Brackley sights fixed on automatic promotion

Gavin Cowan was appointed as Brackley boss following their defeat in the 2023 National League North promotion final

Brackley Town defender Zak Lilly hopes they can take play-offs out of the equation and win automatic promotion this season.

The Saints reached the National League North play-offs in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 without going up.

They are currently third in the table, but below Kidderminster Harriers on goal difference only and with just a single point to make up on leaders Scunthorpe United.

"It's what everyone at the club has been dreaming of for the past couple of years," Lilly told BBC Radio Northampton.

"I know it's been play-off after play-off and it would be a big relief if we just won it outright. That's what we want to do, everyone's got the common goal.

"We just need to make sure that we win our games and then we'll see what happens."

Lilly has made 37 appearances this season, scoring once, helping Brackley win 26 of their 43 games under boss Gavin Cowan.

They are at home to Oxford City on Friday, followed by a trip to Leamington on Monday, and then finish the campaign by taking on bottom club Farsley Celtic in front of their own fans.

"We're going to try and win our last three games. We're going to focus on ourselves and if we don't manage to come top, at least we'll have some good form going into the play-offs," said Lilly.

"I've been playing in this league nine or 10 years and that's the main thing I want to achieve, get a promotion.

"It's a big achievement, there's some really good teams in the league and to come out on top would really say something."

Lilly joined Brackley in the summer of 2023 following a spell with Hereford and was in the squad last season when they beat Scunthorpe in the play-off semi-finals, only to then lose 2-1 to Boston United, who were promoted.

He added: "If you don't step up, you're going to be left out. When you play with better players, you always play better. And that is the case (here) because everyone at Brackley is really good."