Manager gone, players out and a recently relegated Vanarama National League South side at home at the weekend.
Football comes at you fast but under caretaker boss Alex Pearce, Bracknell Town earned a very creditable 1-1 draw at home to Havant & Waterlooville.
Bracknell were without Jordan Esprit, Great Evans and Dan Roberts who had all confirmed departures following the end of Jordan Ive’s reign, but had a new signing in Maurice Black, stepping up from Combined Counties League Premier Division South Sandhurst Town.
Pearce himself started the game while goalkeeper Michael Eacott was named captain. However it was one of the sides stalwarts in Ethan Burden who got the injury-time leveller. The full-back was part of the Isthmian League Division One side championship winning side and rescued his side on Saturday.
The two sides were level at half-time and it took until the 85th minute for the deadline to be broken, it was a familiar face in former Hungerford Town striker Ryan Seager, on as a substitute who got it and looked set to break Bracknell hearts.
Burden had other ideas though, in the 93rd minute he capitalised on a goalkeeping error to hit home the equaliser and earn a point.
Post-match, Bracknell confirmed debutant Black had sustained a head injury during the game but was well in hospital awaiting stitches.
East Berkshire Headlines
Berks County earned their first win of the season on Saturday in the Combined Counties League Premier Division North. The Swords have had a tough initiation to Step 5 but a George Armstrong double saw them beat Bedfont Sports 2-1 on the road.
Fortress Arbour Park has been breached! Bobby Wilkinson’s Hemel Hempstead Town beat Slough Town 1-0 to end one of the most impressive undefeated runs in Berkshire football in recent memory.
Windsor & Eton inflicted a heavy defeat on Woodley United at Stag Meadow, the Royalists beat the Kestrels 7-1 to extend their lead at the top of the table.
Holyport’s excellent start to the season continued with a 5-2 win over Amersham Town – Lynford Sackey scoring twice for the home side at Summerleaze. Amersham boasted one of non-league’s most travelled players in Richard Pacquette an he scored for the visitors who also had captain Luke Preedy sent off.
Reading City meanwhile were just one goal off three 3-3 draws in a row. The Cityzens drew 3-3 with Wembley thanks to goals from Ewan Lynch, Archie Denton and Mckoy Palmer on the back of a 3-3 with British Airways last weekend and a 3-2 with Holyport in midweek.
