Heed Heroes Are So Glad For Brad As Saints Yield

They brought step ladders and climbed trees – but while the locked out Brackley Town fans had the perfect view of Shane Byrne’s wonder goal, they were also staring straight down the barrel when Gateshead keeper Brad James saved three shoot-out kicks to send the Heed through.

- Matt Badcock

Brackley had a kick to win it as penalties went into sudden death but James, who had already denied Glenn Walker, stopped Lorrel Smith’s effort before making a decisive save from Elliot Myles.

It was tough for Kevin Wilkin’s Saints to take they have now lost in the National League North play-offs three years in the row.

For the Heed, jubilation. Their players sprinting to mob James with only their cheers to fill the vacuum caused by these games being behind closed doors. While most opted to tune into the National League’s live stream, there was nothing that was going to stop a handful of Brackley fans.

Making the most of the fact St James Park backs onto a public cricket field, they peered over the fence behind one of the goals – a few climbed trees with one chap still able to keep hold of his beer bottle.