Brackley boss Johnson ‘excited’ as they gear up for two crunch clashes

A 2-1 win over Spennymoor Town, courtesy of goals from Adam Rooney and Callum Stead, last Saturday and a goalless draw at Leamington in midweek extended the Saints’ unbeaten record to 13 matches in the Vanarama National League North – the last 12 being under the leadership of Johnson.

They sit on top of the table and are a point clear of second-placed Darlington.

But Brackley’s credentials are sure to be tested over the next few days as they head to third-placed Scarborough Athletic on Saturday before a St James Park showdown with King’s Lynn Town next Tuesday evening.

Johnson said: “I am excited about them and the lads should be as well.

“We are there on merit, with the run we have been on we have earned the position we are in. It’s not luck, you can’t be lucky for that many games.

“But if you want to be in the mix, you’ve got to show what you are all about and put a performance on in big games.

“The lads who have been here would have played in these games that mean so much.

“The King’s Lynn one will be massive because they have three games in hand but we start at Scarborough and it will be a tough one.

“Everyone is beatable, no-one is invincible and I am not deluded enough to think we won’t drop points somewhere along the line.

“But what we have instilled is a determination to ensure we come out of every game with something.

“We will be fully focused on Scarborough and we will go up the road and try to get something.”

Johnson hailed last weekend’s performance in the victory over Spennymoor as one of the best his team have produced since he arrived at St James Park.

But that was followed by a tight affair at Leamington with the manager left fairly content with a four-point haul from the two games.

“It’s been another decent week,” he added.

“Saturday’s performance was near enough the best since I have been here. The lads were superb and thoroughly deserved the win.

“And on Tuesday, it was one of those horrible games.

“We had to try to break them down and we lacked a little bit in the final, we didn’t really create much.

“They had a game plan on us and did well with it, they limited us to few chances but if we had said before the two games that we would get four points out of them then you would probably take it.”