Late Daly Header Keeps Brakes Top

In the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division on Saturday, top-of-the-table Leamington edged a seven-goal....

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Published 16th September 2012

Liam Daly

....thriller at the New Windmill against Arlesey Town to stay a point clear.

The Brakes were ahead after 7 minutes through Tom Berwick, only for Chris Dillon to equalise 10 minutes later.

Drew Roberts` spot-kick then put the visitors in front 10 minutes after that, but Liam Daly pulled the hosts back on terms 2 minutes later, only for Roberts to repeat his expertise from twelve yards to make it 3-2 to Arlesey after 54 minutes.

But Joe Magunda levelled, again from the spot, with 9 minutes to go and then in a frantic finale Daly headed home the Brakes` winner with less than 5 minutes remaining.

Hemel Hempstead Town maintained second spot when a 34th minute goal from Charlie Mpi gave them a 1-0 victory at the Wessex Stadium against Weymouth.

Stourbridge maintained their good away form with a solitary 80th minute strike from Luke Benbow settling a tight game.

Benbow, who came on as a substitute for Chris Knight late in the first half, capitalised on a wayward back pass to round Martin Bennett in the home goal before sliding the ball into the empty net.

Stourbridge had to withstand late pressure from Hitchin Town, but held on for their third away win of the season to climb to third in the table, three points behind leaders Leamington.

Barwell scored five times in the first 34 minutes to wrap up the points with a resounding 5-0 victory at out-of-sorts Bashley.

Luke Barlone scored twice, with Richard Lavery, Matt West and Steve Towers from the spot adding singles.

Troubled Kettering Town slipped to their second defeat of the season as they were beaten 2-1 at Clarence Park by St Albans City.

The Poppies fell behind in a fairly even first half to Lewis Toomey’s goal, although there were other chances for both teams in the remainder of the period.

But St Albans doubled their lead 10 minutes into the second half as Toomey struck again.

Ben Gerring had an effort ruled out and that resulted in him and Warren Byerley being booked for their protests.

But Kettering did pull a goal back when Ed Palmer scored from Jamie Griffiths’ pull-back.

However, they were unable to find an equaliser.

Chesham United slipped to sixth when Gosport Borough inflicted a 3-0 home defeat on them with all the goals coming in the second half from Justin Bennett with two and Callum Woodward.

AFC Totton`s Dave Allen brought St Neots Town`s five-match league and cup unbeaten run to an abrupt end when he scored two goals in a 12-minutes spell at the start of the second half after the visitors had trailed at the break.

Beaten in last season’s play-offs Totton have disappointed so far this season but they really put their game together in the second half to shock their hosts who lost their rhythm and confidence.

At the start of the second half St Neots were out thought by their visitors whose tactics to counter St Neots attacking substitutions paid dividends with a well-constructed third goal from Jonathan Davies that clinched the points.

The one bright point for St Neots was the defensive debut of their latest signing Gavin Hoyte who was rock in defence with Arthur Lee moved to full back in place of Declan Rogers.

Cambridge City were undone by two goals in the first half against Frome Town as their recent run of good results came to an end.

City had the best of the first half but found themselves behind in the 27th minute when Matt Smith got on the end of a breakaway to slide home.

City were level within 2 minutes when Craig Hammond headed home following good work from Mitchell Bryant. However, despite hitting the post and seeing a number of last-ditch clearances by the visitors, City fell behind when Darren Jefferies curled the ball home following a goalmouth scramble.

With Frome content to sit back and defend, City found it tough going in the second half but went close in the closing stages when Hammond and Dave Theobald both saw headers go just wide.

Luke Keen netted a fine first-half goal to earn Bedworth United their first away win.

His 34th minute far post header to finish off a superb move proved enough to beat Bedford Town in the first meeting between the teams since the 1981/82 season.

Bedford played with ten-men for the whole of the second half after striker Nick Beasant was sent-off just before half-time.

Beasant lashed out at Greenbacks midfielder Loyiso Recci near the half-way line shortly after he had a goal ruled out for offside.

The Greenbacks squandered a host of second-half chances but still took three precious points to lift them to seventeenth place in the table.

A headed goal from Jack Ashton with just over a quarter of an hour to go proved enough to give Banbury United their first win of the season at the Spencer Stadium and thus ending a win-less sequence of fifteen games against Chippenham Town stretching back to March 2007.

Bideford moved out of the bottom two, winning 3-2 against Redditch United.

All the goals came in the second half at the Sports Ground with Sean Downing, Matt Andrew and Ian Sampson on target for the Robins and Connor Deards and Mark Danks for the Reds.

[Source: SW]