‘Really proud’: Brackley Town boss hopes striker can kick on after mega impact in Spalding United comeback
Brackley Town boss Gareth Dean is thrilled with the determination his side showed to rescue a point away at Spalding United in the National League North on Tuesday night.
Goals from Bartosz Cybulski and Joe Nyahwema earned Spalding a 2-0 lead at Sir Halley Stewart Field, but the Saints scored twice in three second-half minutes to level it at 2-2.
Impact substitute DJ Sturridge notched both of Brackley’s goals - the second from the penalty spot - and then neither side could find a winner.
“I’m really pleased with the finish to the game, with the spirit, the fight and the character,” Dean told @BrackleyTownFC afterwards.
“To come away with a point after being 2-0 down is huge, because it would have been easy to just roll over and accept defeat.
“I’m really proud of how they dug in and the second goal (we conceded) was against the run of play, sloppy on our part.
“That’s where we can get better, the game management was not great in some moments again. But it’s nice to see the desire and hunger to get back into the game.”
Since joining in the summer from Oxford City, brace scorer Sturridge has been unable to lock down a starting spot at Brackley.
But the 25-year-old has certainly given Dean something to think about for his future team selections, even with experienced fellow attacker Matt Lowe expected back this weekend.
On Sturridge, Dean admitted: “We love DJ. We’ve had some heart-to-hearts with him. When he gets his opportunity from the start, I think he needs to take more of them.
“But, equally, he comes on and that’s what you want when you’ve got a squad of players. Particularly with three games in a week, you want players to come on and impact the game.
“To shove it in my face, that’s what I want from the players. He will feel aggrieved not to start tonight and he came on to show a huge impact.
“He was physical, he was a presence and he’s got pace to burn. I’m really proud of him. He can be grumpy all he wants if he goes and plays like that on the pitch.”
Sturridge will be hoping his two goals will be enough to earn a spot in the starting XI this Saturday, October 31, as Brackley head away to the 12th-placed Worksop Town.