Brackley Town secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Rochdale in a keenly contested National League match at St. James Park. Referee Isaac Searle oversaw a spirited game where both sides demonstrated attacking ambition.
Ryan Haynes put Brackley Town ahead in the 14th minute, giving the Saints a 1-0 lead that they maintained until half-time. Rochdale, managed by Jimmy McNulty, responded with renewed energy after the interval.
Tactical changes at half-time, which saw Anthony Mancini and Sam Beckwith introduced, provided Rochdale with fresh attacking impetus. Their efforts paid off in the 52nd minute when Connor McBride, assisted by Mancini, equalised.
Brackley responded quickly, with Connor Hall restoring their lead in the 60th minute.
The second half became increasingly fraught, resulting in a number of cautions. Brackley Town’s Jack Price and Gareth Dean were shown yellow cards, as were Rochdale’s Tom Myles, Anthony Mancini, Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, and Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, who had recently been brought on as a substitute. Zak Brown also received a late booking for Brackley.
Both managers made substitutions to try and influence the outcome. Rochdale introduced Harvey Gilmour, Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, and Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, while Brackley Town brought on Scott Pollock, Bailey Hobson, and Danny Waldron, aiming to strengthen their lead and inject fresh legs into the team.
The match ended with Brackley Town claiming all three points.
The result lifts Brackley Town to eighth in the table with six points from three games. Rochdale, despite the defeat, remain in a strong fourth position with nine points from four matches, although their previously perfect record has been broken.