AFC Telford United 0-1 Brackley Town - Report
It never rains but it pours for AFC Telford United currently – and it did again as they went down 1-0 at home to Brackley Town in National League North last night.
The dismissal of left-back Brad Bood in this game, which led ultimately to Wes York’s winning goal, settled as game of few chances and few thrills, writes Rich Worton.
Defeat was compounded by an injury to new signing Montel Gibson, and with manager Paul Carden already having gambled on a double substitution at half-time, the Bucks’ options were limited.
Already low on confidence, the feeling that things just weren’t going their way descended, and they offered little resistance to the inevitable.
Bood was dismissed for two bookable offences, mistimed challenges in either half in areas where there seemed no immediate threat seeing him back in the dressing room with over half an hour still to play.
Visitors Brackley, often an obdurate side but looking more porous than usual, were never likely to relinquish the lead given to them in the 68th minute when York, the spare man in an attack, curled a deft shot over Luke Pilling and into the far corner.
In the first half the Bucks had looked a little more potent than in previous matches, with Gibson giving a good impression on his debut.
A couple of shots from distance were held by Danny Lewis, and Gibson showed good strength, pace and hold-up play.
Luke Pilling made a terrific save to deny Callum Stead just before the half-time break as Brackley gathered some momentum.
However, the teams went in level and with the sense that the game was there for the taking for whichever team managed to fit the pieces together.
Carden brought on Nate Blissett and Byron Moore for the second half, but what looked like a gamble to claim all three points went horribly wrong with Bood’s dismissal. Gibson then pulled up with an injury and the Bucks limped, almost literally, to the finish line.
Jordan Piggott and George Burroughs left the field with facial injuries too, on what was a miserable night for the Bucks – referee Ben Wyatt inexplicably denied Burroughs a chance to resume the game after he required attention, incurring the wrath of the home fans, and there were boos echoing around the New Buck’s Head as they recorded a fifth straight league defeat and a sixth in all competitions.
Telford (4-4-2): Pilling, Burroughs, Bood, Brown, Piggott, Nolan, Ekpolo, Green, Allen (Blissett 45), Chong (Moore 45), Gibson (Evans 66). Subs not used: McLintock, Flowers.
Brackley: Lewis, Carline, Walker, Murombedzi, Cullinana-Liburd, Dean, Matwasa, Richards, Stead, Armson, York. Subs not used: Yusuf, Calder, Putz, Massey, Flanagan. Attendance: 696.
