Match Preview - Bracknell Town

Tiverton Town v Bracknell Town 

Saturday 5th April  

Kick Off 3pm 

The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium 

Into the final month of the season and a handful of games remain for the Yellows. For quite a considerable time, any Yellows’ loss has needed to be followed by victory. The significance of each result seeming more enormous with each passing game. 

Our management team and players deserve praise for what they have achieved since the changing of the guard, but they continue to control their own destiny. All they can do is try to accumulate as many points as possible, in the fixtures left to play.  

The re-appointment of the most successful manager in Bracknell’s recent history; Bobby Wilkinson, at the beginning of this week, has to be thrown into the mix. 

A scheduled takeover of the club during this season, with a new board already in place and serving has been abandoned.  The set up has reverted back to former owner Kayne Steinborn-Busse. His SB Group had been working alongside the new consortium. Jon Underwood who had been in charge on the football side, has also left. 

After a disappointing set of results at National South side Hemel Hempstead, Wilkinson was relieved of his duties back in December. Hungerford, Weymouth and Wealdstone have all called on his services, previously. He takes over at the Robins who sit in mid table currently, after participating in the play-offs last term. 

With 21st placed Tivvy requiring what appears to be at least 3 wins to beat the drop, it’s imperative that we don’t dwell on last Friday’s 3-1 loss at Gloucester. Giving a very good account of ourselves on that evening and in my opinion worthy of a share of the spoils.  

Last Weekend the Robins’ travelled to Chertsey, our fellow relegation candidates and lost by the same score line. It’s hard to know what the Wilkinson effect will have on their current dressing room, but if they can recapture the form that saw them comfortably beat Gosport 4-0 in the game before that one, then this will be tough. 

On the playing front, Bracknell were boosted by the return of Jordan Esprit midway through this campaign after spells with Hemel Hempstead and Walton and Hersham. The frontman is a proven goal scorer at this level and his movement in the final 3rd and hold up play makes him a real danger man.  In 66 Southern League Premier games for the Robins, he has 35 goals. 

Winger Seb Bowerman's parent club is Dorking Wanderers, and he played higher up the football pyramid for the Surrey side in both the 22/23 and 23/24 campaigns also. Although he began his senior career with the Robins, and the all-action wide man has an eye for a goal. 

Combative midfield schemer George Knight is popular with the Bracknell faithful and has returned to their squad recently after injury. A strong Performer in this standard of football, Knight has made in excess of 100 appearances for the visitors, since they won promotion to our division. 

Captain and inspirational midfielder Max Herbert has similarly to Knight been heavily involved in recent times, at the club. Spending the last Five seasons with The Robins and was part of their promotion winning team into this league. He along with his teammate’s clinched the Isthmian League South Central division, at the end of the 2021/22 campaign. 

At 26, defender Teddy Howe brings good pedigree with him, having played in The Championship for Reading and in the EFL for Blackpool and Scunthorpe. Currently on loan from Hemel Hempstead, Howe is a player that the new manager will be very familiar with. He has racked up plenty of impressive non-League experience, with stints at; Barnet and Weymouth, also on his CV. 

There are quite a few members of their current dressing room, who played under the manager, in his previous tenure, including Defender Ethan Burden and Goalkeeper Michael Eacott. Both have been mainstays of Bracknell’s backline across the Three years our visitors have been competing at this level. 

With the cultured, left sided James Dobson also in this squad, it proves that we can’t afford to take The Robins’ lightly. The former Slough Town favourite amassed quite a lot of experience in higher non-league circles, with the likes of Sutton United and Dagenham & Redbridge. The much-travelled wide man can be a class act. 

For Tiverton, deservedly so; Asa Hall and Steve Orchard have now signed a contract which keeps them in charge for the 2025/26 season. They will be hoping to have a strong matchday squad to select from.  

I think it would be unfair to highlight some players over others, as the team has pulled together as one and performed with credit in the past five games. However, the remit is clear for all involved on the playing side and only getting back to winning ways will tick all the boxes. The pressure will be sky high with either of the other scenario’s and as fans we can play a part in getting us over the line on Saturday.