Dean delighted as Brackley Town display all-round game to secure big win at Gateshead
Gareth Dean hailed his Brackley Town players after they stretched their unbeaten run in the Enterprise National League to eight matches with a 2-1 win at rock-bottom Gateshead on Saturday.
The interim boss felt his Saints team shone in all aspects of the game, turning on the attacking style to open up a 2-0 first-half lead in the north east before digging deep to hold on and secure a precious win after the break.
The victory ended a run of four straight draws, and was Brackley's first three-point haul since they saw off Yeovil Town 2-1 at St James Park on January 17.
The win lifts them up to 14th in the National League table, and takes them seven points clear of the relegation zone ahead of a massive home clash with play-off chasing Southend United on Saturday.
Brackley enjoyed a great start to Saturday's clash at Gateshead and eased into a 2-0 lead inside 28 minutes thanks to goals from Zak Brown and Kian Harratt.
They looked to be on course for a big win, but the home side pulled one back through Mark Beck on 79 minutes, and it was then all hands to the pump for the closing stages as Gateshead pushed to call a halt to a run of 12 league defeats on the spin.
But the Saints held on to secure the win, and Dean told @BrackleyTownFC: "I said to the boys after the game that there are different ways to win football matches.
"In the first half I think we showed athleticism, energy, legs, quality, and then in the second half I think we showed the opposite side of it in terms of that grit and that willingness to want to win, which some teams don't have.
"I think to defend our box like we did towards the end, they were outstanding to a man.
"They were tracking runners, stopping crosses, winning headers and then still being a threat on the counter-attack.
"So they were different halves, but equally pleasing to watch."
Next Saturday's opponents Southend were in great form at the weekend as they trounced Morecambe 5-1 at Roots Hall, and Dean is calling on the Brackley support to turn out in force at St James Park.
"Southend are a massive club, and a very tough team," said Dean. "But I said to the boys in the warm-up on Saturday, if you don't feel confident you may as well not come, and sometimes it is that simple.
"The boys will gain confidence from all elements of the win over Gateshead.
"On Saturday we need numbers out, we need a big crowd, and we need everybody there and hopefully they do turn out.
"I mean, what's not to like at the minute? The way the boys are playing, the way they are conducting themselves, and if I was a paying customer I would be pleased with that and I would want to get out and watch."