AFC Telford United 2 Brackley Town 0 - Report and pictures

His first game back at the New Bucks Head began in fine fashion when skipper Sean Clancy fired the hosts in front.

Lively Reid then doubled the advantage with a header in a half the home side dominated.

Brackley improved after the break but Bucks keeper James Montgomery saved Sam Smith's penalty after Jack Deaman was dismissed for bringing down Richard Batchelor.

Smith hit the spot-kick well to the left but the keeper got down well to keep it out and ensure his new manager's return, aside from Deaman's dismissal, was untarnished.

Telford fully deserved the win after an excellent first half display in which they could have won by more.

With Smith and assistant Larry Chambers having been given a rapturous reception by the home crowd, a dream start was only a few inches away from reality as in the opening seconds Reid raced away down the right and his cross was just too far ahead of a diving Danny Glover.

Smith and Chambers then nearly got help from a familiar figure as Brackley keeper Dan Crane, their long-time custodian at Hednesford, made a mess of clearing Reid's corner, directing his punch straight at David Moyo and then watching the ball rebound out for a corner.

The keeper at least looked steadier when keeping out Jordan Goddard after the Bucks midfielder had skipped past three defenders and raced into the box.

Reid was causing havoc and almost laid on the opener for Dave Hibbert with another superb run but the striker's goalbound shot was deflected over by defender Dwayne Samuels from in front of Crane.

The pressure finally told on 12 minutes with Reid, unsurprisingly heavily involved. He beat the offside trap to meet a Clancy through ball and though Crane was able to block his shot, Reid won the foot race to the loose ball and then showed maturity to pull back for Clancy, running in, to pick his spot between the covering defenders and in off the post.

Nine minutes later the the lead was doubled and this time Reid was the man on target. A free-kick headed on by Dave Hibbert where Reid, totally unmarked at the far post, directed his header neatly past Crane.

Well on top and with the home crowd roaring them on, Telford showed no desire to show their visitors any mercy and Crane was relieved to see Hibbert shoot straight at him after the keeper failed to hold a Reid shot.

Hibbert also sent a drive inches wide of the post from distance as Brackley barely had time to draw breath before the break.

The Bucks striker had Crane scrambling again early in the second period with a header which dropped just the wrong side of the target but the home side then had a let-off when Smith, on as a substitute for Brackley, hammered a shot just the wrong side of James Montgomery's post having been allowed to turn in the box.

The visitors, for the first time exerting some sustained pressure, went close again when Telford's defence were slow to react and Richard Batchelor's shot deflected off Jack Deaman and inches over the bar.

With the hosts lacking the fluidity of the first half, Reid missed a chance to make it three when he dragged a shot wide from ten yards after being found by substitute Kaiman Anderson.

Just moments later, Brackley were handed a route back into the game when Deaman dragged down Batchelor. The Telford defender was shown a straight red card by referee Ben Cooke but Montgomery kept the lead at two, superbly keeping out Smith's spot-kick diving to his left.

Telford: Montgomery, Dawson, Lees, Deaman, Campion, Rea, Goddard (Fletcher 63), Clancy, Reid (Harrison 76), Hibbert, Glover (Anderson 63) Subs not used: Bakayoko, Brownhill

Brackley: Crane, Graham, Samuels (Morley 76), Whittall (Story 63), Mills, Austin, Kaziboni, Walker, Moyo, Diggin (Smith HT), Batchelor Subs not used: Winters, Sinclair.