Brackley Town 2-0 Warrington Town - Vanarama National League North - Saturday 2nd Sept 2023

Brackley won a pulsating game as Danny Newton struck two second-half goals amidst a host of chances to both sides to condemn Warrington to a third successive defeat and extend the only unbeaten start in the division taking Saints top in the early season standings.

“It was a carbon copy of the Southport game but we managed to convert a couple of the chances so I am really pleased with my players,” Gavin Cowan said. “This wasn’t an easy one to plan for and it was a tough test for us. Teams don’t come here and lie down for us. There is a real togetherness there from the whole squad.”

Both sides spurned first half chances, Zak Lilly’s looping header onto the crossbar coming the closest. The second half was breathless and end to end. In the opening minutes Newton got away from three defenders but Daniel Atherton saved well before Connor Woods’ header struck the crossbar for The Wire and Danny Lewis in Brackley’s goal had to save with his legs from Mottley-Henry.

But it was Newton who made the break-through on 54 minutes. Newton’s header from Riccardo Calder’s cross was saved on the goal-line by Atherton, the rebound falling in the path of Newton who joyfully blasted the ball into the net from close range.

Warrington responded well with Isaac Buckley-Ricketts’ effort just wide before Brackley doubled the lead on 85 minutes. Fine work by Cosmas Matwasa found Calder whose neat cross was headed past Atherton by the rampant Newton for his fifth goal of the season.

The visitors went close in added time, Calder hooking the ball away with Lewis beaten and Saints’ keeper scooping the ball off the line in a last gasp action.

“We are still a new team and we are still developing and are not at our best yet but in terms of the mentality the lads deserve all of the credit,” Cowan continued. “We rose to the test and were patient and professional and I was really pleased with that.”

Brackley Town: Lewis; Lilly, Dean (Matwasa 23), Carline; Calder, Murombedzi, O’Sullivan, Armson (Bates 71), Lyttle; Newton, Turner (Roberts 78). Subs unused: Crawford, McHale.

Warrington Town: Atherton; Clarke, Duggan, Hannigan; Walker (Buckley-Ricketts 65), White (Pettifer 86), Williams, Dixon; Grivosti (Bennett 71); Woods, Mottley-Henry. Subs unused: Goudie, Smalley.

Referee: D Jones. Assistants: Abdul Kadir and Thomas Green

Attendance: 609
PIC by Pete Keen