Play-off dreams
COUNTY slipped to a second home league defeat in a row, and a third successive match without victory against bogey side Brackley Town, in a disappointing 1-0 reverse for The Hatters at Edgeley Park on Saturday.
After enjoying near dominance against Kevin Wilkin’s promotion-chasing Saints, leading scorer Aaron Williams poached the winner with just ninety seconds on the clock to all-but end The Hatters’ faltering play-off hopes.
On a sodden surface at Edgeley Park, which also led to the postponement of Tuesday’s clash with Boston United, County boss Jim Gannon made four changes from the starting line-up for the FA Trophy replay at Brackley four days earlier. Loan defender Jamie Stott returned, having been ineligible for the Trophy ties, while Michael Clarke, Rhys Turner and captain Harry Winter were all recalled within a 4-3-1-2 formation.
Chris Smalley was ruled out with a back problem, while substitutes Stephen O’Halloran, Darren Stephenson and Gary Stopforth were the players to make way. The returning Paul Turnbull, who had made a return to County during the week from Chester, also appeared on the bench to mark the beginning of his fourth spell as a Hatter.
Due to a combination of match postponements and both sides involvement in the FA Trophy as of late, the two clubs have faced off no fewer than three times in succession and four times for the season – with Saturday’s defeat meaning The Hatters’ have failed to defeat Wilkin’s in-form side on each occasion.
But, knowing that realistically nothing but a win would be enough to maintain unlikely hopes of a play-off push, County started strongly on the afternoon and went close early on through Matty Warburton and the longrange strike of Jimmy Ball after a lung-bursting run from one half to the other.
As well as near-complete control in possession throughout the affair, the hosts also racked up an astonishing fourteen corners on the day against a visiting side who seemed content to play on the back foot. Despite controlling much of the opening half, County’s first attempt on target didn’t come until the 50th minute – and the visitors actually came closest to taking the lead before the interval.
After a first half of the season which boasted twenty goals for leading marksman Jason Oswell and fifteen for attacking midfielder Warburton, the goals – and general attacking prowess – has dried up in recent weeks for Gannon’s men, coinciding with a largely inconsistent 2018 thus far.
By contrast, thirdplaced Brackley demonstrated yet again a killer instinct, failing to create many clearcut chances for the duration of this National League North tie before stealing the three points at the death.
Wilkin’s men look set for a play-off spot at the conclusion of the season, with County trailing far behind in 12th spot – and Williams’ last-gasp winner sparked a mass exodus of home supporters inside Edgeley Park, with the County faithful facing the realisation of a likely sixth campaign in the sixth tier of English football.
The gap remains just five points to the play-off positions, but with a number of sides holding games in hand over The Hatters, and a run-in for County which includes trips to rivals Blyth Spartans, Chorley and Kidderminster, a late charge for the final play-off berth seems improbable for Gannon’s side.
The hosts toiled after the