Zero Points For Passes

Brackley Town 2-1 Rochdale (National League)

Brackley Town were promoted to the National League last season. They were the best team in a league that contained 'big spending' Scunthorpe United and 'Phil Brown's' Kidderminster Harriers. And after 13 years of playing in the National North, have made it to level five of the football pyramid for the first time in their history.

The 2018 FA Trophy winners were formed in 1890 but only during this millennium have they forged a serious climb up the higher echelons of the non-league ladder, and this afternoon they take on a team who were once famous for having the longest spell in the Football League's lowest tier. From 1921 to 2010, Rochdale were mainstay staples of English footballs 'fourth' professional division. But after a couple of promotions, they have suffered a couple more relegations, and since 2023 have been in the National League, fighting to return to where they believe they should rightfully be in the sport of football’s domestic food chain.

And in fairness, Rochdale are one of the favourites this time around to gain promotion back to the football league. They have won all their three games so far and sit top of the division, they have signed the likes of Emmanuel Dieseruvwe and Anthony Gomez-Mancini from Hartlepool, Levi Amantchi on loan from Walsall and Casey Pettit from Maidenhead amongst others.

Brackley have also bolstered their title winning squad under Gavin Cowan. In come goalkeeper Cameron Gregory from Boston United (who switched clubs because he wanted to stay part-time after the Pilgrims decided to go all in), Ryan Haynes from Cheltenham Town bringing Football League experience, Kyle Morrison and Zak Brown from last season's title rivals Kidderminster, and a few more extra pieces to give much needed depth during their season bid for survival and stability in the division.

I'm out the door for midday and down the M1 heading south to junction 15A and the Northampton Services turn off, signposted A43, Brackley, Silverstone, this part of the world is very much Motorsport hub.

So much so, as I pull up the Oxford Road towards the ground, I see two people walking to their offices in Mercedes-AMG Petronas t-shirts. A huge new facility is being built on the outskirts of town where the F1 team are already based.

The Venue

I'm early enough to get a spot on Churchill Way. The residential road leading to St James Park is often full of cars parked in avoidance to pay a few quid in the club car park. I'm surprised nobody has got their cones out, it must be annoying for any weekend visitors on matchday.

As I walk through the gates the ticket office directly in front, is in a red Portakabin and serving us today is an American, from New Jersey, who tells me “Britain is full of miserable people who all attempt to look happy, whilst America is full of happy people all preferring to appear miserable” before wishing me to "have a nice day".

I’m directed to the turnstile, and my bag is searched for alcohol, pyro and narcotics of which I have none, a quick scan of my pass and I’m at the corner of the ground, where the away fans are segregated, before walking through a gate where a steward lets me through, to continue my walk to the press area.

The ground, which I last visited two years ago, is quaint, closed in, a beautiful pitch in pristine condition, the stands small but the walkways wide, as water sprays the green surface an hour ahead of kick off, I’m walking towards the press seats behind the clear plastic partition on half way to be told there’s no room at the inn, so instead I’m asked to sit in front, three or four rows up, where the view is good and close to the playing surface.

I’m joined by a scout I know from Leicester who’s been watching tennis matches all summer, next to our seats is a table looking out to the pitch which sells cold drinks out of a cool box, with crisps, chocolate and sweets on offer, I ask for a can of coke and a kit-kat but they only have Dr Pepper left, which is served in a plastic glass with a couple of cubes of ice.

The Game

There’s quite a crowd squashed into this compact arena as Rochdale, in changed all jade strip start with early possession domination against their red and white striped hosts. The home team comfortable in letting their visitors have much of the ball, as they often keep it for the sake of keeping it, a clear and obvious instruction it seems, from their Manager James McNulty.

It feels like a low intensity defence v attack drill in training, 3-5-2 v 4-5-1 as Rochdale defenders Tutonda, Hogan & Moss pass it left to right, before Pettit and Burger in central midfield pick it up often coming deep, and when there’s no forward ball on, they’ll start all over again.

A free kick leads to the first attempt at goal, Griffiths blazing over, before a rare counter from Brackley wins themselves a free kick in shooting range. Thirty yards from goal, the ginger haired Ryan Haynes standing over the ball, steps up and curls home a beauty left footed past the fully stretched Myles. One fan in front says “That’s how you do it Griffiths” followed by a few expletives which I won’t repeat.

You feel it’s a goal the game needs, but Rochdale continue to keep ball, in an uneventful first half, as Brackley, now ever more content, contain their rivals to tapping it side by side largely on halfway bar the odd shot off target from range.

The Score

At half time, annoyed by his side’s performance, McNulty brings not one, but two substitutes onto the field of play, and that at least forces Rochdale into a more progressive forward-thinking nature, as the second 45 really hots up into quite the game.

Within seven minutes, Rochdale are level to delayed cheers behind the goal as McBride stabs home a chance which looks like it should have been dealt with by Brackley defenders, and that suddenly opens up the game into a frenzy, end to end with tackles flying in, big centre half Gareth Dean is booked for a cruncher outside his own box, Price carded for an outburst, the resulting free kick whiskers wide and at the other end all hell breaks loose when goalkeeper Myles races out to narrow down the angle, he flicks the heels of Brackley number ten Roberts as he enters the box and not only receives a yellow, but concedes a penalty which has the home support up in jubilation.

Connor Hall stepping up, to see his shot saved by the former Manchester United U21 keeper Myles before smashing home the rebound to regain Brackley’s lead.

And that’s how it stays. The game resorts to defence verses attack but Brackley are content again to sit and watch Rochdale pass pass pass, they defend their box exceptionally and limit chances to their opponents who do clip the cross bar from a snap shot by Dieseruvwe but other than some late pressure and sending the goalkeeper up for a last minute corner flurry, the hands of Cameron Gregory are hardly warn at all, and Brackley deserve their win, which is a popular ending for the loud and happy home support.

The Stars

Despite being on the end of a defeat, Rochdale had a lot of the ball and you can see in a lot of their players, they do look to have the minerals to be mixing it top end come what May. I really liked Jake Burger in midfield who often got it on the half turn and drove, only 20 years old he tried to make things happen for his team with progressive nature, he has talent too. Next to him, was Casey Pettit, only 22, a recent signing from Maidenhead who sat slightly deeper, but he has a good football brain and is lovely on the ball.

In attack, experienced forward Ian Henderson didn’t really get great service before being replaced at half time, the best threat perhaps down the left where Tarryn Allarakhia liked often to cut in, but on loan Walsall striker Levi Amantchi was a big powerful handful. I do think with Manny Dieseruvwe and Toby Adebayo-Rowling on the bench however, that Rochdale missed a trick, by not having their best footballers on the field of play, from the off, to give them best chance of winning.

For Brackley, I was really impressed with how they worked as a team, and how well drilled they were defensively, I already liked Cameron Gregory from his days at Boston United, in between the sticks, but in the back four, Tyler Lyttle at right back kept the tricky Allarakhia largely at bay, Gareth Dean and Kyle Morrison got stuck in from centre half as only they know how to, and Ryan Haynes at left back not only scored a great goal, he was also a threat when in possession.

In midfield, the leggy Zak Brown looks a savvy acquisition from Kidderminster, Morgan Roberts looked busy at the top end in that ten role, and in depth, the manager brought on Bailey Hobson, Danny Waldron, Scott Pollock, useful footballers that will certainly do a job at this level when asked.

The Verdict

Brackley were probably one of those tipped to struggle following promotion, but I think they’ll do alright, whilst Rochdale, may have slipped up on this occasion, at a tough venue where many others will struggle also. I expect them to pick up and be at the forefront of the title race, eventually, they probably won’t have it all their own way as the likes of Forest Green and Southend will also be at the heavy end of the National League table, but they should have the tools to certainly mix it with the best on a consistent level, they'll certainly at least, pass most opponents off the park, the next stage for the Dale I suppose is scoring the all important goal, when they are clearly on top.

The Teams

Brackley Town: Cameron Gregory, Tyler Lyttle, Gareth Dean, Kyle Morrison, Ryan Haynes, Zak Brown, Zak Lilly, Jack Price (Bailey Hobson 68), Morgan Roberts, Matt Lowe (Danny Waldron 80), Connor Hall (Scott Pollock 68).

Rochdale: Tom Myles, Dan Moss, Liam Hogan, David Tutonda (Sam Beckwith 46), Tarryn Allarakhia, Casey Pettit, Connor McBride (Harvey Gilmour 64), Jake Burger, Jack Griffiths (Toby Adebayo-Rowling 65), Levi Amantchi (Emmanuel Dieseruvwe 65), Ian Henderson (Anthony Gomez-Mancini 46).

3:00pm Kick Off. Saturday 23rd August 2025, St James Park, Brackley (att 1,136).