Keith Newby, Dean Thomas and Ian Harvey celebrate the winner.
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Thomas out of sick bed to fire Robins' winner
By Adam LeeAugust 21, 2008
Bracknell Town striker Dean Thomas scored the winning goal in his side’s season opener against Bridgwater Town on Saturday – but almost missed the game having spent the week bed-bound with flu.
The powerful centre forward scored with his first touch after coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute, and had to wait for the goal to be credited after the referee overuled the linesman’s offside call.
“It wasn’t a bad start to the season after being ill all week,” joked Thomas.
“Yesterday I wasn’t going to be involved, but I spoke to Byron last night and said I’d come along and do what I could do, so it wasn’t too bad.”
He also said that he had been urging boss Byron Walton to put him on all game, and was gobsmacked when the ball fell to him just four yards from goal, leaving him the relatively straightforward task of tucking home the Bracknell winner.
“When the game’s like that I always fancy my chances to score,” said Thomas.
“The ball just turned up there, I couldn’t believe my luck, and I just had to put it away.
“I wasn’t offside, it came off their player.
Manager Walton handed competitive debuts to five new signings including midfielder Keith Newby, who scored Bracknell’s equaliser.
And the boss was full of praise for his goalscoring substitute Thomas.
“Dean’s been ill all week and he rang up and said he’d be alright to come along as sub - it’s a good job he did really,” said Walton.
“He’s got that knack of scoring goals.”
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