Brackley Begin Battle to stay up

Brackley faced tenth placed Tamworth at home. A loss today stood to sink then into

the relegation zone, so today’s match was the mother of all battles. With only a draw and four losses since the departure of their manager, Brackley began their battle to stay up campaign.

Above- Tamworth in pre-match warm up

Brackley begin battle to stay up campaign

The first ten minutes were uneventful with Brackley being able to prevent any early attacking play from Tamworth. By the end of the first quarter, the match was equally balenced with no shots on goal either end. In the 16th min, Tamworth got their first corner but it was easily picked up by the Brackley keeper. A second corner on the opposite side, got the same result. The sun started to shine more on the day of the start of british summer time, it was just a shame that the same could not be said of Brackley's play as it continued to be mundane as the match moved towards the end of the second quarter. Tamworth squuezed out a third corner in the 28th and this time the ball had to be punched away by the Brackley keeper. Tamworth started to look the more intimidating side in the final quarter of the first half as more play drifted into the Brackley end. Brackley desperately needed three points to avoid looming relegation. To summarise their play first half play, lacked any sense of real urgency which was worrying. Perhaps a good talking to by the new manger would change things for the second half?

More going on, off the pitch than on. Above- ‘ Gunpowder milkshake’ entertain halft-time in the Brackley FC clubhouse

Seven mins into the second half, Brackley their first and best shot on goal . Quickly followed by another dangerous run in to the Tamworth box. Brackley were getting most of the play first quarter, and were starting to look more alive. But could they in the second quarter convert one of their opportunities into a goal? Every time a chance came, the final shot at goal was disappointingly weak, not of the calibre of the earlier season side. Adding to Brackley’s woes was Tamworth also stepping up a gear, second quarter. Neither side was happy to settle for one point a piece and more fouling and shirt pulling started as the tension and competition increased. The stalemate was finally broken in the 64 th min when a Tamworth stiker was brought down in the Brackley box and a penalty awarded which Tamworth gulped up to make it 0-1.

Above- Tamworth celebrate after converting a 1-0 penalty kick in the 64th minute.

The final quarter of the match was a battle royale as panic set in and Brackley started to woke up more to what was unfolding in front of their eyes. In the 72nd, Brackley got a close header on goal but it was sent wide. Brackley contimnued to battle until the final whistle but it was unfortunately all to no avail. With a 0-1 loss, Brackley dropped from 5th to 4th from bottom. THey are now in the relgation zone and three points adrift from Eastliegh, one place above.