Brannagan’s haul of penalties inspires 7-2 rout over Gillingham in League One

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Gillingham vs Oxford United Match Report

Cameron Branngan scored an unprecedented and brilliant four goal haul of penalties as Oxford United rolled over bottom of the league Gillingham 7-2 at the Priestfield Stadium.

In a week where Dan Agyei left the club and Jordan Thorniley was recalled by Blackpool, manager Karl Robinson brought in Luke McNally at the back and gave summer signing Ben Davis a place on the bench.

Keeping faith with Billy Bodin in midfield was a masterstroke as the baller opened the scoring in the 8th minute when he converted Mark Sykes cross.

But it was fellow midfielder Brannagan who stole the limelight with a stunning double brace of goals from the spot, with his first arriving in the 12th minute after Lee fouled Taylor coolly side footed in.

Top scorer Matty Taylor put the game to bed in the 19th minute when he headed in a floated Bodin free-kick to delight the traveling 650 away fans.

After the break Brannagan got a rapid quick fire double, the first being another penalty as he was fouled by opposition keeper Pontus Dahlberg and dusted himself off to score in the 48th minute. He repeated the trick again in the 55th minute to claim the match ball after Long was brought down.

The Yellows were cruising and took the foot of the gas as Gillingham pulled one back through Lloyd-McGoldrick to ruin the clean sheet.

But Brannagan was not done as he despatched his forth penalty from the spot after a handball in the 83rd minute to claim a new record of spot-kicks in one match.

There was still time for more drama as Mckenzie pulled another goal back for the Gills, before sub Anthony Forde fired in the final goal for 7th Heaven for the U’s with the goal-clut the most scored away in the football league.

The result was a well deserved win for the rampant U’s and they tightened their grip on the playoff places.

You can see all the goals here:

Has anyone scored a hattrick of penalties in the English League?

A hat-trick of penalties is a rarity in football, but it was achieved by Josh Wright of Gillingham in a 9 minute period as Gillingham beat Scunthorpe 3-2 in March 2017 also in League One.

At club level, Branngan’s former club Liverpool saw Jan Molby complete the feat against Coventry in 1986, but that was in the league cup (also achieved by Blackburn’s David Dunn in the same competition).

What is it when a footballer scores four goals?

Four goals scored in a match is called a haul or double-brace.

• 2 goals is a brace
• 3 goals is a hat-trick
• 4 goals is a haul or double-brace
• 5 goals is a glut
• 6 goals is a double hat-trick

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