After a great start to the season, with 19 goals scored and none conceded in the first two games, the U16B’s were in no way ready to give up their unbeaten form.

Against Sparrows, Brockham went straight on the attack and by the third minute were 1-0 up. Put through on goal, Mike Smith calmly slotted away his eight of the season, filling Brockham with yet more confidence. Seven minutes later they were forcing Horsham onto the back foot yet again. In the box, Mike Smith had his heels clipped and the referee gave what could be seen as a controversial penalty. Again Mike Smith stepped up to tuck it away - 2-0 Brockham.

Horsham then started to play some flowing football for the next twenty minutes, pasing the ball around fluently in midfield, making it difficult for Brockham to get possession.  Horsham finally found a nicely crafted through ball but the end product was no more than a shot wide of goal.

Just past the half hour mark, Horsham conceded a corner on the right. "Boyzie" Radley whipped it in and, in a bizzare fashion, a Horsham defender pulled off a header a striker would be proud of - but straight into his own net!

Into the second half and, with normal keeper Navid Tomlinson unavailable this week, Mike Richmond replaced Ali Turpie in goal at the interval and Turpie joined Mike Smith up front.

The second half began with end to end play and both sides plroducing great football.

Just before the hour, 25 yards out and with almost his first touch since coming back from the bench, James Boyman took a shot which bounced just in front of the keeper and scored a complete fluke! Two minutes later, Mike Smith received the ball and slotted it home to grab his hat-trick and his tenth goal in three games for Brockham.

With just over ten minutes left Brockham still hadn't  finished their morning's scoring. An unlucky hand ball decision was given against Sparrows by the referee who pointed to the spot. Sam Billings stepped up to score the sixth goal and the second penalty of the match. The last ten minutes saw Horsham urgently pressing for a consolation goal but they couldn't break down Brockham’s new cental defensive partnership of Harry Sheppard and Andrew Clark.

With the full- time whistle blown, Brockham made it three games undefeated, another clean sheet and three more points.

Team: Ali Turpie, Will King, Andrew Clark, Harry Sheppard, Harry Knight, James  Boyman, Sam Billings, Josh Evans, John "Boyzie" Radley, Mike Smith, Mike Richmond, Ollie Armstrong, Luke Russell-Smith.

Whatever they say about the esoteric manager Bangs, he had his team set up brilliantly for this home fixture against East Grinstead. For the first fifteen minutes they played superb controlled football, the entire team playing like a well oiled machine, surely the best they have ever performed.

During this period Mackrell recaptured his ruthless streak in the penalty area scoring twice as Badgers made it 3-0, with the other goal taken by the tireless Knowles.  In midield Parker was devouring the ground, while upfront Robins time and again was infuriating the East Grinstead defence with his skilful runs and lay offs. By half time Badgers had extended their lead to 6-0 with a second from Knowles, and one each for Brightman and Parker.

One wondered what Badgers may achieve in the second half. Surely East Grinstead would be disheartened and Badgers could go on to a record victory. However, to their credit, ten-man East Grinstead did not let their heads drop and could have scored from a twice taken penalty but Brockham keeper Hern wasn’t about to let the forwards take all the glory. His save from the first kick, then retaken for encroachment, was top draw - and he comfortably claimed the rebound when the second came off the bar.

Despite dominating for long periods in the second half, Badgers had lost their cutting edge and it was left to their man of the match Mackrell to not only claim his hat trick but to add a forth goal for the final score of 8-0.

Team:  Hern, Moorcroft, Thomas, Owen, Goddard, Knowles, Parker, Penny, Robins, Mackrell, Nazer, Mansfield, Brightman

Brockham Badgers U12A enjoyed a relatively smooth passage into Round Two of the Surrey Cup with a 7-0 home victory over Kew Park Rangers Colts.

The tone was set in the very first minute when Josh Brown played a precise ball forward for Ben Knight-Sawyers, who rounded the visitors’ keeper to give Badgers an instant lead. This was doubled in the fourth minute, this time Brown finding the net with a good finish, and Kew Park were in danger of being overrun under relentless Brockham pressure.

On ten minutes, Will Mahoney played a great ball in for Harvey Mewis, who netted with a cool finish for 3-0. Knight-Sawyers scored again on 22 minutes for a 4-0 half-time lead which, but for some good anticipation from the Kew Park keeper, rushing from his line on several occasions, could have been much greater.

The second half failed to ignite for twenty minutes as Brockham sat back on their lead, but Matthew Batts was still virtually unoccupied in the home goal as the game became bogged down in the middle of the pitch. Eventually Ben Knight-Sawyers broke the deadlock, getting his hatrick and, with it, a well-merited Man of the Match award.

The last two minutes of the match saw first goals of the season for winger Dan Hetzel, a well struck left-foot half volley into the roof of the net, and full back Will Mahoney, a Drogba-like shot on the turn on a rare foray into the opposition box. How he enjoyed that one!

So Brockham’s superior pace and technique, not to mention fitness levels, told in emphatic style as they embarked on another, hopefully equally lengthy, run in the Surrey Cup - following last season’s quarter final achievement.

Jordan Martin’s pace and control proved too much for NPL as Brockham Badgers won a well-contested game 3-1, thanks to Martin’s hatrick.

After conceding heavily in the previous two weeks, Brockham manager Jason Rabbetts decided to use Luc Jhugroo as a sweeper, with George Gomez, Alistair Masson and Chris Walton in defence.  With Jamie Luckins producing several great saves, the defensive unit provided a sound platform on which to build.

At the other end Martin was a persistent threat and, after Sam Lloyd and William Pereira went close, Martin’s pace took him past the defence and he beat the keeper comfortably to score the first.  Brockham maintained the pressure but, for a while, suffered from a lack of composure in the NPL area until Martin scored again.

After half time, Martin completed his hatrick when his shot from an acute angle sneaked in at the near post.  At this stage the game looked won, but NPL fought their way back as they asserted some dominance over the midfield.  After a series of chances and a goalmouth melee, the hosts managed to force the ball home.

NPL were unable to convert some further good chances, including an open goal, largely thanks to some excellent goalkeeping by Jamie Luckins.

At the end the Brockham supporters were able to breathe a sigh of relief.  There are signs now that the U11As are starting to come to terms with the 11-a-side game against Premier Division opposition, so there is much to look forward to in the matches ahead.

Players of the week: Luc Jhugroo, Jamie Luckins.

Team: Jamie Luckins, George Gomez, Ashley Marshall, Chris Walton, Luc Jhugroo, Tom Charman, Luke Brightman, Alistair Masson (c), James Rabbetts, Lewis Wood, Jordan Martin, Sam Lloyd, William Pereira, Cameron Boychuk

A grey steel lid of cloud released icy needles of rain that pierced the players’ shirts as they warmed up slowly. A reduced squad prepared to face the team that recently beat them 9 - 3. Parents gratefully crowded round a high quality Cappuccino van and raised each other’s spirits; it had been a disappointing start to the season so far.

At the kick off, the rain ceased and clouds gradually lifted as the U11Bs made a confident start, passing the ball accurately and moving intelligently, calling for the ball and encouraging each other forward. The black and whites were at last beginning to show the benefit of their training under new manager Jason Hughes.

The hosts were taken aback by the determination and skill of a team they had so recently crushed. Most of the play took place in the Broadbridge Heath half although there were few chances before an accurate 22nd minute corner by Nathan Hughes for Brockham was picked up by an alert Chris Yarnall who scored decisively in front of goal.

Startled into action, Broadbridge Heath came back hard before they too scored from a corner, three minutes before half time. Far from being downhearted, the Badgers finished strongly and were full of determination at the break.

Oliver Vaughan came on for George Fenwick who had played bravely through an injury in the first half. The second started with a sliding cross field ball from Broadbridge Heath that missed the outstretched fingers of Cameron Wallis and caught the inside netting to make it 2 -1 to the home team.

The lead gave Broadbridge Heath confidence and they launched a series of well organised attacks against the Brockham defence. Led intelligently by Tom Hampshire, the defence held firm with goalkeeper Cameron Wallis (player of the season so far) showing great courage, well judged anticipation and excellent timing. Fitness levels were being tested for the first time this season as both teams threw all their energy into the game. With five minutes to go Brockham launched a massive attack on the home side’s goal with several shots on target leaving everyone bewildered as to why they hadn’t gained a well-deserved draw.

After the full time whistle, as tiredness set in, the Badgers congratulated each other on their best performance of the season. There are plenty of positives to take into their training before next week’s match, most of all perhaps the self belief that comes from a strong and intelligent team effort.

As pParents drove their muddy, exhausted sons back north the sun began to break through the brightening sky: surely an omen of future success.

Man of the Match: Chris Yarnall

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CODES OF CONDUCT
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BROCKHAM GIRLS
Brockham Badgers is keen to promote the development of Girls' Football in Surrey. Pictures from our first season of league action are here.

See pictures and details from the U9s and U10s first ever tour - to the Battle of Hastings Tournament in 2006.
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