BRAKES continued their impressive run of form by picking up a well earned point from their first ever visit to Chorley in the Vanarama Conference North.
After beating Colwyn Bay 5-1 on Saturday, Brakes eased any relegation fears with a 2-2 draw at the Chorley Group Victory Park Stadium on Tuesday night but they perhaps left feeling they could have taken all three points after producing a performance full of grit and industry against their play-off chasing opponents.
Leamington could not have made a better start as they stormed in front inside the opening 90 seconds courtesy of Danny Newton’s 16th goal of the season.
Pressing up the left in their first attack, the Brakes skipper drove the ball in low towards goal from inside the box and it ended up in the back of the net thanks to a lucky deflection to give Paul Holleran’s men a dream start.
Newton almost doubled their advantage moments later but his volley sailed over the bar.
The hosts gradually began to recover from the shock of going behind so quickly, and they were presented with a chance to level when Jack Edwards gave away a penalty on 11 minutes. James Dean stepped up to send Ross Atkins the wrong way and level things up.
However, within two minutes Leamington had regained their advantage when Lee Moore picked up possession on the right and he beat his marker to give himself a clear run on goal before confidently slotting past the advancing Sam Ashton to the delight of the 23 travelling fans behind the goal.
Having gone back in front so quickly Brakes were always going to have to withstand some pressure from the home side but they showed no fear and defended stoutly.
Atkins was forced into a good save to deny Chorley from a free kick, while Nathan Hicks lifted the ball over Ashton into the net after being played clear but he had already been flagged offside.
At times the movement up to the edge of the Chorley penalty area was superb with the team clearly thriving on their renewed confidence gained from the weekend victory over Colwyn Bay.
Hicks saw a shot at goal blocked and the hosts were indebted to keeper Ashton again as he plunged down to his near post to push a thumping header from James Mace behind for a corner, from which Delroy Gordon headed wide.
Things looked to have gone from bad to worse for the Magpies early in the second half as they lost Jake Cottrell to a straight red card after the midfielder hurled the ball at Moore as he reacted badly to a challenge from the Leamington man.
But this did not hinder Chorley and within three minutes they were level thanks to a goal out of the top drawer from Dean, who got the wrong side of Gordon to latch on to a precise through ball from Burns and lash a shot across the diving Ross Atkins.
A well timed challenge from Chorley skipper Andy Teague deflected a shot from Moore behind for a corner as Leamington began to find their feet again and Jack Edwards was unfortunate to see his powerful header pushed behind by Ashton.
A dangerous shot across the Leamington six yard box was somehow cleared away with the home side still full of belief as the game entered its closing stages despite being a man down.
The visitors pressed in search of a winner with substitute Bilal Yafai twice coming close but they could find no further breakthrough and were made to settle for a point which moves them further clear danger.
