Brackley Town Top of the League

Today , Brackley beat Atherton Town two nil to go top of the league. Brackley started second to Chester on equal 67 points and only goal difference seperating them for the top spot. Scunthorpe always in the top chase had dropped to third.

Above- Brackley Directors and press area

The first 10 mins opened with verosity with Atherton trying to attack and dominate the Brackley end. Brackley were able to withstand the threatening Atherton opening and by the end of the first quarter were pushing the ball more up into the Atherton end. Atherton had brought with them a vocal contingent of away supporters and in the 15th minute, Atherton striker Francis hit the crossbar to almost put them in the lead and justify all the triumphant singing from their fans. By this close of the second quarter the game had settled down to evenly matched play. Both teams play a similar style of football an expected evens stevens match with a low score line was begining to look more likely as half time started to loom over the horizon. In the 28th minute came a goal mouth scramble very close to the Atherton net. In desperation, a Brackley player was brought down in the penalty box, following on from which a strong penalty appeal was quickly denied by the referee. As the 0-0 score line continued to remain, the niggly play started to increase. Brackley were creating more chances in the final five mins of the first half, when a nasty tackle nearly escalated into a fight with the referee and linesmen having to do some talking to calm things down. A near Brackley goal came in the 41st minute with a corner being awarded and a header just going over the Atherton crossbar. In the two mins of extra time a long Brackley throw in led to a corner and more domination and attack of the Atherton goal. When the half time whistle arrived, all Brackley could hope for was that the good closing first half play would continue in the second half and a leading goal would eventually come their way. In the first quarter of the second half Brackley kept the pressure on with a corner kick being awarded in the 55th minute but nothing coming of it. Two subs to Brackley and one to Atherton or the more vocal Atherton away fans failed to break the 0-0 deadlock. With 20 mins to play, Brackley started to get more of the play with an increasing number of attacks on goal and awarding of corner kicks in their favour. In the 73rd minute, what everyone was hoping for, finally came with Marty Lowe making it one nil and chants of ‘say we are top of the league’ opening up from the Brackley home end supporters. ‘ The town are going up’ and the saints go marching in followed from a previously reasonably quiet home end. Atherton to their credit kept fighting right to the bitter end but with one goal down in an evevenly played and same style of football, it was a hard ask. A free Brackley kick was awarded just outside the box which went over to award Brackley a corner which went in to make it two nil with another from Matty Lowe. With the match killed off, Brackley fans erupted into a song of now you are going to believe us, as they looked forward to the 70’s, 80’s and 90s celebration party to be held later in the Brackley FC social club after the match.

Brackley Town supporters celebrate at 70s, 80s, & 90s party after going top of the league after their 2-0 defeat of Atherton Town