Brackley Town 2-0 Boston United

Glenn Walker fired the hosts in front two minutes before the break, following an Ashley Timms gaffe, while Steve Diggin applied the killer blow four minutes from time.

Ben Milnes saw a second half free-kick rattle the post, but Brackley held the upper hand after the break and progressed to Monday’s fourth qualifying round draw in the process.

United boss Dennis Greene had opted to shake things up ahead of kick-off, with skipper Ian Ross unfit to start and Peter Bore and Spencer Weir-Daley both relegated to the bench.

Fit-again duo Scott Garner and Marc Newsham returned, while Jake Hall was handed his first start in midfield.

Brackley started brightly, forcing a corner inside the opening 20 seconds, and the excellent Gary Mulligan soon headed wide, back across goal, following an Eddie Odhiambo cross from the right.

Keeper Billy Turley shanked his kick straight to Newsham at the other end, but the Boston man blazed his instinctive effort well wide.

Brett Solkhon’s flying header was clutched in mid-air by Timms, while Hall had a tame shot saved by Turley following United’s best piece of build-up play of the half.

With the match deadlocked and seemingly heading into the break goalless, the encounter took a decisive swing. WALKER was afforded too much room by Netan Sansara around 20 yards from goal and his angled effort crept through Timms’ hands and legs to leave the United keeper red-faced.

United tried to up the tempo after half-time, but found themselves up against a resilient Brackley side who had conceded just five goals in their previous 12 matches this season.

Newsham skewed a volley over the bar after a corner was pinged out to the edge of the box by Milnes.

Brackley had chances to kill the contest, but Diggin’s header flew over the bar from close-range following Walker’s cross, while Mulligan’s header dropped wide from Izak Reid’s cross.

United thought salvation had arrived when Newsham and Sansara combined with a clever free-kick routine, but Milnes’ drive was touched on to the post and wide by the evergreen Turley.

Weir-Daley and Sansara later had fierce drives blocked, but it was Brackley who closed strongly.

Solkhon headed over the bar from Odhiambo’s right-wing cross, while Timms excelled to keep out Mulligan’s goalbound header.

United were then picked off, four against one, and Walker played in DIGGIN for a composed finish which gave Timms no chance and sealed United’s fate.

Brackley (4-4-2): Billy Turley; Eddie Odhiambo, Ryan Austin, Tom Sharpe, Curtis McDonald; Izak Reid (Greg Kaziboni 69), Brett Solkhon, Steve Towers, Glenn Walker; Steve Diggin (Nat Jarvis 89), Gary Mulligan. Subs (not used): Owen Story, Eddie Nisevic, Charlie Griffin, Elliot Sandy, Alistair Worby (gk).

Boston (4-3-3): Ashley Timms; Stefan Galinski (Indy Aujla 56), Scott Garner, Carl Piergianni, Netan Sansara; Ben Milnes, Conor Marshall, Jake Hall; Ben Fairclough (Spencer Weir-Daley 58), Ricky Miller (Peter Bore 58), Marc Newsham. Subs (not used): James Reed, Ian Ross, Sam Vince (gk).

Referee: Daniel Meeson

Attendance: 406

PIC: Brian Martin