Brackley Town 1 Bromsgrove Rovers 0

Bromsgrove Rovers were left to rue a missed penalty, as they crashed to defeat against one of the title favourites in the Southern League Division One West on Saturday.

Matt Murphy's diving header in the 59th minute decided a lively encounter in Northamptonshire.

However, manager Jimmy Mullen will be wondering about what could have been, after Matt Johnson missed a penalty in the 39th minute

Fussy referee Michael Rowley, from Woodley, somehow found time to book eight players in a stop start game which did not contain a dirty tackle anywhere on the field of play.

The first chance fell to Rovers when Matt Barnes-Homer beat the Town offside trap, but Phil Murphy put his cross out of danger. Martin Brown cleared Kevin Banner's corner; Matt Johnson was first to react and fired over the bar after 21 minutes.

Brackley replied on 30 minutes, Jamie Williams broke down the left, his cross into the box beat Lee Evans in flight and Robbie Beard missed an open goal with his header at the far post. In the 35th minute Beard got behind Rovers' defence, but his pinpoint cross was headed over by strike partner Murphy.

Rovers were presented with a glorious chance to open the scoring in the 37th minute. Wayne Dyer played the ball into Chris Smith, who turned his marker Brown and went down in the box. Mr Rowley pointed straight to the spot, but Knight easily saved Johnson's poor effort.

A minute later Mark Benbow broke through and lobbed the advancing Knight, only for the ball to bounce back off the crossbar into the keeper's hands.

As the game entered stoppage time at the end of the half Jack King's long range effort cannoned of Rovers' crossbar.

Smith wriggled through on the left after 50 minutes as he tried to make the angle to shoot but Mike Ford got across to block his effort.

Rovers fell behind in the 55th minute, Ford's free kick was deflected wide by Ross Collins, Williams deep corner to the far post was met by Murphy with a diving header past Evans.

Rovers responded by substituting Barnes-Homer for Dean Curtis at the restart, and Curtis was in action straight away setting up Smith, but Knight turned his effort around the post. Dyer beat the Brackley offside trap and crossed to Curtis, whose header beat Knight but was cleared off the line by Pete Spacey on the hour mark.

Three minutes later Michael Stephenson fired in a free kick that Evans fumbled but reacted well to save at the feet of Murphy. Brackley forced a corner on 69 minutes, Williams' in-swinger was partially cleared by Evans under challenge from Beard, Murphy was on to the loose ball only to fire over with the goal at his mercy.

A long clearance by Evans was misjudged by Brown and Curtis latched onto the ball firing first time from the edge of the area, but Knight was equal to his effort in the 72nd minute.

Mullen threw on Leon Mitchell for Smith as Rovers pushed for an equaliser.

Brackley dropped deeper and deeper back and despite continued pressure from the visitors, the hosts repelled Rovers' attacking forays to grab maximum points.

Brackley: Knight, Spacey, Murphy, Ford, Brown, Williams, King, Stephenson (Farley, 77mins ), Beard , Murphy (sub Simms, 88mins), Williams.

Subs not used: Smith, Bridgeford.

Rovers: Evans, Johnson, Hillman, Male, Collins, Erraji (Hadland, 75mins), Benbow, Dyer, Barnes-Homer (Curtis, 56mins), Smith (Mitchell, 72mins), Banner.

Subs not used: Williams, Ramsey.

Referee: M. Rowley (Woodley).

Attendance: 183.

By Steve Riddick