Brockham Badgers FC Matchday

Brockham Badgers U12A earned a terrific win in atrocious conditions at Kingstonian Youth Royals. With a strong cross-wind in the first half and an increasingly slippery pitch, both teams were equally handicapped but it was Brockham who acclimatised the quickest, playing some smart passing moves and taking a two-goal lead within the first seven minutes.

First, George Coffey played a strong ball across the box which Josh Brown controlled well before dispatching confidently across the keeper and into the far corner.

Then, in a similar move, Harvey Mewis played in William Bletso who, from the same right-hand angle of the area, powered a shot over the keeper and into the net. Badgers continued to dominate the half, allowing Kingstonian few sorties upfield, to the extent that at the interval, Brockham keeper Matthew Batts resorted to hot chocolate rather than a cold drink! Badgers were more often than not first to the ball and, despite the conditions, managed to maintain a good passing game.

It was a game that called for sleeves rolled up and gritted teeth, epitomised not least by Liam Ratcliffe, whose battling display in midfield earned him the Man of the Match. Late on in the half, the home side did begin to find their feet, and would have pulled a goal back but for a desperate lunging clearance by Will Mahoney at the foot of the post.

Things were about to get tougher, however, with the wind deciding to blow the increasingly heavy rain straight into the Badgers’ faces in the second half. The Royals soon took advantage, finding the net only a minute in with a smart shot into the corner out of the reach of the diving Batts. An equaliser looked on the cards, as the Brockham defence repulsed a number of Kingstonian attacks. Matt Higgins was prominent with some strong covering tackles and clearances and Matthew Batts was called on to come off his line and clear up on several occasions.

The travelling supporters had to endure not only the foul weather but also a tense second half, but gradually Brockham reasserted themselves and succeeded in pushing play back into the opposing half. The win was finally secured minutes from time when Bertie Edwards-Hedges smashed the ball into the net to give Brockham a richly-deserved 3-1 victory, showing that they can tough it out when the conditions demand it.

Squad: Matthew Batts, Will Mahoney, Matt Higgins, Alex Nicholson, Ross Bangs, Angus Hodge, Josh Brown, Oli Winter, Harvey Mewis, Liam Ratcliffe, Bertie Edwards-Hedges, George Coffey, William Bletso, Dan Hetzel.