New-look Streetwise Brakes Getting Out Of Second Gear

The Brakes were stuck in second gear after losing eight of their first ten league matches back at Step 2 having come up via the Southern League play-offs in May.

What a difference a few months makes. After settling in, they are now up to 16th in the table.

Back-to-back wins over Spennymoor and last week Curzon Ashton may not have banished relegation fears all together, but there’s a growing confidence of a top half finish.

Paul Holleran always knew things would turn. They face Chorley this weekend looking to make it 25 points from 20 games.

“We were a little naive perhaps at the start of the season,” Holleran said in an interview today with the Leamington Observer.

“The quality of the opposition caught us out. Now I’d say we’re a bit more streetwise, we’ve adapted to the league. And that’s proven by our run in October, we’ve had some fantastic results since.”

Leamington are five points above the drop zone - but only four points off the play-offs.

“With the exception of three or four teams, the league is so close – there’s little between all sides,” the manager told the paper.

“Our squad is stronger and players that have come up from last season have adapted.

“It’s a strange one – in September we couldn’t win a game but now we’re a little more clinical with our finishing and tight at the back.

“We’ve changed the squad around so we have a bit more experience.”