THEY needed to score 10 goals, but managed only eight, writes Dave Wright.

Bracknell Town could hardly have made a bolder or more determined attempt to lift the Hellenic League title on a dramatic day at Larges Lane on Saturday.

And they would surely have achieved it but for Dave Evans in the Tuffley Rovers goal.

In his last game before retiring, the 30-year-old keeper pulled off a series of exceptional saves to deny Town the championship after they had produced a sensational display of attacking football.

It was, without any shadow of doubt, a heroic performance by the Robins.

As coach Geoff Warner commented: “I’ve never been as choked after winning 8-0 in my life.”

Following their 7-1 win at Lydney last Thursday and Thatcham’s 2-0 last-game victory against Brackley Town Saints, Town went into their final league match needing to win by a 10-goal margin as both sides would be locked together on 98 points and the same goal difference of 104.

It looked a tall order, particularly as Bracknell had only won 2-1 at Tuffley two weeks earlier, but incredibly with home advantage and a noisy crowd roaring them on they had a real blast.

The Robins got off to a flying start and created three chances before taking a fourth-minute lead through Seb Bowerman, who turned home Joe Grant’s cross.

There were no prolonged goal celebrations, instead, the men in red raced back into their own half as they could not wait for the game to restart.

After Carl Withers had needed three minutes of treatment after being chopped down by Warren Mann, Bowerman was not far away from scoring again, but Town did not have to wait long for their second goal as TJ Bohane scored in the 14th minute with a shot that went in off the post and almost immediately afterwards Adam Cornell added the third with an overhead kick.

It needed the first of Evans’ top-quality saves to keep out a Carl Davies header, but a minute later the dream start continued as Cornell extended the lead to four.

Bracknell supporters could hardly believe it and the Thatcham fans in the crowd of 292 must have started to fear the worst.

The Robins continued to threaten in virtually every attack, with Withers, Jamie McClurg, Joe Gater and Bohane all going close, while Town also forced a succession of corners.

Bohane hit the post before the referee spotted an infringement in the area, booked Evans, and awarded a penalty, which Bowerman dispatched by sending the goalie the wrong way.

So at half time Bracknell were halfway to their target and they even cut the interval short in order to get back on the pitch, although it was some three minutes before shell-shocked Rovers emerged from their dressing room.

And McClurg forced Evans into making another save before Grant blasted home the sixth goal after 49 minutes.

Town must have thought they were on the verge of the title, even more so when Grant made it 7-0 on 65 minutes.

Just prior to that, Bohane had been thwarted by a brilliant save from Evans.

Although the intensity of their attacks did slow down for a short time, Grant missed a good chance, while Bohane hammered a shot against the underside of the crossbar when faced with an open net.

Player-manager Carl Davies moved upfield to make it a five-man attack and it was he who scored his side’s eighth goal, but time was now running out and Town were unable to add to their tally in the six minutes of stoppage time.

So there was bitter disappointment for Bracknell, who for the second year running had seen their title hopes dashed in their final game. Unlike last season, however, they will be promoted to the Southern League.

After 38 games, the margin between title contenders Bracknell and Thatcham could hardly have been closer, but the fact the Robins managed to take only one point off their rivals suggests the teams finished in the right order in the final placings.

The 1-1 draw with Thatcham last October were the only two points dropped by Town at Larges Lane this season .

After the game, Bowerman was announced as the supporters’ player of the season, with Davies the runner-up and Grant third.

Bracknell were also the best-supported club in the league by some distance, in fact, their average attendance is among the highest in the whole of Step 5 in the country.