Brakes miss out on chance to boost goal difference

Brakes picked up another three points from Saturday’s early kick-off to maintain their promotion push. However, despite joining fifth-placed Chesham on 68 points, they remain outside the play-off positions on goal difference.

And, should they miss out by a similarly agonising margin come the end of the season, they may view this game as a missed opportunity.

The victory was sewn up by the 33rd minute thanks to an own goal from Andy Williams and a coolly taken Jamie Sheldon strike.

Morgan Williams halved the deficit in injury time to provide a few anxious moments for Paul Holleran if not for Tony Breeden.

But in truth, the struggling visitors offered little, with Neil Barnfield providing the only telling through ball for the Railwaymen. The midfielder’s misplaced pass gave Dave Lawrence a run on goal, but the Didcot striker failed to take advantage, putting his shot tamely wide.

Brakes had got off to their usual rip-roaring start despite the early kick-off and a rout looked on the cards.

Luke Corbett was restored to the starting line-up due to an injury to James Rowe and took less than a minute to get the first shot away. A slight deflection took the ball away for a corner which resulted in Jamie Hood’s header being gratefully pouched by Sam Warrell.

Four minutes later, the home side opened the scoring. A quick breakaway involving Jacob Blyth, Nick Stanley and Corbett saw the ball worked to Sheldon on the right wing. The youngster delivered the ball into the box and Michael Alexis and Andy Williams contrived to force it past the helpless Warrell.

Stanley had a fierce drive beaten away by Warrell, with Sheldon fizzing the half-clearance over the bar, while Blyth headed a Stephan Morley cross wide.

Sheldon then produced a fine volleyed cross which Barnfield ghosted in to head just past the post.

Sheldon was enjoying a fine opening 45 minutes and got his reward with Brakes’ second.

Warrell failed to claim a Morley cross under pressure from Blyth and Sheldon kept his composure to drive home the loose ball.

Didcot emerged with more purpose after the break and Breeden had to produce saves from Lawrence and Osbourne-Ricketts.

In between, Corbett’s shot was blocked after substitute Alex Taylor’s challenge had seen Warrell produced another fumble. Passes to Barnfield or Sheldon would surely have produce a third goal for the home side and the supporting midfielders were quick to let Corbett know about his errant decision-making.

Richard Batchelor put a 45-yard effort wide after Warrell had raced out of his box to deny Chris Knight, with Knight again denied by the legs of the keeper after being played through by Batchelor’s astute ball.

In the third minute of added time, Williams produced a goal out of nothing, firing in a ferocious half-volley from the angle of the box which left Breeden motionless.

Batchelor could have restored Brakes’ two-goal advantage in the final minute, but fired into the side netting.

It did not matter on the day, but how costly it proves to be come April 25 remains to be seen.

Brakes: Tony Breeden, Scott Lycett, Stephan Morley, Lee Downes, Liam Daly, Jamie Hood, Jamie Sheldon (Richard Batchelor, 74), Neil Barnfield, Jacob Blyth (Alex Taylor, 46), Luke Corbett (Chris Knight, 83), Nick Stanley. Subs not used: Michael Tuohy, Tom Cross.

Didcot Town: Sam Warrell, Andy Gunn (Josh Huggins, 13), Jamie Vincent, Michael Alexis (Jordan Tabor, 80), Andrew Williams, Alex Stanley, Jamie Heapy, Trevor Mutero, Jason Castello (Morgan Williams, 65), Dave Lawrence, Elliot Osbourne-Ricketts.