Wilkin hails Brackley as they bag FA Cup second round spot

The Saints secured a thrilling success against Bishop's Stortford at St James Park, eventually prevailing 3-2 on penalties after the away side had fought back in normal time.

After earning a two-goal half-time lead through terrific efforts from Lee Ndlovu and Matt Lowe, Saints twice let the lead slip as Step 3 side Bishop’s Stortford mounted an impressive second half comeback.

That took the game into extra-time and then a penalty shoot-out as Wilkin’s side eventually won through despite a long delay through floodlight failure.

“Where do we start? It was a rip roaring cup tie,” Brackley boss Wilkin said.

“They put us under pressure and it could have gone either way so fantastic credit to them and fair play to our boys who came through in the end.”

Ndlovu finished clinically on 12 minutes after good work by Tre Mitford, a lead that was doubled on 20 minutes as Ndlovu set up Lowe, who fired a first-time rocket past keeper Jack Gibbens.

Mitford shot just wide and the visitors were only denied by the crossbar late on in the first half.

The game took on a changed dynamic after the break with the Blues’ double substitution and they narrowed the deficit on 64 minutes as Darren Foxley broke free and finished neatly past Ali Worby.

Saints extended the lead again within three minutes as Mitford finished well, rounding Gibbens and finding the net from a tight angle.

But Bishop’s Stortford scored again on 72 minutes through substitute Tom Richardson to set up a tense finish.

And the game went into extra-time when the visitors scored a third goal on 87 minutes, Foxley stabbing home his second goal of the game as a free-kick was not cleared.

Extra-time served up tension but few chances.

Ndlovu fired over when well placed and Louis Johnson’s shot from distance hit the woodwork to deny the Blues a late winner.

Power failure to half of the floodlights threatened an abandonment, but following a 15-minute delay, extra-time resumed with neither side able to make the breakthrough.

The spot-kick shootout saw Shane Byrne, Ethan Coleman and Jimmy Armson net, both sides missed one and then Ali Worby saved before the Blues missed again to send Saints through.

“We had a good cushion in the game and the chance really to put it to bed,” Wilkin added.

“On another day they could have won it but we have been on the wrong end of that situation on more than one occasion.

"Credit to our boys for resilience to come through and we’re in the hat for the next round.”

Brackley Town: Worby, Myles, Franklin (Dean 69), Byrne, Coleman, Walker (Flowers 90+13), Lowe, Murombedzi, Ndlovu, Mitford (Armson 83), Chambers (York 57).

Subs unused: Rolt, Noon.

Bishop’s Stortford: Giddens, Mvemba, Thomas, Robbins, Henshaw, Marlow (Richardson 46), Merryfield, Greene (Davidson 46), Jones, Foxley (Johnson 90+11), Haines.

Subs unused: Warman, Haxell, Brown, Smith.

Referee: Adrian Quelch