Burnham 2 Bracknell Town FC 5: Robins advance despite fightback

TJ Bohane for Bracknell Town FC. Photo: Neil Graham.
TJ Bohane for Bracknell Town FC. Photo: Neil Graham.

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Bracknell Town held off a spirited Burnham come back in the second half to advance into the second round of the Bluefin Sports Hellenic Challenge Cup.

Victory was largely comfortable although there will have been a few nervous seconds after the home side rallied from four goals down with a six minute double as the Robins failed to defend set pieces.

The first goal on eight minutes was a very nice team move with Seb Bowerman finding Joe Grant and his whipped ball was dummied by Adam Cornell for TJ Bohane rifled home from fifteen yards.

Bracknell Town's Seb Bowerman. Photo: Neil Graham.
Bracknell Town’s Seb Bowerman. Photo: Neil Graham.

Two minutes later and Cornell should have doubled the lead with a free header which went wide right before Grant could only pick out goalkeeper Sam Jacobs.

Grant did score in the nineteenth minute as he met Alex Rodrigues flicked ball from Carl Withers corner.

Bowerman – starting his first match of the season – was causing all sorts of problems and he dribbled between three players and drilled the ball in from fourteen yards and Burnham were in all sorts of trouble with twenty minutes of the half left to play.

However, the game slowed down with the visitors comfortable and nothing of any note happened until stoppage time when Bowerman shot at Jacobs.

Half Time: Burnham 0 – 3 Bracknell Town

The home side would have been pleased to only be three goals down at the break but any hopes they had of getting back into the match looked gone two minutes after the restart when Kensley Maloney coolly beat the offside trap to slot home.

However, the Blues kept plugging away and pulled a goal back on fifty minutes when Daniel Watkiss curled a free-kick around the wall and beyond goalkeeper Chris Grace.

Bracknell Town's Joe Grant. Photo: Neil Graham.
Bracknell Town’s Joe Grant. Photo: Neil Graham.

Five minutes later and Burnham scored their second goal in a match – for only the second time this campaign – as the Robins twice failed to clear their lines and Dan Wilson gratefully prodded the ball home from close range.

Mark Tallentire’s men resumed focus to ensure the hosts would not score a third and indeed extended the lead for a three goal cushion in the 74th minute. Johnny Gray sent over a left sided cross which Grant headed in and the goal stood despite a load offside appeal.

A case of job done at the final whistle for Bracknell who progress into the next round in what was a largely comfortable match despite a couple of nervous moments.

Next Friday night (9th) sees them make the journey to face Hook Norton in the FA Vase.

Full Time: Burnham 2 – 5 Bracknell Town

Burnham: Jacobs, Sheraz, Clack, Allan, Wilson, Carr, Roduah, Blake (Bampton 58), Watkiss (M Hristov 90+3), Janko, Cripps (Deakin 75). Subs not used: Daka, H Hristov.

Bracknell Town: Grace, Smith, Gray, Withers (Short 75), Rodrigues (Rushe 79), C Davies, Grant, Maloney, Cornell, Bohane, Bowerman (Senussi 68). Subs not used: Wing, Whitty.

Main image: TJ Bohane by Neil Graham.

Watch the fifth Bracknell Town goal at Burnham..

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