Scarborough Athletic impress despite 2-0 defeat at high-flying Brackley Town
Third-placed Brackley scored late in each half to secure a 2-0 win against a battling Boro side that created the better chances in the first half, but faded after the break, although the outcome was still in the balance until shortly before the final whistle.
The hosts has been second best for much of the opening half, but defended well, and finally opened the scoring on the stroke of the interval, to end Boro’s run of 503 minutes (8 hours, 23 minutes) without conceding, then wrapped up the points deep into stoppage time in the second half, writes Steve Adamson.
Luca Colville returned after his quad injury, but Alex Wiles rested a knock, as Boro began brightly.
Richie Bennett crossed towards Dom Tear in the box, but the impressive Zak Lilly headed clear, and Harry Green curled a 30-yard free-kick inches past the left-hand post.
In Brackley’s first attack, Connor Hall charged forward, but Ryan Whitley saved with his legs at the near post.
On 19 minutes a superb passing move involving Green and Tear ended with Alex Brown unleashing a fierce drive that was tipped over by keeper Jonny Maxted, then Colville fired into the chest of Maxted.
Will Thornton tackled Scott Pollock as he raced into the box, before Boro went close on 28 minutes.
A Green shot was blocked by George Carline, Maxted did well to save as Green struck the rebound, and the ball dropped to Colville who fired narrowly over.
Steve Walker and Green then combined to send Weledji racing forward, but Lilly’s strong tackle cleared the danger, and a clever flick from the excellent Colville found Tear, but Gareth Dean hacked clear.
For the hosts, Pollock cut into the area, but Mackenzie Maltby tackled, before they opened the scoring against the run of play, when a Pollock corner was headed goalwards by Matt Lowe, and Hall lashed into the net from close range.
A thigh injury forced in-form skipper Thornton off at half-time, with Alex Purver taking the armband, and Boro never really got going in a scrappy second half, with neither side testing the opposing keeper, although Whitley dealt confidently with a series of crosses into his area.
There was a five minute delay when ref Matt Jackson collapsed after a collision with Purver.
Brackley were marginally the better side at this stage, a Pollock corner was headed just over by Carline, and Tyler Lyttle played a one-two with Danny Newton, but his shot was blocked by Maltby, then Lowe headed into the area with Weledji diving to head clear.
Sam Reed impressed when coming on from the bench as Boro searched for a leveller.
Brown rampaged down the left and passed into the goalmouth, but Maxted palmed the ball to safety, and Purver, laid off to Colville, whose shot was blocked by Lilly.
Late on, Lewis Maloney drilled a shot wide and Jack Waldron fed Weledji, whose ball across the goalmouth was scrambled clear by Lilly.
Brackley defended stoutly, but were gifted a second goal right at the death, when Maloney’s header back to Whitley was intercepted by Miracle Okafor, who rolled the ball into the empty net to wrap up the points.
BRACKLEY - Maxted, Carline, Lowe (Abbey 90), Pollock (O’Sullivan 74), Dean (c), Lilly, Lyttle, Bates, Newton (Donawa 85), Hall (Okafor 71), Byrne, unused sub - Calder.
BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Brown, Maltby, Thornton (c) (Waldron 46), Purver, Green (Duckworth 62), Tear (Maloney 75), Bennett (Mulhern 75), Walker (Reed 62), Colville.
REFEREE - Matt Jackson.
GOALS - Connor Hall 45, Miracle Okafor 90 + 4.
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BRACKLEY 7 (3 on target) BORO 9 (3 on target).
CORNERS - BRACKLEY 6 BORO 3.
OFFSIDES - BRACKLEY 5 BORO 2.
YELLOW CARDS - Alfie Bates, George Carline (Brackley).
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Brown.
ATTENDANCE - 871 (76 away).