Friday, May 18th, 2012
Brackley Town (Away)
The REDS headed down the M40, to take on John Brady’s big spending Brackley Town.
With two new signings starting for the visitors in Jamie Grimes (Loan from Telford) and Suleiman Leluu (Unattached) lining up in a 4 4 2 formation, could the REDS produce their first win in eight games?
Dean Coleman also returned in goal, having been sidelined for a couple of weeks with a calf strain.
It was the REDS who acquitted themselves very well in the opening stages, with the two debutants, looking very comfortable in all they did. Most of the play in the first half took place between the two eighteen yard boxes, with very little in the way of goalmouth action. The home side only showed glimpses of their attacking prowess, with the REDS enjoying the lion’s share of possession, but unable to produce that final ball in their attacking third to threaten the Brackley goal. In what summed up the first half, Cameron Jones found himself 1v1 out on the left wing, but unable to produce a telling cross, it was the home side that broke on the counter attack to good effect.
Following a scramble in the REDS box, the ball fell kindly to Story,who stroked the ball home on 38 minutes to give Brackley the lead.
Second Half
The second half brought about two changes with injuries to both Connor Deards and Suleiman Leluu,
Aaron Moses Garvey replaced Deards on the right and Josh McKenzie replacing Leluu at Centre forward. A bright start from the REDS saw Moses Garvey heavily involved out on the right wing, but he was unable to deliver the quality of cross that the visitors so badly needed. The home team yet again capitalised on the REDS lack of quality in forward areas, to increase their lead on 51 minutes.
A deep in-swinging corner from Brackley’s left wing, saw Robinson out jumped at the far post, with Diggin the sharpest to react to put the ball past Coleman, and double Brackley’s lead.
The best chance for the REDS came when Joe Harris put over his volley from 12 yards following a good cross from Moses Garvey, and then in the dying seconds Richards rose the highest to head Jones cross from the left wing. Without a real cutting edge in the final third, it was difficult to see how the Reds could have taken any points from the game, despite neat approach play and a solid defensive display; it was never going to be enough against a well drilled Brackley side.
