Unbeaten Brackley set for trio of home games

Kevin Wilkin's Brackley Town are looking forward to three successive home matches. Picture by Brian Martin

Brackley Town begin a run of three home games in a row this weekend as they bid to maintain their unbeaten start to the new season.

The Saints saw their 100 per cent start to the Vanarama National League North campaign come to an end in the north-east last Saturday as they shared a 0-0 draw at Blyth Spartans.

It was a result that boss Kevin Wilkin described as “fair”.

But now the focus is on successive home league clashes against two sides who are still chasing their first wins of the season.

The Saints host Southport on Saturday before Darlington come to St James Park next Tuesday night while that is then followed by a home Emirates FA Cup second qualifying round clash with Southern League Premier Central outfit Coalville Town on September 18.

“Blyth is a tough place to go, they are generally strong at home and they have certainly improved on what they have been in the past couple of seasons,” Wilkin said.

“They have had a good, solid start so we knew it would be tough and to come away with a point was fair.

“They had one or two moments and so did we. You want to be greedy and take all three but I was fairly satisfied with the outcome and we can now move on and look at Southport.

“We want to keep the good run going but Southport will be looking to get their season up and running and get some momentum.

“We are not expecting an easy game. There aren’t any at this level, they all take a bit of winning.

“The league is very competitive and it will be no different this weekend.”

Wilkin, meanwhile, insists his team will have full respect for Coalville when the two sides meet in the FA Cup a week on Saturday.

Coalville thrashed AFC Rushden & Diamonds 5-2 in the first qualifying round last weekend to earn themselves the tie at St James Park after the draw was made on Monday morning.

But the Brackley boss says his team’s full focus, for the time being, is on the league.

“We are very respectful of the fact that Coalville have had a very good start to their season,” Wilkin added.

“It will be a challenge, we will have them watched and we will do our homework on them. But we are at home and we will be hopeful that we can come through it.

“But we have to focus on the league games first.

“Southport and Darlington are top of the agenda at the top moment because we want to keep our good form going in the league and the FA Cup will take its place as and when.”