Wessex Premier Division.

BRADING TOWN 3 v 1 Totton & Eling.

As seen by WES ESSEX.

A Scott Jones hat-trick was the highlight of an impressive 3-1 victory over Totton & Eling last night.

Manager Steve Brougham went into the game with the same line-up as Saturday. The only change was on the bench, where Ollie Buckett replaced Roger Roper.

The Romans kicked down the slope in the first half on a pitch much improved from Saturday, but still heavy in places, especially down the centre. The home started brightly and it was no surprise when they took the lead after 6 minutes when JONES neatly put away a low cross, following  good work by Ford down the left. Five minutes later Brading doubled their lead, a quickly taken free-kick found Hatcher in space, he looked up and fired a shot that was too hot to handle for the keeper, he could only palm the ball in the air and JONES forced the ball home. The two young forwards, Vale and Jones were causing the Totton defence all sorts of problems with their speed and work rate.

On 25 minutes it was almost 3-0, a Jones header crashed against the crossbar from an Appell free-kick. The combination weren’t to be denied though, Vale’s running earned another free-kick in a similar position to the one three minutes earlier. This time Appell drove in a low cross that alluded everyone except for JONES, who raced in to slot the ball past the keeper and complete his hat-trick. HT 3-0.

The second half started well for Brading, Jones raced past three defenders down the right, before whipping in a cross that clipped the crossbar. Manager Brougham had to make a forced substitution soon after, when Hatcher went off with a groin injury and was replaced by Prezpolewski. Ten minutes into the half Totton pulled a goal back, with the Roman’s defence claiming offside, allowing Wiltshire a clear run on goal before he slid the ball past McCormack. For the first time in the game Brading were under pressure, but the back four, superbly led by Fleming, held firm with Sunsburg, Appell and Ford working their socks off in front of them.

With 20 minutes remaining the visitors had two golden opportunities to pull another goal back, firstly when McCormack was rounded, but the attacker put the ball in the side netting, then a shot from a defence splitting pass went inches past the post. In final minutes, Vale and Jones, both suffering from cramp, were taken off and replaced by Spooles and Buckett. It was Buckett who nearly added a fourth, when the Totton keeper’s clearance struck him and rolled towards the goal, but the keeper just managed to scamper back and stop the ball from crossing the line. This was probably the best Brading performance of the season, and against a team in 6th place. FT 3-1.

Brading Town Man of the Match..SCOTT JONES.

Team..McCormack Phelps Quigley Sunsburg Fleming Stuber Appell Ford Hatcher Vale Jones.

Subs..Sprooles Prezpolewski Buckett Rayner.