Brackley shockingly knock Rochdale From top.

With their first win at home and a loss midweek away to Yeovil town, Brackley have got off to a reasonable start to the 25/26 season. The big test today will be Rochdale who have won all of their first three matches and are top of the National League. Rochdale got relegated from League two in 2023. MkFC take note, and with a promising start are looking for a win today against newly promoted Brackley Town. If Brackley want to pull off a miracle this season and make it to League two in their first season straight after promotion then a win today could prove that even miracles are impossible.

Strong contingent of Rochdale away supporters

Brackley home end more full following promotion to the National League for the 25/26 season.

Rochdale kick started the match wearing sky blue with a drummer and vocal set of fans behind them. The first five mins were a bit slow and inactive with neither side getting a serious shot at goal. Rochdale started to get more domination and runs out at their opposing half, reflective of their starting higher position in the league. But it was far from convincing, as Brackley looked quite settled and unruffled in the first ten mins of the match. In the 11 th min, Dale were awarded a free kick half way into the Brackley half. However nothing came of it as Dale kept turning the screw and nearly took advantage of a clumsy, Brackley defender back pass in the 12th min. Then in the 13th min a miracle genie came out of the bottle following a run into the Dale box and long shot from

defender, Ryan Haynes which hit the back of the net putting Brackley one nil up. The shock opening Brackley goal then opened up a whole can of worms for Dale, as the pendulum swung friend towards Brackley as they created more chances and got some more shots on goal. By the 20th min, it looked like Dale were on the retreat. With the one nil early lead Brackley fans started to taunt the Rochdale fans with an inferiority chant of ‘ you are just a bus stop in Oldham’. By the 25th min , Rochdale were responding with a bit more attacking play on the pitch which carried on into the final quarter of the first half. Despite the step up in Dale pressure, Brackley defended well and were able to keep threats of a pfirst half equaliser at bay. The closest moment came in the 33rd min when a potential Brackley foul in the penalty box was denied by the referee. In the 35th minute, Dale were awarded another free kick half way in the Brackley half. When taken the ball went nicely over the Brackley defender wall and was easily tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper. When

the half time whistle went, Brackley continued to look collected and unruffled by Dale’s play. As the Dale side walked off the pitch they looked less from calm and more shell shocked with Brackley having managed to get a one nil lead.

A shell shocked, Rochdale, exit St James Park to the changing room one nil down at the end of the first half.

As expected, at the start of the second half, Dale came out fighting and with more zeal with some running attacks on goal and counter attacks from Brackley. However by the 52nd min, Dale finally got what they were looking for. Another clumsy Brackley defender back pass, this time got punished , making it 1-1. A panicky defender foul led to a dangerous Dale free kick

Brackley defence start to look more rattled second half following Dale equaliser

just outside the Brackley box which when taken, missed and prevented Dale getting a 2-1 lead in the 55th min. In the 58th came another serious shock to the system when a dangerous Brackley counter attack resulted in Brackley being awarded a penalty. The penalty kick was saved but a dangerous hovering key Brackley striker, Connor Hall managed to get his boot to the rebounding ball coming off the goalkeeper’s save, giving Brackley the lead again with a new 2-1 shoreline. In order to win the match Brackley needed to step up its defending performance a notch and not make any mistakes at the back as Rochdale sought to get back in the match. The only firm of defence is attack and in the 66th min, Brackley started to step up the counter attack pressure. A frustrated Rochdale, in consequence statrted to step up the fouling as they attacked and defended. Frustrated Dale had led to the Brackley penalty, surely they were not going to try and keep it in check to avoid further disaster? In the 69th, Brackley wisely took off Connor Hall and put on more defenders in attempt to prevent injury and preserve the 2-1 lead. In the 73rd, a Brackley defender made a spectacular header defence shot out of the goal mouth. Rochdale may have started the match top of the league but their attacking was quite ordinary this match. Brackley was able to capitalise by stepping up their defending in the second half in which a one off lapse had resulted in Dale managing to put one back in. Fortunately for Brackley they were able to keep calm and collective for most of the match and demonstrate to rest of the national league that they are a force to be recognised with this season, despite only just having obtained promotion. Attendance 1138.