Brackley finally sink bottom of the league Needham Market.

After losing Saturday’s match against Hereford, 3-2 away and with the winner coming in the final seconds of the match, Brackley were keen to sink bottom of the league Needham tonight. On paper the match looked easy pickings for Brackley despite the loss, in order to start chasing top of the league Chester. With two games in hand and moving up the table post Christmas to sixth, nothing but a win would be acceptable. Oxford had a similar important match tonight as they faced third from top Burnley.

Below- 20 mins gone and 0-0

If Brackley are serious about kicking Chester off from top then it did not show in the first half. Far from playing with a sense of urgency and trying to get an early lead, the start of the match was disappointingly evenly matched with Brackley slighting edging it with a few corner kicks and shots on goal. However despite being bottom, Needham were far from out of it, creating a few chances of their own and putting up fight to try and stop what looks like inevitable relegation for them. As the first half moved into the third quarter, Brackley tried to turn it on a bit more by forcing more play into the Needham half. Plenty of long passing and movement forwards but few threatening shots on goal. In the 38th min, Brackley forced a goal mouth scramble but failed to make anything of it. Two corners followed, but were inadequately taken going nowhere. In the final five mins, Needham tried to breakdown the Brackley step up in pressure by getting a few counter attacks of their own. In the 43rd, they were awarded a free kick which went in. Instead of being at least one nil up as expected, Brackley were now in the unexpected position of being one nil down as they went into the changing room for half time. All one could hope for is that the Brackley manager would give them a serious talking to and the second half would hopefully bring something better. Things were not going that well either for Oxford who at half time were also one nil down to Burnley.

Two mins into the second half, Brackley redeemed quickly themselves by being awarded a penalty kick which thankfully went kicked from the spot went down the centre to make it 1-1. Attacking into their home end, full of fans the match looked like it finally could start coming alive. A corner kick awarded in the 54th led to cries of red army from the fans behind the goal but it was not enough to give Brackley the urgently required lead. Two mins later, another dangerous shot close to the box went wide in the 56th. The more attacking play helped to turn up the volume of the Brackley supporters also keen to change the fortunes of the game. Another Brackley shot went over the cross bar in the 62nd as the onslaught continued. By the 70th minute, the managerial talking too effect seamed to be wearing off as things returned to evens stevens with Needham making more counter attacks. By the time the match was approaching the final quarter, Brackley were doing more defending than attacking. However, bang on the 75th minute, the Brackley lead finally came as a Matt Lowe shot hit the back of the net causing a roar of delight from the Brackley supporters behind the home goal. With a Brackley lead finally established, they took the much harder contested match than originally thought, 2-1. The three points now move them from 6th to a third play off place in the National North League. Attendance, 552