Bracknell Town 2 – 1 Binfield FC

FAMILY AFFAIR AS ROBINS DESPATCH MOLES

- Match sponsored by Inchcape Ford in Bracknell (please visit them and say thanks!)
- Tom and Sam Barratt score to beat Moles at Larges Lane.
- Crowd is the biggest of the Hellenic League clubs in FA Cup action
- Robins will face either Shrivenham or Kidlington on 25th August at Larges Lane

Every player deserves plaudits for their performance as BRACKNELL TOWN knocked neighbours Binfield out of the FA Cup with Budweiser but it was the Barratt brothers – Sam and Tom – who stole the headlines.

Trailing to a first half goal, Sam equalised with a great strike from distance before his cross allowed older brother Tom to score to winner and send the majority of the bumper crowd of 374 at the new look Larges Lane home very happy.

FA Cup attendance at Larges Lane the highest in the Hellenic League

Having been relegated to Uhlsport Hellenic League Division One East, this fixture was not on the agenda but the magic of the cup allowed the Robins to test themselves against a proven and successful Moles side and they came up trumps with a committed and strong second half showing. Credit must go to Binfield for their gracious manner in defeat.

The match was actually low on chances but the early efforts fell to the hosts with Reece Jacques twice firing straight at Dan Weait.

The always lively Ian Davies had a shot which Danny Oliphant could only clear onto the post and Dexter Burt gratefully clung onto the ball on the goal-line.

With Bracknell just about getting on top – after a strong fifteen minute spell from the Moles – disaster struck with a calamitous goal in the 31st minute. Burt took an extra touch under pressure from Davies and his attempted clearance cannoned off the striker and into the path of James Suarez who made no mistake from close range.

Callum Whitty should have doubled the advantage but sent his free header from a corner over the crossbar and the visitors led by a solitary goal at half time.

Half Time: Bracknell Town 0 – 1 Binfield

Whatever words of wisdom Steve Nebbett and Oliphant imparted onto the players during the interval certainly had the desired effect as the second half belonged to the Robins.

Oliphant was also leading on the pitch and beat Ryan Millward to Lewis Brown’s wicked delivery but he couldn’t find the target with his header.

With 51 minutes on the clock, Sam Barratt drew his side level. Travelling at pace and forcing Binfield onto the back foot, he unleashed a low drive from almost 25 yards out which found the bottom left hand corner with Weait a fraction slow to react giving himself no chance of preventing the goal.

Seconds later and the Larges Lane side had a loud penalty appeal waved away as Gary Callaway appeared to be holding Jacques shirt.

The decisive goal was worthy of winning any match. Following a good team move, Liam Alleyne sent the ball out wide to the younger Barratt and his whipped cross was met by brother Tom who turned the ball into the near post on 75 minutes.

Young Seb Bowerman was bought on for the visitors and although his trickery posed some problems, Burt was not really troubled in the remaining fifteen minutes or the six minutes of added stoppage time as Bracknell held on for a famous win.

At the final whistle, the players celebrated with the magnificent crowd and even the bucket of water dunked over manager Nebbett’s head could not dampen any of the celebrations.

Kidlington and Shrivenham drew two all, so Bracknell will host the winners of the replay at Larges Lane on Saturday 25th August in the next round of the cup.

Attention now turns to next Saturday when Rayners Lane visit ‘the Lane’ in a match which sees two of Division One East’s fancied teams face off against each other.

Match sponsored by Inchcape Ford in Bracknell (please visit them and say thanks!)

Full Time: Bracknell Town 2 – 1 Binfield

Bracknell Town: Dexter Burt, Taylor Elliott-Money, Lewis Brown (Jamie Clarke 68), Matt James, Danny Oliphant, James Roake, Eddie Gray, Tom Barratt, Reece Jacques, Liam Alleyne, Sam Barratt.

Subs not used: Shane Cooper-Clark, Tony Kallides, Wayne Carter, Jamie Musgrove, Tom Nugent, Dan Tillson.

Photo’s courtesy of Ben Temple at www.hartmiddleton.co.uk

Tagged Binfield FC, FA Cup, Larges Lane, Sam Barratt, Tom Barratt