Leamington 2 Bradford PA 0: Special display from Brakes to get their Skrill North campaign off to flying start

First-half dominance, two goals inside the opening 25 minutes and a blank second period as they took their foot off the gas, neatly mirrored events at Stamford Bridge.

And, while there was no Special One at the New Windmill, Brakes’ number one Tony Breeden received plenty of love on his first league start back at his old stomping ground.

Bradford, who arrived having narrowly missed out on the play-offs last season, were quickly on the back foot as the hosts targetted debutant left-back Jason St Juste.

Matty Dodd, who was a lively presence before fading after the break, prodded a shot goalwards as early as the second minute, while Lee Chilton forced his way past a couple of challenges before driving a fierce shot over the bar.

Stefan Moore outmuscled St Juste on the byeline but was unable to find the lurking Ricky Johnson. However, it was to prove a temporary reprieve for the visitors, with Dodd brought down by Ross Daly in a similar position to leave referee Michael D’Aguilar with no alternative but to award a penalty.

Dodd showed Frank Lampard how it should be done by sending John Lamb the wrong way from the spot to get Brakes’ Conference North campaign up and running.

Daly was unable to atone for his error with a tame header from Nicky Boshell’s cross proving comfortable for Breeden, who meted out further punishment on the visitors with the long clearance downfield which led to Leamington’s second.

The portly Lamb advanced from his goal but was left in no-man’s land as Moore got in ahead of last-man St Juste and lifted the ball over the keeper and into the empty net.

Chilton twice came close to adding to the tally, with a cross- cum-shot landing on the roof of the net and a last-ditch block taking the venom off the midfielder’s effort following a neat move down the right involving Dodd and Moore.

Paul Walker shot straight at Breeden, while Alex Davidson felt aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty after appearing to be sent tumbling in the box as Avenue tried to fashion a response, but it was too little, too late for manager John Deacy who made a double substitution at the break to try and get his side back into the match.

One of those introductions, Tom Corner, announced himself with a late challenge on Breeden which earned him a caution.

However, Brakes continued to hold the upper hand, with Moore ghosting past a challenge before driving narrowly wide and Chilton beating the keeper only to see his cross-shot shepherded away from danger.

Craig Owen was then unable to provide the finish after Chilton and Moore had again unlocked the visiting defence, sidefooting wide from close range.

A mistake from Dodd gave Avenue a two on two which resulted in Boshall ballooning the ball over the bar from 12 yards and Breeden was finally extended in the 65th minute, turning away Richard Marshall’s shot at the foot of the post.

With the hosts sitting back, Avenue enjoyed the better of the closing stages, but Breeden’s tip-over from James Knowles’ high ball apart, they rarely looked like spoiling a memorable day for Paul Holleran’s special ones.