Holders Saints standing firm

BRACKLEY’S dream of retaining the FA Trophy lives on after a comfortable win against National League North rivals Hereford at Edgar Street.

Shane Byrne’s penalty and strikes from Lee Ndlovu and Shaun Jeffers put the Saints firmly in control before the Bulls netted an injury-time consolsation through Josh Gowling’s late header.

“We’re delighted,” said Town boss Kevin Wilkin.“We knew that this was going to be a tough place to come and Hereford have been on a good run.

“But we gave ourselves the chance to manage the game by taking the opportunities when they came along and it was a terrific win.”

Hereford came close to a dream start when Kyle Finn’s dipping 25-yarder clipped the top of the bar after just two minutes.

But, shortly after Matt Yates in the Hereford goal had saved well from Ndlovu, Brackley were gifted the opening goal – Bulls skipper Jordan Cullinane-Liburd leaping in with a challenge on the edge of the area to concede a penalty and Byrne blasted the resulting spotkick past Yates.

Yatesmade another fine stop on 24 minutes to deny Adam Walker but Brackley throught they have doubled the lead just before the break but referee Richard Hulme blew for half-time a split- second before the ball entered the net.

However, the visitors did not have long to wait to extend their lead with Ndlovu bundling in a right-wing cross within 90 seconds of the start of the second period.

And Jeffers was given far too much time and space on 65 minutes as he turned to fire a fine shot past Yates.

Gowling’s stoppagetime header from a Tom Owen-Evans corner was little consolation for Hereford.

“They wanted it more than us and they took their chances when they had them,” admitted Hereford head coach Marc Richards.

“I’m very disappointed with the performance.”

STAR MAN: Gareth Dean (Brackley) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★