CONFIDENT VALLEY SEAL IMPRESSIVE BRACKLEY WIN

Rugby Town put in their best pre-season display to date to overcome Evo-Stik League Southern Premier side Brackley Town at Butlin Road.

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Southern League Premier Brackley sent a strong team for Tuesday’s fixture, with a number of ex-professionals and experienced non-league campaigners in their line-up.

It was Valley however that took the early initiative, with Haycock shooting over from a tight angle after good build-up play from Hamilton and the impressive JJ Cole.

Brackley’s Tom Winters missed a sitter midway through the half though, when he headed over from close range.
However the home side bossed the second half against increasingly ragged opposition.

Three minutes after the interval, Richard Wesley gave them the lead from the penalty spot after Carl Palmer had handled Ben Steane’s cross into the box.

Shortly after, Haycock’s dangerous ball across the face of the goal was just headed clear, before Town’s stand-in keeper Dan James was down well to deny Franny Green’s effort at the other.

Rugby’s second came on 75 minutes when Tyrone Fagan blasted home off the upright after Dominic Reece’s cross from the left, and then Wesley prodded wide from a good position.

Wesley did round the scoring off late on though – once more from the spot – after the referee had spotted a push in the back of Haycock.

Valley Line-up: James; Moran, Reece, Preston, Gourlay; Steane, Wesley, Cole, Civzelis; Haycock, Hamilton. Subs used: Fagan, Evans, Wilson, Khan, Goodbody.