HAVING reached their first target for the season, it's now on to the next one – and Bracknell Town manager Geoff Warner is confident it will be reached, writes Dave Wright.

Their 3-0 victory away at Northwood last Saturday confirmed the Robins' place in the Bostik League's South Central Division play-offs.

"That was our target when we sat down at the start of the season," said Warner, whose side are currently sitting in second place behind champions Hayes & Yeading.

"As this was a new league for us, we were going into unknown territory in some ways, so we are pleased to have made the play-offs.

"But our next goal is to finish in second spot as it will mean us playing at home in the play-off semi-finals.

"We sit there at the moment with three games left. All of them look difficult, but we are confident we can get over the line."

Town always looked like beating mid-table Northwood after what Warner described as a "real solid performance."

He added: "I thought we played well. At times it was not great football, but we passed the ball when we could, we always looked a threat going forward and we were very solid at the back.

"With our back five playing really well, Mark Scott didn't have to make many saves. A couple of shots went straight to him and another went just over the bar."

However, the Bracknell manager did reveal there were a few anxious moments early on as they sought to return to winning ways following a shock 2-1 defeat at bottom club Egham the previous Tuesday.

"Like at Egham, we missed a few chances and I thought here we go again, but once we got that first goal we got a foothold on the game," he said.

"We told the players at half-time if they carried on what they were doing we would be okay, although we felt they did need to pass the ball a little bit better out of the back as at times it wasn't so good in the first half. It was much better in the second half, we controlled the tempo of the game."

In the end, Town eased home thanks to goals from Joe Grant, Liam Ferdinand and substitute Jordan Brown, his first since joining the club from play-off rivals Marlow.

Leading scorer Ferdinand had also been on target at Egham on a night when Town failed to take the many scoring opportunities which came their way.

"It was a disappointing result as we had 14 chances on target, but their keeper had an absolute stormer," commented Warner.

"After the game, I told the players to stay positive and don't lose their nerve, and keep doing what we have done all season. We did that.

This Saturday, the Robins host Chipstead at Larges Lane and then travel to Westfield on Easter Monday (3pm), and they could meet the Woking-based side again in the play-offs as they currently hold the last of the four play-off places, seven points behind Bracknell.

Centre-back Matt Day, who missed the Northwood game due to injury, should be fit to return.