Brackley Town 1-1 Mossley AFC   

FA Trophy 2nd Qual Rd 

Report - Tim Carroll. Pictures - Sportzfoto

(Macbeth)

Within hours of the final whistle of this FA Trophy second qualifying round cup tie the streets of Brackley were awash with families and party-goers as the double celebrations of Hallowe’en and Fireworks Night came to town.  For players, officials and supporters of Brackley Town however the ghosts and ghouls had arrived early, as darkness first fell, enveloping St James Park in its velvety softness, as a deserved 1-0 lead was surrendered in the 97th minute to visiting Mossley AFC’s first effort on goal of an entirely one-sided match.  Thoughts of a place in Monday’s draw and a cosy Tuesday evening at home with a choice of Eastenders or Coronation Street were abruptly replaced by the whining sat-nav commanding a tortuous route of 180 miles on M6 and M62 for a midweek replay in Greater Manchester.  Trick or Treat had turned sour for Saints.

Unibond Division One side Mossley from the eastern fringe of the great Manchester metropolis by Ashton-under-Lyne made their first ever appearance against Brackley Town in changed tangerine shirts, set up to defend with at times five across the back, showing limited attacking ambitions, but will have travelled home buoyed by an unlikely draw and relishing a second bite of the cherry on home soil. 

Winters with attempt from distance in first half

Saints created sufficient chances in the first 20 minutes of this game to have won handsomely but a goal-less first half led into a barren third quarter before Ben Mackey’s eighth goal of the season on 68 minutes finally secured the lead, the striker bundling in Tom Winters’ perfect cross as goalkeeper Collinge stayed fatally rooted to his line.

Mackey goes close

Golden chances went begging in a one-sided first half as in the very first minute Winters’ pinpoint cross was met by the flying head of Mark Rawle but his direction erred and the first of numerous opportunities was squandered.  On 3 minutes Ollie Burgess headed over in front of goal as the ball fell to him from a long throw and Rawle’s flick on, on 5 minutes Burgess’ shot was deflected for a corner, after 7 minutes a good run by Rawle brought a further corner, on 8 minutes Mackey’s fine pass found Winters who shot just over, with 10 minutes played Winters’ free-kick was headed wide by Mackey and a minute later left-back Jamie Gould found Rawle who earned another corner.  These attacks all came up the left and it seemed only time before Brackley would find the first goal as Mossley rarely made it from their own half.

Winters just foiled by Collinge in Mossley goal

On the half hour mark a fine move initiated by the hard tackling David Joyce was finished by Joyce himself but his close range header was directed straight at the ‘keeper.  Elliott Sandy’s half volley from the edge of the penalty area was rising as it flew over the bar and two minutes later on 37 minutes a splendid pass inside the full-back by Rawle for Winters needed a last ditch intervention by the alert Collinge to keep the goal tally at nil.  On 43 minutes Sandy found Mackey with a delightful through ball but the flag ruled it out and the only remaining action was an injury to Rawle that saw the striker unable to continue after the interval, replaced by Kearns.

At 0-0 the first headless horseman thundered along the touchline spoiling the spectators’ half-time cuppa as the first spectre of a Tuesday evening re-match took shape in the gathering gloom of the first post-British Summer Time Saturday afternoon.

Mackey puts Saints 1 up

Ollie Burgess’ well struck shot just over on 53 minutes was the first action of the second half and with 64 minutes played it was Burgess who made way for Brady to enter the game in the first substitution of the day.  Mackey’s goal followed and on 70 minutes almost a second as Mackey’s header from another Winters’ cross was just too high.

The game ambled towards its conclusion with Winters’ fierce effort on 43 minutes, following good play by Mackey on the left, the closest Brackley came to a decisive second.  This was the visitors’ moment and throwing men forward suddenly a very first chance of the game opened up as, in the 89th minute, the ball struck a Brackley arm but Mossley’s animated penalty appeals were brushed aside by the game’s excellent referee Sarah Garratt from Halesowen.  A headless horseman was seen to be grinning as he galloped by.

A 90th minute injury to Callum Burgess brought a replacement by young Luke Carnell as added time ticked by.  With seven minutes of injury time played a deep cross from the left caught out the Brackley defenders and fell to recent signing Steve Moore in space and his fine finish, low past Morris’ despairing dive to his right, found the corner of the net to level the score.  Just seconds remained and from the re-start the game was whistled to its conclusion to a dis-believing Brackley Town.

Mossley celebrate a late equaliser

As if from nowhere Mossley’s orange shirts grew glowing mouths, bright noses and shining eyes as if cut from pumpkins on this hallowed eve of All Saints.  Rumour has it in the town centre the rockets, catherine wheels and giant bangers carefully set up for the evening’s pyrotechnics failed to go off and in a puff of smoke just fizzled out.

Look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under it. 

(Lady Macbeth, Scene V)

 

Brackley Town
Morris, C Burgess (Carnell 90), Gould, Joyce, Green, Willmott, O Burgess (Brady 64), Sandy, Rawle (Kearns 45), Mackey, Winters.
Subs unused:  Sweeney, Goode.

Mossley AFC
Collinge, Richardson, Walker, G Kay, Watson, Russell, Goodeve, M Kay, Settle, Brown (Neequaye 74), Moore.
Subs used:  Shaw, Spearitt, Allen, Egan.