Brackley aiming to stretch unbeaten league run as high-flying Pools come to town
Brackley Town are aiming to extend their unbeaten Enterprise League run to five matches when they host play-off chasing Hartlepool United at St James Park on Saturday (ko 3pm).
Gavin Cowan's side have claimed 10 points out of the past 12 available to them, with a three-match winning run ended with a hard-fought 3-3 draw at relegation-threatened Truro City on Tuesday night.
But it was still a night with a positive for Brackley, who at first squandered a 2-0 lead before fighting back to claim a share of the spoils thanks to a 73rd-minute equaliser from Morgan Roberts.
It was a result that saw the Saints move six points and five places above the relegation zone, with Cowan's side also still having at least one game in hand on all of the teams around them.
Hartlepool travel south in good spirits having claimed back-to-back league victories on home soil, both courtesy of late winners.
Last Saturday, more than 5,000 supporters turned out at The Northern Gas and Power Stadium to see a 1-0 win over Altrincham that was secured thanks to an 84th-minute penalty from Alex Reid.
Then on Tuesday a 90th-minute header from Matty Daly secured a 2-1 win over 10-man Gateshead in front of a crowd of 4,200, with Pools having been trailing until nine minutes from time.
The win over Gateshead was the first played by the club following new owner Landon Smith's takeover, and their spirits will be high as they head to Northamptonshire.
But Cowan is expecting his players to once again rise to the challenge, telling @BrackleyTownFC: "Hartlepool are on a run and it is another massive ex-League football club.
"We are endeavouring to go above and beyond and punch above our weight, but we can only do that by preparing properly and getting the most out of these lads.
"We are excited for the game, we'll make sure the lads get their recovery in before Saturday, and we can go and hopefully get the win."
Pools' double success this week has seen them climb to eighth in the table, one place and two points off the play-offs.
Following Saturday's league clash, Brackley hit the road again next Tuesday as they go to Boreham Wood in the quarter-finals of the National League Cup (ko 7.45pm).