Hednesford lose to only goal at Brackley

The home side secured their Conference North survival late on in the second period – condemning the Pitmen to their sixth defeat in their last eight games.

Brackley had the first chance of the game when defender Stuart Pierpoint headed over the bar in the second minute.

This spurred the visitors into life and five minutes later Jamey Osborne saw a low shot saved from 25 yards. Hednesford continued to probe forward at every attempt.

James Hurst saw a low driven effort saved by the goalkeeper in the 17th minute before the home side's David Moyo had half a chance only to drag his effort wide from the edge of the box.

The Pitmen should really have gone ahead in the 33rd minute, when striker Nick Rushton got clear but he saw his shot blocked and Lloyd Kerry couldn't turn the ball home from the edge of the box.

Right on the stroke of half-time the visitors had another half-chance but Glenn Walker headed over the bar at the back post.

Eight minutes into the second half, Pierpoint almost opened the scoring only for Hednesford goalkeeper Dan Crane to make a wonderful save to turn the ball behind.

Although the intensity from the Pitmen wasn't quite the same in the second period, Osborne saw another low driven shot turned around the post for a corner after driving forward from the halfway line.

Brackley's forward movements eventually paid dividends with 14 minutes to go.

Substitute striker Ryan Rowe managed to find half a yard inside the Hednesford box and he drilled the ball home from 15 yards to give his side the lead.

With three minutes to go Hednesford's afternoon went from bad to worse with Richard Batchelor being forced off with a rib injury, leaving the team with 10 men for the final few moments of the campaign.