ROB Creech has recently enjoyed the opportunity of getting tips and advice from Scottish champions-elect Celtic, but he was unable to mastermind a Bracknell Town victory in their Perpetua Press Floodlit Cup tie against Thatcham Town, writes Dave Wright.

He and fellow reserve team manager Andy Findlay were promoted to first-team duties for Thursday’s semi final at Larges Lane, where the Robins lost 2-0 to their Hellenic League title rivals.

“Overall it was a disappointing performance,” admitted Creech, who through a mutual friend had spent time with the Glasgow giants, watching them play and train before talking football with manager Brendan Rodgers, the former Reading FC boss.

“It was a great few days. To be invited into the manager’s lounge and then invited to see the team train were something special.”

Creech and Findlay were given the opportunity to take charge on a night when Robins player-manager Carl Davies gave himself and several of his team a well-earned rest during a hectic schedule where they are playing three games every eight days.

But their side, a mix of experienced players and youngsters, soon found themselves trailing to an equally much-changed Thatcham squad with Creech admitting: “We started off very slowly, gave away a couple of poor goals and we didn’t really recover from that.

“The second half was better. We started it well and put pressure on them, but were unable to score and it certainly didn’t help when we went down to 10 men (Kensley Maloney was sent off).

“Overall it was a disappointing performance from us as it was a game Andy and myself obviously wanted to win, but it was still a pleasure to be asked to take charge for what was a first-team fixture.”

‘It was still a pleasure to be asked to take charge for a first-team fixture’ Creech continued: “The league is the club’s priority as they want promotion and the cups are a bonus. It would have been nice to have reached the final, but it wasn’t to be, so good luck to Thatcham.”

There were no qualms from Creech and Findlay on being given a squad short of several first-team regulars, with the former saying: “It is all about making full use of your squad at this time of the season when you are playing a lot of games in a short period of time.

“We just have five league games left, we have to take care of the players as the league is our priority as we want to get promotion.”

Bracknell kept the pressure on table-topping Thatcham with a 2-1 win at Tuffley Rovers on Saturday, when Seb Bowerman and Joe Gater both netted inside the opening 20 minutes.

They visit Windsor at Stag Meadow this Friday night and then face Woodley United at Rivermoor Stadium next Tuesday evening (both 7.45pm).