1-0 win but no Truro City Turnover for Brackley Town.

Tuesday night, Brackley will be looking for an easy win over bottom of the league Turo City in order to keep their consolidation dreams alive of staying up/ doing well in their first season in the national league, just one step away from League Two. The match comes with some uncertainty surrounding the sacking of Ensleigh manager two days ago. Rumours are rife that Ensleigh are going to approach and tout for Brackley’s manager, Gavin Cowan. Should

Brackley face Truro City amongst speculation that Gavin Cowan might go to Endsleigh FC

the rumour become a reality, it would more than likely prove a disaster for Brackley Town who deserve their promotion considerably due to his input. Whatever Brackley can do to keep him at the club they must do. If money is the carrot then up his wages so that he stays. The club needs to do whatever it takes. Surely loyalty must count for something?

With the controversy set aside, Brackley started the match with a fairly uneventful first ten minutes. Truro came out containing them creating some early dominant play which left you wondering as if to why they were at the bottom of the league. Brackley earnt an early corner and a shot at goal which were all weak and unthreatening. Were the managerial change rumours having an effect on tonight’s play or were Brackley getting off to just another slow start? By the end of the first quarter the early stale mate was finally broken when Brackley managed to achieve a more decisive run at goal which resulted in Connor Hall hitting the back of the net with a shot from inside the Turo penalty box. With a reasonable early one nil lead it no longer appeared that any nerves had set in at Brackley concerning the change of management rumours.

Brackley go up one nil at the end of the first quarter of the first half

Truro refused to say die and held Brackley for the second quarter. In the 32nd minute, Truro managed to swirl a long ball from over the right hand side corner which connected and would have gone in had it not been for an excellent save by Brackley’s keeper. Brackley needed more goals but did not want to take too many risks which could have lost them their lead. Towards the end of the first half, it looked like Brackley just wanted to hold onto it and go for a more serious extension of the lead in the second. Truro keep putting the pressure on right on til the half time whistle. When it finally went, Brackley dare one say it, looked relieved.

Like tomorrow is another day. The second half is another part of the match, which should have resulted in Brackley extending their lead. The fans had fallen silent at the start of the second half and so had the quality and urgency of the play. Truro were playing into the Brackley home end which didn’t make matters any clearer. In the 52nd minute, Connor Hall was taken off showing that Brackley were going to play the second half like they had the second; safe.

In the 57th minute, Brackley pushed the ball and their players deep into the Truro penalty area and with an exchange of attacking and defending shots looked like they were finally trying to come close to scoring. In the 60th min, a Brackley run down the left side looked like going somewhere but the wet evening slippery pitch soon put an end to things. By the second quarter of the second half, Brackley were stepping up the pressure and getting a bit more of the ball. However, play was slowed down by some threatening dangerous Turo counter attacks on the break. Truro kept hunting for the equaliser while Brackley the 2-0 killer lead which was competitively interesting to watch paradoxically demonstrated by a silent stadium. In the 70th min, Brackley broke through again only to deliver a mediocre shot on goal. Truro responded with a very dangerous counter attack which went right to the opposite end only to be stopped by a off side blow up from the referee whistle. Looking at the form of both sides Brackley supporters were witnessing a lot less than they were expecting. As the final quarter arrived, a possible Turo slaughter looked unlikely as they continued to put up a good fight and on occasions looked liked they could equalise rather than be slaughtered. The second half ended like the first, Brackley players relieved that they had managed to hold onto their one nil lead, as the referee finally blew the full time whistle.