AGONY FOR JOHNSON AS BRACKLEY GRAB GLORY
RogeR JohNSoN was part of the Birmingham City side in 2011 who stunned Arsenal to win the League Cup final at Wembley.
The 35-year-old’s latest visit to the national stadium was memorable for very different reasons after the Bromley defender’s unfortunate own goal with just seconds remaining led to Brackley Town lifting the FA Trophy.
National League Bromley were on the verge of popping open the champagne after omar Bugiel’s first-half strike, but their moment of glory was whisked away in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
After Matt Lowe’s shot hit the post, Brackley captain gareth Dean was first to follow up and the ball ricocheted in off Johnson to force extra time.
We went all the way to penalties, where Bugiel’s day went swiftly downhill. With a chance to win it for Bromley, he scooped his spot-kick over, giving Brackley a chance to take it into sudden death.
There, after Bromley’s Jack holland hit the post, it was left to Andy Brown to convert and seal the greatest achievement of National League North Brackley’s 128-year existence.
It was a nice moment for manager Kevin Wilkin, unceremoniously sacked by Wrexham the day after they were stunned by North Ferriby in the 2015 Trophy final. he said: ‘The players never wanted to throw the towel in. My biggest worry was that they wouldn’t give a fair account of themselves but they kept going, a part-time club.
‘In the shootout, we were needing snookers to come through but lady luck was shining down on us.’
Bromley boss Neil Smith said: ‘I’m upset for the players because until the 94th minute they had done everything right. They showed character to stay in it and then it was snatched away again in the penalties.’