BRACKNELL Town made it 11 Hellenic League Premier Division wins on the bounce with a 3-0 victory over Lydney at Larges Lane on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

With frost causing a widespread postponement of matches, the Robins were able to take advantage on their all-weather pitch to consolidate their position at the top of the table.

With 59 points, they are now four points clear of second-placed Thame United, although having played a game more.

Flackwell Heath remain third on 54 points, followed by Thatcham on 51 with Bracknell having a match in hand on both.

So Town are certainly looking well placed in the title race and on current form there is no sign of them slipping up.

Mark Tallentire’s men, however, did not have things all their own way on Saturday, particularly when Lydney started to become more accustomed to the surface.

But the pattern of the game changed dramatically just after the half-hour mark.

The visitors’ centre-back Peter Macklin, who had done a good marking job on TJ Bohane, brought down the Robins striker with what referee Jonathan Was felt was a two-footed tackle.

It was a red card for Macklin and a penalty for Bracknell which Seb Bowerman converted for his 15th goal of the season.

Before that goal, Joe Grant had hit the outside of the post while, at the other end, a timely block by Dave Hancock denied Lydney’s Lewis Bamford when he was looking certain to score.

The sending-off clearly deflated the Gloucestershire side and they were dealt a second blow two minutes later.

Jamie McClurg intercepted a fisted clearance from keeper Richard Thomas which he laid back to Johnny Gray just outside the area, from where the right-back smacked a first-time screamer high into the net, the ball taking a slight deflection on its way.

It was his first goal of the season.

Now 2-0 up after 34 minutes, Bracknell had a stranglehold on the game and there was no way back for 11th-placed Lydney.

The crowd of 248 – the biggest for a Saturday game at Larges Lane this season – must have expected to see a lot more goals in the second half – but it didn’t happen.

The 10 men of Lydney sat deep in a damage limitation exercise to frustrate their hosts and they defended well.

They twice denied Kensley Maloney as he looked set to score, with the same player also shooting narrowly wide.

Town eventually did add a third and it came from a sweeping move that typified Bracknell’s play.

Carl Withers launched a long ball from right to left to find Bowerman.

His cross was met by Bohane, whose header was parried by Thomas but he followed up to poke the ball home.

It was his 28th Bracknell goal of the season, taking him to within two of team-mate Adam Cornell, who was left on the bench after arriving back from a business trip to Las Vegas on Friday.

He replaced Bohane late in the game and went close to scoring, while another sub, Gavin Smith, hit the post.

Bracknell finished the game with 10 men, skipper Carl Davies having been shown a second yellow card two minutes from time.

It was the only blot on another outstanding performance from the centre-back on a day when Town kept their seventh clean sheet in their last 11 league games.