A below-par performance on a blustery Good Friday with 1pm early kick-off at The Tiger Turf Stadium yielded a precious point as Saints saved the day with an 89th-minute equaliser to dent Gloucester City’s hopes of avoiding the drop.

“It was a difficult game,” Gavin Cowan said. “Thankfully we managed to nick one at the end. There was no rhythm in the game and it was all very stop-start. It wasn’t the best showing for us today but it is another point on the board we with four games to go.”

Brackley could have been ahead inside the opening minute as Dan Turner shot narrowly wide but it was Gloucester who struck first taking the lead in the fifth minute as Harry Pinchard worked the chance well and found the bottom corner past Danny Lewis.

Gloucester could have gone in at the break further ahead with only Lewis thwarting three goal-bound efforts while Danny Newton went close for the visitors.

If the home side deserved their half-tie lead, Saints enjoyed the better of the second half, Morgan Roberts bringing a good save from young loan keeper Jake Dennis and then Newton heading over before Brackley finally found themselves level late on as George Carline headed in from Tommy O’Sullivan’s free-kick to rescue a point.

“It was an even game of few chances and the wind made it tough to judge,” Cowan added. “But we know we need to be better, there are no excuses and we need to get back to doing the things we do well.”

Brackley Town: Lewis, Dean, Lilly, Carline, Calder, Murombedzi, Bates (O’Sullivan 67), Roberts, Lyttle (Hall 73), Turner (Cross 62), Newton. Subs unused: Gudger, Armson.

Gloucester City: Dennis, McGory (Durrell 68), Mbayo, Duffus, Reckford, Smile, Hanks, Pinchard, Rowe, Smalley (Brain 70), Robinson (Wright 77). Subs unused: Thompson, Creed.

Referee: Tommy Breen Assistants: Lewis Smith and Lucas Bowles

Attendance: 934

PIC: By Josh Nesden