Brackley 'really evolving' ahead of clash with 'huge football club' Southend

The Saints are now unbeaten in four matches in all competitions, having beaten Woking over two games in the FA Cup, drawn with Gateshead despite playing most of the match with 10 men and been held 1-1 by Everton Under-21s in the National League Cup on Tuesday night.

Brackley, who are 15th in the National League, now prepare to travel to a Southend side who currently sit seventh.

And boss Cowan said: "It's the bread and butter and it's a tough fixture.

"They're obviously a huge football club and little, old Brackley are going to go there and put our best foot forward, give the best account of ourselves, which is really important.

"We're confident, we feel good, it was an excellent performance in the circumstances against Gateshead and we probably feel we deserved to win that game with the chances we need to start converting.

"We're really evolving as a group and as a team.

"We're very strong without the ball and we're evolving with the ball, with our relationships and people coming into the team and understanding how we want to play.

"We saw away to Woking, at home to Woking, in the Gateshead game and certainly on Tuesday night, we have a team who are not only very good without the ball but also with it.

"Long may that continue, and hopefully we go into this Southend game, give the best account of ourselves and hopefully go there and get the win."

After a 1-1 draw in normal time, with Danny Waldron netting for Brackley on 79 minutes, Everton Under-21s won the penalty shootout 4-2 at St James Park on Tuesday night.

That meant the Premier League 2 youngsters took the extra point.

But Cowan felt his side deserved more after a dominant performance, in which they led the lead slip two minutes from time.

"It (the National League Cup) is a good initiative," Cowan said.

"A lot of our players have got good minutes and we were totally the dominant force. It was men against boys at times, I felt, but we've not put them away.

"We had a lot of chances and a lot of the ball, we've been very dominant in all areas of play, but we just weren't able to stick it in the net.

"Their keeper pulled off some good saves and then we just got sucker-punched.

"Their goal was two yards offside, but we switched off for a second in the 88th minute and they got the goal.

"The penalties are what they are.

"Loads of my players have got good minutes and they'd rather do that than train.

"It was really competitive but ultimately for the most part, we were the dominant force, and it's probably the most dominant we've been in the three games in this competition.

"We were very comfortable with and without the ball, and the lads' attitude and application was excellent.

"It's a bit of a running theme because we're creating chances and we've just got to put them away.

"If we start putting teams to the sword, we're going to be a force to be reckoned with."