Bracknell Town edge closer to Isthmian League play offs with big win

Bobby Wilkinson. Photo: Neil Graham / ngsportsphotography.com
Bobby Wilkinson. Photo: Neil Graham / ngsportsphotography.com

Enter your email address to receive regular Berkshire football updates in your inbox

With Bracknell Town having had their recent away fixtures postponed they had not played a match since they had beaten Staines Town so they were well rested where-as Harlow had narrowly lost to Chalfont St Peter in their recent match.

The Robins got off to great start in this BetVictor South Central Division match as a Seb Bowerman low cross was met well by Scott Rees, but somehow Arthur Janata pulled off an amazing point-blank save to keep the ball out.

However with the next attack Rees became provider intelligently heading the ball into the box where Nathan Minhas swiveled and fired the ball past Janata to make it 1-0 on the 5th minute!

The home side created several more half chances as Max Herbert’s free kick was flicked in by Bowerman, Joy Mukena was inches away from Mickel Platt’s header back across goal, and Herbert hit a shot through a crowd of players into Janata’s welcoming hands.

The Hawks had a great chance when they broke away with Alex Read beating Jason Matthews with his shot, but as the ball headed over the line Christian Adu-Gyamfi got a toe to it meaning that it was ruled out because he was in an offside position.

[adsanity id=46128 align=alignnone /]

Berkshire Football Awards supported by PlaySport.

Jason Matthews. Photo: Neil Graham / ngsportsphotography.com

The Robins doubled their lead on the 19th minute when Bowerman floated a cross over to the far post where it landed in front of Dan Bayliss, and he had plenty of time to blast it home … 2 -0.

Bracknell kept up the pressure with Herbert’s free kick going across the face of goal and Mukena was inches away from making contact with it.

On the 33rd minute a short corner routine ended up with Herbert crossing the ball into the area and this time Mukena did get his head on it to make 3-0!

Read and Freddie Moncur combined to get the ball into The Robins penalty area, but none of their teammates were there to capitalise on it.

Related: All the weekends full time scores are here

Another short corner saw Bayliss heading Herbert’s cross against the post.

The final meaningful action of the half was a well worked free kick routine on the 41st minute instigated by Bowerman who played the ball to Michael Atkinson, and somehow even from his prostrate position he managed to get a boot on it to see it squeeze in at the right hand post evading all the players in the area to bring the score at half time to 4-0.

Half time: Bracknell Town 4-0 Harlow Town

Bracknell came out with the same intensity Bowerman’s far post cross was just too high for Herbert to direct goalwards, Bowerman broke into the box and looked to beat Janata at the near post, but the keeper was aware, and another run to the byeline Bowerman saw his pull back reach Minhas, but he was just off balance and was unable to control it.

The Hawks made a couple of substitutions and they started to show more promise breaking up play in the middle of the park leading to Read getting the ball to Adu-Gyamfi in the area, but the he couldn’t control the ball and the chance was lost.

Nebay Haile. Photo: Neil Graham / ngsportsphotography.com

Mind you on the 59th minute a simplistic route one kick from Janata saw Adu-Gyamfi benefit from some defensive hesitancy to get a goal back for The Hawks at 4-1.

Sub Jeremi Sivi broke into the box and won a corner kick, which ended with Chris Bourne sent over the far post.

Platt had a couple of half chances with Janata tipping the first one over, and the second one coming back off the post before he was substituted.

Both sides were cancelling each other out now, but Bourne took a free kick which was headed clear, a Moncur corner kick was flicked out by his own teammate for a goal kick.

Subs Louis Soares crossed into the box, but there was nobody there to get onto it, and Nebay Haile hit a shot over the bar.

Finally though with literally the last kick of the game the tireless Bowerman got the byeline again, and pulled the ball back where Haile and Soares competed to get to the ball and I’d say the combination of it bouncing off them both contributed to it ricocheting past Janata with the former taking the credit to end the match 5-1.

Full time: Bracknell Town 5-1 Harlow Town

Although initially the crowd looked a little sparse it swelled up to 319 spectators who saw The Robins gain another healthy win at Larges Lane this afternoon.

I know that if Luca had been there he would have said that Seb Bowerman was the Man of the Match this week, and even though he wasn’t with me I certainly come to the same conclusion.

March is going to be a huge month for Bracknell they head into three away matches now against Hanwell Town on Tuesday 10th March, Waltham Abbey Saturday 14th March and Marlow Tuesday 17th March plus another three critical fixtures as they look to make the push into the play off places in the BetVictor South Central Division.

Bracknell Town: Matthews, Carr, Genovesi, Mukena, Bayliss, Rees, Herbert (Capt) (Holness 70 mins), Atkinson, Minhas (Haile 54 mins), Platt (Soares 67 mins) & Bowerman. Unused Subs: Jonas & Musoke.

Harlow Town: Janata, Chandler, Bourne (Capt), Kissi (Sivi), Odogwu-Atkinson, Goncalvez-Da-Cruz, Moncur, Simms, Read, Elsom (Doherty) & Adu-Gyamfi. Unused Subs: Campbell & Collis.

All the weekends results are here. The forthcoming midweek fixtures are here.

Football in Berkshire has a Breaking News WhatsApp Channel where we’ll send you updates on all the latest football news from the Royal County. You can join Breaking Berkshire Football News by clicking here

Upcoming fixtures

Thursday 28th March 2024

Slough Town FC Ladies19:45Tilehurst Panthers Women

Friday 29th March 2024

Show all fixtures

Subscribe to the newsletter

Enter your email address to receive regular Berkshire football updates in your inbox

Leave a Reply

Search Football in Berkshire
FIB-Badgetransparent-dud.png