Hereford 1-0 Brackley Town - Vanarama National League North - Tuesday 7th November 2023

An early goal set Hereford on the way to a home win as Brackley struggled again to convert possession into goal chances.

Yusifu Ceesay’s 5th minute glancing header from a quickly taken free-kick beat Danny Lewis at his left-hand post to give The Bulls an early lead. Saints responded well to the set-back without troubling Curtis Pond in the home goal beyond Danny Newton’s fine run and shot saved well low to his left and George Carline’s shot re-directed by Jimmy Armson while Lewis had to be alert to keep out goal scorer Ceesay from a free-kick late in the half.

Ceesay three times tested the Brackley defence in the second period. Lewis saved well with his legs on 52 minutes with the Hereford striker through on goal keeping Saints in the game. Minutes later he brought another save from the Brackley keeper before his cross was touched onto the post by ex-Brackley centre-forward Adam Rooney on as a substitute.

On 71 minutes Ollie Southern brought Lewis to full stretch to keep the shot out. Only in the dying minutes did Brackley test Pond who pawed away a defender’s header that was looping over the keeper.

The defeat keeps Saints in 7th place heading a pack of ten teams separated by a single point.

Brackley Town: Lewis, Lilly, Carline, Dean, Matwasa, Murombedzi, Bates (O’Sullivan 81), Armson (McHale 59), Calder, Turner (Roberts 70), Newton. Subs unused: Gudger, Lyttle.

Hereford: Pond, Skinner, Livingstone, Ceesay, Cowley (Rooney 65), Pugh, Mendes, Southern, Freemantle (Arthur 86), Cameron, Howkins. Subs unused: Cranston, Tolley, Stanley.

Referee: Neil Pratt

Attendance: 1934