Match Report

REFEREE: Mr Stephen Plane

ATTENDANCE: 1,353

Carl Rodgers had missed the First Leg but he returned today, with Danny Boshell missing out today through injury.

LINE-UPS:

BRACKLEY TOWN (Red) 1. Billy Turley (capt), 2. Gary Mulligan, 3. Curtis McDonald, 4. Eddie Odhiambo, 5. Tom Sharpe, 6. Ryan Austin, 7. Izak Reid 8. Brett Solkhon, 9. Glenn Walker, 10. Jefferson Louis, 11. Tom Winters. Subs: 12. Eddie Nisevic, 14.Owen Story, 15. Steve Diggin, 16. Marvin Robinson, GK. Laurie Walker

ALTRINCHAM s(Aquamarine shirts and socks, grey shorts) 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Shaun DENSMORE (capt), 3. Matt DOUGHTY, 4. Carl RODGERS , 5. Gianluca HAVERN, 6. Scott LEATHER, 7. James LAWRIE, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 9. Duncan WATMORE, 10. Damian REEVES, 11. Nicky CLEE. Subs 12. Danny HALL, 14. Pat LACEY, 15. Jake MOULT, 16. Ryan BROOKE, 18. Tony McMILLAN (gk),

BACKGROUND:

The sides went into this second leg of the BSBN Promotion Play-Off Semi-Final with Altrincham holding a 2-1 advantage. In contrast to the 43 away supporters at Moss Lane for the First Leg, there were several hundred travelling fans from Altrincham at this match. Brackley had decided not to segregate the game and a number of Altrincham stewards were requested to attend by the home side.

In bright sunshine, Alty kicked off defending the away end but immediately gave away a throw-in to Town, without any opponent touching the ball. That set the tone for a disappointing opening to the game for the Robins. The poor start continued moments later when a Havern and Coburn mix-up conceded a corner.

Fortunately, from the corner, Walker shot miles over the bar. The respite was short as Louis got past Leather and drove a well-struck, low shot past Coburn from outside the box (5 mins). Alty responded as Richman won a corner on the left and then gained a freekick when Odhiambo made a late challenge on Lawrie.

But the home side were still more of a threat as a Reid freekick from the left hit the far side of Alty's crossbar (10 mins). Alty had been decidedly second best so far and they were soon defending a freekick awarded against Richman for a foul on Reid on the Town right (14 mins).

However a Watmore cross won the visitors acorner on the right, after which Reeves saw his header cleared. At the other end, a Densmore error allowed Reid to feed Louis but he shot wide (16 mins). Brackley's defence looked solid and had Reeves well chaperoned but in the 20th minute Watmore and Clee combined well, allowing Lawrie a curling shot from the left which was not far off target.

From a Brackley corner, Coburn was fouled but it was the offender, Louis, who had to be treated. Brackley doubled their lead when a cross from the left reached Reid and his shot from right of goal may have been drifting wide but was diverted in, seemingly by an Alty defender. However the tannoy credited the effort to Reid (24 mins).

Brackley now led the tie on aggregate and things did not improve when a Havern foul 40 yards out was followed by his booking.

From an Alty corner on the left, a second followed. But, after this corner, which was taken short, a poor shot by Lawrie went high and wide (29 mins). Next, Richman was fouled 30 yards out following which a Clee effort was cleared.

Big Jefferson Louis caused more problems as he got round Leather and his cross went across the face of Alty's goal, with Mulligan only just failing to reach it for a tap in (31 mins). Brackley were not allowing Alty as much time as they wanted on the ball and so the visitors were harried into mistakes.

As Brackley pressed, Reid won a corner. Then as half time approached, Leather slipped and conceded a freekick on the edge of the box. However, Winters blasted this into the wall (42 mins).

Next, a Leather clearance fell to Austin who shot narrowly wide from 25 yards (43 mins). When Louis now won a corner off Richman, it looked touch and go that Alty would get to the break just a goal behind on aggregate. In added time there was still an opportunity for Brackley to win a freekick but Alty got to the break 0-2 down.

Brackley fully deserved their lead against an Altrincham side which had scarcely troubled Turley in the home goal.

Alty won a corner after a rare Brackley defensive error. From this, a Reeves effort was cleared off the line and then Turley caught the ball well from Rodgers's follow up (47 mins). However, the game's next corner was won by Reid, off Leather, after which Moult came on for Watmore (52 mins).

Immediately, Brackley made it 3-0 as they advanced on their right and the ball was laid off for Walker to hammer home and give his side a 4-2 aggregate lead (53 mins).

After 55 minutes, Clee won a corner, followed by Nisevic replacing Winters for Town (56 mins). When Reeves kicked a ball against Odhiambo, his handball appeal was rejected but Alty won a corner soon afterwards. From this, Havern headed firmly against the Town crossbar, to underline that it ws not to be Alty's day! (62 mins).

After two successive Lawrie shots had been blocked, Nisevic fired over at the other end, following a Leather error. Though Alty were playing better than earlier in the game, they were still not their usual selves.

MIdway through the half each team made a change; Robinson for Mulligan and Lacey for Doughty. An Alty corner led to Havern winning a second but this came to nothing, though Richman went close from it.

After Lacey had been harshly penalised versus Louis, 25 yards out, left of centre, Moult won himself a freekick. A good move from Alty saw Lawrie win another corner off Turley but this was again a disappointment. Next, Louis got past Leather and his low cross had to be spooned over his own bar by Rodgers, who was now in a defensive role.

Though Alty probably won the corner count, as now Richman won another one, they scarcely threatened from most of them. It now took good covering from Clee after Louis got free once more (76 mins). Louis was now taken off for Diggin to be introduced as Alty also made a swap, with Brooke replacing Lawrie (77 mins).

Once more Brackley went close as Alty gave it away again. An Alty freekick from 45 yards out was cleared, then Brooke's header was saved point blank by Turley before the resulting corner was poorly taken by Moult (81 mins). Though Alty were still trying to get forward, they could find no way through as the game went into the final five minutes.

The visitors were fortunate that Robinson failed to convert a great chance, miskicking weakly to Coburn. Richman, probably the pick of Alty's players, was now booked (90 mins). In added time a wild challenge from Lacey saw him cautioned, too (90+3 mins).

There was still time for Reeves to be foiled point blank by Turley but the final whistle soon sounded. Brackley thoroughly seserved their win as Altrincham ended an otherwise successful season on a disappointing note.