Bramall hammers home excellent set-piece against County

Luton boss Jack Wilshere was happy to see that practice is quite clearly paying off for Cohen Bramall after he scored another superb free kick against Stockport County on Saturday.

With the Hatters having led 1-0 through Jake Richards’ close range finish, the former Arsenal and Rotherham defender then put the ball down some 20 yards from goal on 38 minutes, after Izzy Jones had been tripped in a dangerous position. Home stopper Ben Hinchliffe set up his wall, but without a draught excluder, it allowed Bramall to trot up and show what is becoming his now customary exceptional technique to fire his set-piece up and down over the stationary County players, who didn’t budge an inch, also beyond the despairing dive of the keeper, sending the 1,000 visiting fans behind the goal into sheer delirium.

It was the second time the full back has done so too, hammering home an even better free-kick when opening his Hatters account during the 4-1 Vertu Trophy success over League Two Barnet in early September, as on that night he slammed his attempt, from slightly further out too, off the underside of the bar and in.

Once he had doubled the visitors’ lead, Bramall was soon over to those travelling supporters to celebrate, as the outcome was of absolutely no surprise to Wilshere, who said: “It’s a really good message as you see him in training practicing his free kicks and it’s every time, every one goes in, goes in, goes in. So for the young players to see him do that and then for him to get his success here, I’m happy for him.”

Team-mate Jake Richards was also far from shocked to see the end product that Bramall possesses in his left foot, as he stated: “I knew when the ball was there, Cohen would be a threat. He does that all the time, he’s done that twice this season now, he does it in training all the time, so I backed him to score.”

Bramall meanwhile, was moved out to a slightly more advanced role at Edgeley Park, deployed as more of a wingback for the fixtures, able to show his trademark accurate delivery from the flank in the first half, sending over another terrific cross that was tucked away by Richards for his second assist of the campaign, having set up Gideon Kodua to nod home against Bradford City on his league debut for the club.

He also motored away from his markers in the second period, displaying some wonderful speed in which to do so, before coming off soon afterwards, although Wilshere didn’t feel it was anything too serious, adding: “I think he’s all right, he did some sprinting, so he probably had some cramp. He was excellent. I think he’s growing as well, growing in confidence. He’s obviously got a super strength in his pace, I’ve not really seen pace like that very often, he seems to keep going and going, so he can definitely help us.”