By Pete Martin – Cover Image by Roger Elliott
After 2 consecutive defeats, Salisbury returned to winning ways, coming out on top in a tight game at home to Bracknell Town. White’s manager Steve Claridge made 2 changes to his starting lineup; Josh Wakefield and Brandon Goodship missed out, with Josh Carmichael and Sam Ashton coming into the team.
In what was a fairly even first 10 minutes of the game both teams had chances to lay down an early marker only to find opposition keepers alert and ready. Firstly, Salisbury’s Charlie Davis tried his luck from distance with Simon Grant able to get across and tip the ball round for a corner before 3 minutes later it was Bracknell’s Ashley Lodge who found space on the edge of the area, but his powerful shot was well saved by Gerard Benfield.
The game’s first goal arrived after 14 minutes and it saw the home side take the lead with a well-worked goal. Good play down the right-hand side involving Devon Arnold and Ben Thomson saw the ball fed through to Sam Ashton and from 15 yards he executed a fine finish with his left foot into the back of the net. Bracknell reacted well to going behind and started to really show what they could do coming forward with some neat passing and swift movement. The equalising goal that arrived on 22 minutes however was not one that the White’s defence will look back fondly on, as a long ball forward was allowed to bounce and some mixed communication between Sam Roberts and Benfield allowed Jordan Esprit the simplest of tasks to tap home into an unguarded net to level the game up.
There was a half chance for Thomson to restore the lead for the Whites but it was the visitors who had much of the play for the rest of the first half. Magnus Abisogun was looking lively for Bracknell and after a good run in from the right, he fired straight at Benfield before the home keeper again had to make 2 good saves around the 40-minute mark. Firstly a crisp passing move from Bracknell ended with Esprit shooting straight at him before a minute later the same player set up Max Herbert whose drilled low effort was excellently turned round the post to ensure the teams went in at half time level.
The start of the second half saw Bracknell continuing to look dangerous and they were unlucky not to take the lead on 49 minutes when Abisogun smashed a shot against the bar after an excellent run in from the right. Just 5 minutes later it was the Whites who grabbed what proved to be the winning goal and it came from captain Darren Mullings. A free kick towards the box was only half cleared by Bracknell and when Roberts returned the ball into the box, Mullings was alert and cleverly hooked the ball over Grant into the back of the net.
Images by Roger Elliott
From then on, despite seeing plenty of the ball, Bracknell were unable to properly test Benfield. The visitors did work a good opening on 58 minutes but Mickel Platt was off target with a shot following a good ball in from the left and despite needing to defend for large periods the Whites could have added to their goal tally on a couple of occasions. On 75 minutes Antonio Diaz got away down the left and after crossing the ball in substitute Seokjae Lee couldn’t connect properly when well placed and 9 minutes later Lee was the man providing the cross but his fellow substitute Dan Fitchett could only head straight at Grant. In between times both Esprit and Shamar Moore put shots wide of the goal and following a final wayward shot from Abisogun the home side were able to see the game out well and collect the 3 points.
Salisbury are back in action this Tuesday 27th September when they travel to bottom of the table Plymouth Parkway for a 7:45 pm kick-off.
Team: Benfield, Davis, Diaz, Gillela(Lee), Roberts, Sutcliffe, Mullings, Arnold, Thomson, Ashton(Fitchett), Carmichael
Unused Subs: Matthews, Goodship
Man of the Match was chosen by Salisbury FC Sponsors, Aquatec. They chose Darren Mullings for his effort and that fantastic winning goal.
