Brakes benefit from Bedworth’s early blunders

The visitors named only three players in their squad who had been involved in the Birmingham Senior Cup tie between the two sides three weeks earlier while Paul Holleran was unable to rotate his squad as much as he would have liked due to injuries, making three changes from Saturday’s starting XI.

Leamington showed their intent inside the opening few minutes, Rob Ogleby firing across goal and Will Green having a header pushed away by keeper Liam Richards.

Lee Chilton lifted a shot on to the roof of the net after a spot of ball juggling inside the box but the hosts were given a helping hand in the tenth minute as they moved ahead.

Nathan Haines came mightily close to slicing Richard Taundry’s left-wing corner into his own net and from the follow-up corner the ball was inadvertently stabbed home at the far post by Josh Willis.

The visitors had a big hand in Leamington’s second ten minutes later as well. Richards hesitated as the ball was played back to him on the edge of his penalty area, allowing Ogleby to charge down his clearance, and the ball looped up and rolled apologetically into the net.

Joe Magunda came close to a first goal of the seasonwhen his header was cleared off the line and the busy Green beat Richards to the ball on the edge of the box, but Chilton was just unable to divert it home as he stretched to connect at the far post.

Ogleby laid the ball back for Ross Oulton to drive just over from the edge of the box as Brakes hunted for more goals, before Tony Breeden got his first touch when Lewis Chester fired in a cross-shot from the right.

An early second-half effort for Bedworth flew across goal to safety, while Ogleby had two stabs at goal as Leamington continued to look the more threatening, James Fry eventually connecting with a good effort that saw Richards dive full-length to save.

Ogleby then turned his man on the right and fired in a shot that was going wide but was turned behind by Richards. The striker was far more accurate when presented with another opportunity, however, slotting confidently past Richards after he was played in on the left.

Joe Halsall glanced a close-range header wide from Ogleby’s left-wing cross as Leamington won the ball back almost from the restart.

Breeden was forced into a save down at his near post as Bedworth searched for a reply, then pushed away a deflected shot from Nathan McGarrity.

Halsall struck another effort just over the bar, and a lengthy passing move ended with substitute Ben Mackey threading a pass through for Chilton, who shot across goal and well wide.

Paul Holleran bought on young goalkeeper Eddie Caviezel-Cox for his debut for the final ten minutes or so and he got a good early touch of the ball, coming off his line to snaffle a cross ahead of McGarrity.

Mackey fired a final chance wide after a misjudgment from a Bedworth defender, but Leamington’s progress had long since been sealed to the delight of Holleran.

“It was a difficult night but we played good, open, attractive football,” said Holleran.

“I was pleased with the players who came on who haven’t had a lot of game time like Jamie Tank, Rob Ogleby and Will Green and, considering we had six out, we were still able to put a good side out on the pitch.”

Brakes: Tony Breeden (Eddie Caviezel-Cox, 78), James Fry, Richard Taundry (Jack Edwards, 66), Joe Magunda, Jamie Tank, James Mace, Rob Oulton, Joe Halsall, Will Green (Ben Mackey, 70), Rob Ogleby, Lee Chilton.Subs not used: Jamie Hood, Reece Mitchell.

Bedworth United: Liam Richards, Chris Tullin , Nathan Haines, Brennan King, Richard Bryan, Josh Willis, Lewis Chester, Elliot Parrot, Nathan McGarrity, Justin Marsden, Richard Wesley. Substitutes: Janabi Amour, Brad Hardwick, Denham Hinds , Andrew Westwood.

Attendance: 161

Man of the Match: Rob Ogleby