LEAMINGTON boss Paul Holleran was left disappointed with his side’s second-half performance after the Brakes slipped to a late home defeat against Mickleover.
Oliver Greaves’ 83rd minute goal proved decisive with Leamington unable to find an equaliser against the table toppers at the Your Co-Op Community Stadium.
And Brakes boss Holleran insists his side must improve after dropping to 17th in the Southern League Premier Central table.
Holleran said: “We didn’t get going at all in the second half, all over the pitch we were way off it, Mickleover ran out comfortable and deserved winners in the end.
“It’s really disappointing for us, we’ve got to find a way to do better, we were too stretched and had no quality on the ball.
“It’s not lack of effort, just quality and mental ability, you have to be mentally strong when you play teams like Mickleover which we did in the first half, it’s a tough one to take.
“It was a good competitive game in the first half, they’re a difficult team to play against, we had two or three really good opportunities.”
Leamington more than matched their opponents in the first half as Adam Walker’s cross-shot and Tyrone Barnett’s half volley forced Mickleover goalkeeper Oliver Bosworth into a couple of saves.
And the Brakes went close again soon after as Jack Edwards saw a header go over the bar before Barnett’s powerful volley whistled past the post.
Holleran’s men came desperately close to an opener just before half time with Callum Stewart unable to force the ball home from close range as Mickleover managed to clear with defenders on the line.
After the break, Mickleover forward Stuart Beavon lifted an effort onto the roof of the net before Andrew Dales hit the crossbar.
And the pressure eventually told with seven minutes left to play, as Greaves helped the ball in from Beavon’s touch across the box.
Despite seven minutes of injury time, the home side struggled to test the Mickleover goal with the Brakes winless since the opening day of the season.
Leamington are next in action away at St Ives Town on Saturday, August 26 with kick-off at 3pm at Westwood Road.
