Brakes’ cup exit is a missed opportunity

LeamINGTON suffered another one of those days on Tuesday to exit the Birmingham Senior Cup at the semi-final stage. The young visitors were outmuscled, outsmarted and outplayed for large chunks of a lively clash at the New Windmill. Yet despite being distinctly second-best, it will be they who face Solihull Moors in the final and not Brakes after Mani O’Sullivan swept home their only clear-cut chance of the second half nine minutes from time. The hosts made a lively opening and, after Jacob Blyth had seen a shot deflected wide, defender Liam O’Neil was called on to head clear Alex Taylor’s goalbound header. With Lee Downes and Richard Batchelor providing a combative presence in midfield, Albion were finding it difficult to get into the final third. However, Nathan Vaughan had to be alert to keep out a stinging shot from O’Neil after intricate play on the edge of the box. David Kolodynski was replaced by Luke Corbett in the 23rd minute after picking up a shin injury and from the resulting free-kick Batchelor put a free header over the bar. Ten minutes before the break, Blyth had two gilt-edged opportunities to put Brakes in front. Stephan Morley’s cross to the far post was powerfully headed goalwards by Blyth and drew an excellent full-length save from keeper Jack Rose. Blyth was quickly on to the rebound, but he could only drag his shot across the face of the goal with Rose stranded. Corbett produced neat chest control to take down another Morley cross before blazing over, while Batchelor should have done better with a free header after being picked out by Vaughan’s booming free-kick as Brakes went into the interval in the ascendancy. Husband’s fierce drive, which Rose could only parry, offered the final chance of the half, but no home player was following up. Vaughan got a rare touch of the ball five minutes into the second half, fumbling Kemar Roofe’s tame effort before regathering. However, for the next half-hour, West Brom struggled to get out of their own half as Brakes turned the screw. Neat interplay on the left sent Morley scampering to the byline and his cross was flicked wide by the onrushing Taylor, with the supporting Blyth looking better placed. The excellent delivery of Morley and Taylor was a feature of the half, but despite a string of inviting balls, Brakes were unable to capitalise, with Donervon Daniels coming closest to giving the hosts the lead when heading inches over his own bar under pressure from Blyth. That the assistant referee then signalled a goal kick only heightened Leamington’s sense of frustration. Heads were in hands again when a Husband corner deceived Rose, but with the ball flashing across the face of goal, there was no Brakes player to apply the finishing touch. Daniels did well to block a Blyth header at close range after Corbett’s cross had picked him out at the near post and Rose was at full-stretch to tip over a Blyth header after a foul on Michael Tuohy had given Morley another chance to deliver the ball into the box. It seemed only a matter of time before Brakes put Baggies out of their misery and spared the 435 crowd an added 30 minutes. However, in a rare breakout, the visitors fashioned a winner. Substitute O’Sullivan glided through a challenge in midfield before slipping the ball into Alex James on the edge of the box. The Baggies striker gained himself a yard but saw his shot blocked and O’Sullivan followed up to drive the loose ball home through a crowd of players. Paul Holleran brought Craig Owen on for Husband and pushed Batchelor up to create a three-man strikeforce as he sought to find a way back into the match. A tug on Blyth just outside the box presented Morley with a chance to restore parity, but his shot hit the wall and Owen’s follow-up was wide, while Downes lashed a volley over in injury time to confirm another unjust defeat for Leamington. Another one of those days, maybe. But with just one win since the turn of the year, it is starting to take on the look of an annus horribilis for beleaguered Holleran. Brakes: Nathan Vaughan, Michael Tuohy, Stephan Morley, Lee Downes, Jamie Hood, James Mace, Alex Taylor, James Husband (Craig Owen, 84), Jacob Blyth, David Kolodynski (Luke Corbett, 24), Richard Batchelor. Subs not used: Asa Charlton, James Robbins, Aarron Gayle. West Brom: Jack Rose, Wesley Atkinson, Nial Wellington (Mani O’Sullivan, 73), Liam O’Neil, Donervon Daniels, Cameron Gayle, Kemar Roofe, Sam Mantom, Alex James, Adil Nabi, Jamie Edge. Subs not used: David Goldsmith, Jordan Tunnicliffe, Aarron Birch, Alex Palmer