at Brackley Town after a scrappy game at St James Park.
Lee Moore’s goal inside the final ten minutes proved to be something of an anti climax as Leamington were unable to fashion any further chances to find an equaliser despite an improved display as the game went on.
Brackley’s debutant striker David Moyo forced an early save from new Brakes goalkeeper Ross Atkins with a low angled drive from the right, while Danny Newton snatched at his shot when set up by Stefan Moore.
Will Green opened the scoring on 22 minutes with a bizarre goal. His header from the edge of the box deceived Atkins and looped over the keeper’s dive into the far corner.
The game had been a tight affair up until this point so it was perhaps unsurprising that a goal out of the ordinary should alter the pattern.
Lee Chilton’s low shot was saved by Dean Snedker and Brackley skipper Ryan Austin, who seemed to be in the right place all afternoon, blocked the follow-up from Jack Edwards as Brakes pressed for an equaliser.
Edwards headed over from a corner and Austin then provided a timely intervention, nicking Newton’s dangerous looking cross off the head of Chiton.
Moore believed he had a shout for a penalty just before half-time when his shot appeared to strike a Brackley arm inside the box, but his appeals along with those of the Brakes fans behind the goal fell on deaf ears.
Green went close early in the second half for the hosts when he lashed a shot just over the bar, while Moore saw his shot on the turn saved by Snedker.
Crucially Brackley were to grab the next goal in the contest thanks to Moyo who powered a header in off the bar on 66 minutes to leave Atkins with little chance.
The debutant prevented his side from going further behind however after Stefan Moore had seen a good headed chance saved, making two fine saves in quick succession as Brackley looked to turn the screw.
Brakes got up something of a head of steam for a short period in the closing stages, but needed to put the Saints keeper under more pressure as he let the ball spill from his grasp several times, firstly from Stephan Morley’s low drive and then from Edwards’ curling shot.
Chilton then sent a well controlled volley over the bar from a right wing cross before Leamington finally made a breakthrough on 81 minutes.
Morley’s shot was blocked but the ball fell kindly for Lee Moore to scramble home with aid of a bounce past Snedker.
Brakes were aggrieved that a late strike from James Mace was chalked off for a perceived foul on the goalkeeper in the build up, but they were unable to create any further chances.
