Bracknell Town’s interim manager Jordan Ive is working hard to strengthen his squad following the departure of three players in the last few days.
He has made a decent start to his new role which continued last Saturday when the Robins defeated Hendon 1-0 at the SB Stadium thanks to a late goal from Joe Grant, who swept home a left-wing pass from substitute Haydon Vaughan.
It was the side’s third clean sheet in successive games, leaving them with seven points from their last three matches.
After the Hendon game, the club revealed that Ben Harris and Sean Fraser had both announced their departures while Liam Tack has followed suit. Nana Owusu left late last week for Southern League Premier South Division rivals Walton & Hersham. He made his debut for his new club in their goalless draw at Hayes & Yeading on Saturday.
The pacy Owusu was Town’s third-highest scorer with 10 goals and always looked capable of making something happen when in full flight down the flanks, and there is no doubt he is going to be missed by the Robins.
Harris has left after becoming frustrated at not being able to command a regular place in Town’s starting line-up.
“Ben is looking for more minutes,” stated Ive. “He is at the point of his career where he wants to play as much as possible and score goals again. Ben was incredible to me while he was here and definitely helped me on this transition period, so I wish him all the best.”
Defender Fraser confirmed his departure in a tweet, saying: “I’ve decided to move on from Bracknell Town – thanks to the fans for the support during my time at the club and wish the boys the best going
forward.”
With others appearing to have left in recent months and a number on the injured list, new recruits are high on the agenda for Ive who was put in charge following the sudden departure of joint managers Carl
Withers and Jamie McClurg last month.
‘It is a matter of having to be patient’
When questioned about bringing in new players, Ive said: I am always looking. We put a handful of seven-dayers in for certain players but most have been rejected, so it is a matter of having to be patient.
“There are one or two who are not attached with clubs who will come in this week and we’ll see what they are capable of.”
Forwards will be Ive’s priority to support leading scorers Jordan Esprit and Joe Grant, with 15 and 12 goals, respectively, as the next highest scorer was Owusu with 10, followed by Kameron English, Darryl
Harrison and the now-departed Ben Harris all with a mere three goals.
Hopefully, Bracknell fans will see a new face or two in the team when they play bottom-of-the-table Didcot at Loop Meadow Stadium next Saturday, January 13.
