Brakes March to encouraging win - The Leamington Observer

Brakes March to encouraging win

Leamington Editorial 24th Jul, 2019   0

JOSH March struck a hat-trick on his return to Lye Meadow, as Leamington claimed a stunning 4-1 victory over Alvechurch.

The result handed the Brakes a second win of pre-season, with a trialist also getting on the scoresheet in Worcestershire.

With Paul Holleran absent, Martyn Naylor and Tom James took over first-team affairs for the fixture, and were left delighted by the desire of their side to find an early lead.

After a few half-chances, Leamington had the lead that their pressure had warranted, following a corner kick that was planted perfectly onto the head of March – who made no mistake in diverting the ball into the net.




Alvechurch’s Kyle Morrison was not willing to make life easy for the Brakes, and levelled when scrambling the ball home past Tony Breeden.

An injury to Reece King handed an opportunity to trialist B to try and catch the eye of Naylor and James on the touchline.


Leamington responded well following the stoppage and the equaliser, playing free-flowing football, but were almost behind when David Roberts gained possession and went one-on-one with Breeden – only to send his shot wildly off target.

The scores were level going into the break, though a Jack Edwards header almost changed that moments into the restart when diverting wide.

A breakaway by the visitors then brought a second go-ahead goal of the game, as March stayed alert in the box to slide Connor Gudger’s low cross into the corner.

Alvechurch went back on the ascendancy but failed to level despite two clear-cut chances for John Atherton, who sent his shot from three yards out onto the bar and over for the first, before heading the second too close to Breeden.

Atherton and his side were made to rue the missed chances when, with eight minutes remaining, Leamington embarked on a blistering counter attack to put the game beyond reach for the hosts.

Trialist B gave up possession when tackled by the Alvechurch keeper, but the ball dropped perfectly for March to dink the ball over three defenders and the backtracking keeper into the corner and seal his hat-trick in emphatic fashion.

Then, minutes later, Trialist B made the impact he had been hoping for when firing the ball into the net from just inside the penalty area to seal victory.

Leamington’s original fixture with Racing Club Warwick on Tuesday night was cancelled, meaning Saturday’s encounter with a West Bromwich Albion XI (3pm) will be their final warm-up before their National League North campaign gets underway at Kidderminster on Saturday August 3.

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