New year celebrations fall flat

Having been starved of action since November 27, Brakes fans had to wait just three minutes to see their first goal of 2011.

However, any thoughts of a goal rush to usher in the new year were quickly forgotten as Leamington wasted a number of clearcut opportunities, with Matt Lewis proving the main culprit.

And, despite being restricted to few sights of goal, clinical finishing from Danny Quinn and Nick Wellecomme ensured the points headed back to Keys Park.

A bumper bank holiday crowd of 704 may have expected the home side to make a slow start following their lengthy lay-off, especially with Town having blown off the cobwebs with a Birmingham Senior Cup tie at Boldmere St Michaels the previous Thursday.

But it was Hednesford who were caught cold in the first meaningful action of the game, Luke Corbett poking home a Lewis free-kick from close range.

The Pitmen were back on level terms ten minutes later, with Quinn showing the predatory instincts which had bagged him a hatful of goals at Heather St John’s to slide the ball under an exposed Tony Breeden.

Hednesford were looking assured on the ball and debutant Wellecomme thought he had given his side the lead after rounding Breeden, only to be denied by an offside flag.

Quinn fired another chance over before Lewis spurned a gilt-edged chance for Brakes.

Richard Batchelor set Corbett free and the striker advanced into the box before skewing his shot across goal. Lewis was following in and with the whole goal to aim at, somehow sidefooted his shot into the grateful arms of backtracking keeper Dan Crane.

Lewis had a chance to make amends five minutes later when referee Paul Upton adjudged Decio Gomes to have bundled over Corbett in the box.

But having looked so assured from the spot before Christmas, Lewis produced a tame side-foot effort which Crane grasped at the second attempt.

Crane was by far the busier of the keepers as the half drew to a close, bravely saving from two onrushing attackers after a Liam Daly flick-on and then taking the sting out a Corbett shot, with Liam Francis on hand to complete the clearance.

After a pulsating first half, the second period failed to hit the heights, with play becoming increasingly fractious.

Lewis saw a curling effort clear the bar before being replaced by James Rowe as Paul Holleran looked to seize the initiative.

However, it was Hednesford who were to strike the fatal blow, Wellecomme calmly lobbing the advancing Breeden after the home keeper’s poor clearance had been pounced on by Chris Clements.

As Brakes chased an equaliser, Quinn dragged his shot across goal after a quick break, while at the other end, Rowe saw his deflected volley go just the wrong side of the post with Crane wrong-footed.

With time ticking down, James Husband, Daly and Lee Downes found their way into the referee’s notebook to add to earlier cautions for Marcus Jackson and Batchelor.

Brakes: Tony Breeden, Scott Lycett, Stephan Morley (Alex Taylor, 86), Lee Downes, Jamie Hood, Liam Daly, Marcus Jackson (Michael Tuohy, 86), James Husband, Matt Lewis (James Rowe, 58), Luke Corbett, Richard Batchelor. Subs not used: Craig Wilding, Guy Sanders.

Hednesford Town: Dan Crane, Decio Gomes, Darren Campion, Cheyenne Dunkley, Liam Francis, Jay Denny, Jamey Osbourne (Simon Brown, 36), Chris Clements, Nick Wellecomme, Danny Quinn (Marvin Robinson, 82), Ross Davidson. Subs not used: Louis Keenan, Ben Bailey, Kyle Patterson.