A bonus game this evening as the first attempt to play this match had been called off due to a waterlogged pitch with 3 minutes left to play and Salisbury leading 3.2. With the Whites still in the title race, the three points for a win were essential as Truro had a 5 point lead with 2 games to go at the start of play. Brackley had been one of the early season favourites for the title but had a poor start to the campaign and were mid-table, out of reach of the playoffs despite a good run of form. I was expecting a big crowd but it didn't materialise and the attendance was given as 565.
Neither team were able to create a clear chance in the first 20 minutes, Salisbury had a weak header saved from a corner while Brackley saw a freekick sail over the bar. Turley had to be alert on a couple of occasions to cut out some dangerous passes while Dutton earnt a yellow card for a poor tackle on halfway after giving the ball away. In the 21st minute McLaggon took the ball towards the left wing and played a great pass behind the defence, the space allowing Fitchett to burst forward and put a low cross into the middle for Wright to bundle past the keeper.
Despite having a 1.0 lead, Salisbury weren't allowed to settle and Brackley had a couple of decent chances, earning a corner in the 28th minute that saw more dancing round the keeper than a handbag at a disco. This ploy didn't work but a cross in the 30th minute almost did. The ball looked to be going well wide before it dipped and creeped towards the back post. The Salisbury keeper could only watch as the ball fell the wrong side of the post. In the 37th minute McLaggon picked up the ball from a poor Brackley pass in the middle of the pitch and raced forward. His pace was too much for the defence and he soon placed a shot past the keeper. The ball was heading just wide but Fitchett caught up with the ball and tapped it in, only to see the goal disallowed for offside. This decision didn't go down well with the home fans.
Brackley were starting to stretch the play and the ball was spending much of the time in the Salisbury half. In the 40th minute the ever dangerous Owen Story took the ball on the edge of the area, dummied a defender before hitting a shot low into the left of the goal. A deserved equaliser that meant the half time score was 1.1
The first response from Salisbury in the second half was to put Stuart Anderson into midfield, replacing Charlie Knight. The second was a golden opportunity for McLaggon who was unmarked when he glanced a header towards goal but his effort flew wide. Wright had the next chance, taking the ball in on goal but putting his shot wide. That didn't matter as the assistant had his flag up for offside but that seemed to be a strange decision as he had run from behind a defender to pick up the ball.
The play was all Salisbury now, the referee ignoring shouts of 'handball' from the crowd when a penalty should have been awarded. McLaggon then played a superb through ball for Wright but he didn't have enough time to control the ball as the defence got back, leading to a tame shot at the keeper. The roles were reversed a minute later as Wright headed the ball down to McLaggon who took the ball round a defender before hitting a fierce shot across the goal and in.
Brackley made a double substitution shortly afterwards, including ex Oxford United striker Steve Basham as they tried to get back into the game. Wright saw his long shot curve past the post but that was a rare opportunity as the Whites failed to keep possession. There were certainly some nerves on the terraces until the 87th minute when Mclaggon was played in again by a Wright header. He took a great first touch to bring the ball under control before hitting his shot across the keeper and in. An important 3.1 victory to move the Whites back into second place, 2 points behind Truro.
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