Three goals in five minutes won this opening game of the new season for Saints at Evesham United.
In a first half dominated by Brackley Danny Spencer headed the opener unchallenged from Tom Winters’ free kick on 36 minutes before a brace from last season’s top scorer Ben Mackey finished the job on 38 and 40 minutes. Mackey’s first came after good play by man of the match Mark Rawle combining with Jamie Kearns who pulled the ball back for Mackey to finish with a fine effort. His second was a scrappy affair as Rawle’s close range effort was only half saved by stand-in keeper Joe Perry to allow Mackey to tap home. Evesham grabbed a consolation goal from captain Steve Lutz on 75 minutes but rarely threatened Saints’ three points.
The game brought debuts for goalkeeper Richard Morris, signed from Leamington, and new centre back pairing of Craig McIlwain and Chris Willmott who were outstanding. Richard Groves (loan from Oxford Utd) and Jamie Gould (former Kettering Town midfielder) made their first appearances from the bench.
This was a fine all-round team performance delivering a deserved win against an Evesham side fielding a weakened back four and lacking ambition but who nevertheless provided a tough test on day one.