This was the Brockham team’s first match since the tragic loss of their A team player and friend Luke Holland. This and other home matches were preceded by an impeccably observed minute’s silence in tribute.

Fittingly, the game that followed was played in a marvellous spirit by both sides and the referee had little to do. Badgers started brightly with Parker showing how valuable a player he is to the team, nearly opening the scoring from a deflected shot from Robins (one of the most improved players this season). Despite Badgers dominating the game, it was Heron who opened the scoring when a powerful shot took a wicked deflection and sailed passed the helpless Hern in goal. This had been story of the season so far for Badgers, often dominating play but failing to convert their chances into goals.

Today however was going to be different. Firstly, Robins showed great positional sense from a Heron goal kick taken by the full back. He lurked just outside the box and capitalised on the return ball to score the equaliser. From this point Badgers dominated the game and, after a series of shots and parries in the Heron penalty area, Nazer finished with a audacious side flick to make the score 2-1.

Badgers’ pressure led to a series of corners beautifully taken by Mackrell and Robins, before Penny connected to a Mackrell delivery to volley in the third - a great goal.

An equally good fourth and final goal was to follow with Goddard returning to his best form, making a trademark surging run down the right flank before passing into Mackrell’s path for him to finish calmly and for a final score of Badgers 4 Heron 1. 

All the Brockham players performed well but Nazer deserves special mention for the manner in which he marshalled the defence. Bangs, showing the benefit of some fitness training, put in a performance to be proud of in midfield.

Man of the match: Bangs

Team: Hern, Thomas, Nazer, Moorcroft, Goddard, Penny, Parker, Owen, Robins, Mackrell, Mansfield, Bangs, Sourris, Brightman.

The U13As suffered their heaviest defeat for a long time as Three Bridges took advantage of the fact that Badgers could only field ten men for the vast majority of the game.  In fact Badgers will feel aggrieved at the scale of the defeat, as the ten boys held their own for long spells of the match, creating a host of chances of their own. But it simply proved one of those days as Brockham understandably tired in the final fifteen minutes, allowing the hosts to score three further goals.

Brockham started brightly despite their lack of numbers and almost took the lead when Tom Bletso’s shot from a corner went inches wide. But, moments later, it was Three Bridges who got the first goal to make Badgers’ task a real uphill struggle.  Determination was shown all round though, Dylan Peters leading by example with a high energy game in central midfield, and Brockham could have equalised as Stephen Kehl went close several times, as did Mitch Ward and Ben Stokoe.

Just as the ten men of Brockham looked forward to a well deserved half time break, Three Bridges struck once more to make it a flattering 2-0 half time scoreline.  

Just after half time, Kehl shot just over as Badgers once more started brightly, but Three Bridges killed the game as a contest five minutes into the second period when keeper Henry Warne, justifiably earning the lad of the match award with some great saves despite the heavy defeat, parried the ball only to see it fall invitingly for a Three Bridges forward.

Although Badgers were reinforced by the late arrival of Ryan Winter in the last twenty minutes of the game, Brockham were understandably suffering from their exertions and, when a fourth goal was added midway through the half, Badgers knew it was one of those days.  

The defence of Bletso, Jack Hunt, Alex Postles and Michael Carty valiantly attempted to stem the tide as Badgers midfielders struggled to keep up with the game and tiredness set in. A little harshly, Three Bridges ran in three late goals, including one with the last kick of the game, to complete a comprehensive win. 

Manager Ian Kehl was quick to point out after the game that he felt his side could have given Three Bridges a real run for their money if they had had a full squad available, and Badgers will undoubtedly bounce back in weeks to come, starting this week with a quarter final league cup home game against Cranleigh.

Team: Henry Warne, Michael Carty, Alex Postles, Tom Bletso, Jack Hunt, Dylan Peters, Ben Stokoe, Ollie Legg, Mitch Ward, Stephen Kehl, Ryan Winter

Before the commencement of the match, a minute’s silence was observed for the Holland family.

The Badgers completed a comprehensive double over second placed Forest Row and moved a big step closer to winning the title, extending their lead at the top to six points with three matches to play.

With centre-backs Harry Kensett and Ed Newman both overcoming illnesses to start the match, and Andrew Watson deputising as captain, Brockham approached the match confidently from the outset and took the play to Forest Row.

No real opportunities emerged for either side until the breakthrough came in the twentieth minute. Alex Dean, supporting his forwards, lobbed a ball back into the Forest Row penalty area, which broke for Dan Crook to rifle into the corner for 1-0.

This galvanised Forest Row who had their best spell of the match, and it took a double save from Michael Ellis to prevent an equaliser before half time.

In the second half Tom Moriarty came on, and asserted Brockham’s ascendancy, scoring a wonderful goal from the angle of the box. With the Badgers now firing on all cylinders, there was an inevitability about Ollie Kong scoring through the middle, and Jamie Hanwell adding the fourth from the left.

Forest Row were plucky and deserved their consolation goal, but the best was left until last. As Brockham swept forward, a mobile Tim Hines latched onto the ball on the edge of the area and drilled it into the bottom corner of the Forest Row net.

Another splendid defensive display from Brockham was eventually rewarded as the midfield and forwards took full advantage in the second half.

Lad of the match: Acting captain Andrew Watson for a cool-headed and assertive midfield performance, ably supported by defensive duo, Kensett and Newman.

Team: Ellis, Barnes, Kensett, Newman, Killner, Dean, Crook, Hines, Watson (c), Hanwell, Kong, Moriarty, Nokes, Davies.

Without a competitive match in six weeks, the U11As conceded tamely to a goal late in the first half. Throughout the game, Brockham lacked composure and struggled to make their passes count.  Worcester Park are several places below Brockham in the league, but one piece of quality in front of goal settled the game.

The game was well balanced in the first half.  Two corners from Worcester Park led to some ping pong in the Brockham six yard box with Chris Walton finally making a goal-line clearance.  At the other end a good corner from Ashley Marshall gave Jordan Martin a chance, but the Worcester Park keeper pulled off a fine save.

Worcester Park started to exert more pressure.  Walton made a dramatic saving tackle on the edge of the six yard box but, minutes later, the Colts were ahead.  A Worcester Park attacker drew a good save from Jamie Luckins, but his colleague was on hand to push in the rebound.

In the second half Brockham made a bright start.  Luke Brightman and Martin combined well down the right, putting a shot just over the bar.  A free kick from Marshall caused panic in the defence.  But soon after, Worcester Park assumed control of midfield as Brockham regularly conceded possession.

Luckins pulled off great saves from short range, but chances for Brockham dried up.  In an effort to inject new life into the team, Brockham manager Jason Rabbetts  made a series of tactical substitutions, but to no avail.

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

Brockham came to Caterham keen to get a win, having narrowly lost the home fixture to the Pumas just before Christmas.

The first half was tough because Brockham’s effective passing play was matched by Caterham’s quick counter attacks.  Midway through the first half the deadlock was broken with a swerving ball into the path of Brockham’s striker Andy Kehl, who dribbled past the goalkeeper and put the ball into the back of the net. 

Caterham continued to play well but Louis Clark and Michael Tsimekis in defence stood strong and allowed few chances to the opposition. Keeper Ben Giles stopped everything that came his way.  At half time it was one-nil to Brockham.

Brockham started the second half brightly with some good midfield play from Dominic O’Brien, Alfie Edwards and Will Hearne, controlling play and creating some good chances.  This ended up with Dom’s excellent lob over the defence to Andy Kehl, who coolly slid the ball into the goal for his second of the match. 

Caterham countered with a great opportunity that was amazingly cleared off the line by Louis Clark. 

At this point the match opened up.  Andy scored to complete his hat trick.  Shortly after, Caterham had a deflected shot from their captain go in. 

It didn’t take long for Brockham to score another with Will firing in from long range.  Sam Yeomans' solid header from Dom’s corner stretched the lead further before Andy added a sixth and Harry Morris finished off a good team passing play for the seventh.

It was all one way traffic now.  Andy fired in another two to wrap up the game with his double hat trick!

This was one of the team’s best games of the season.  Well done boys!

It was derby day in the Tadworth League as the U9 Reds met the U9 Whites.

With their first attack, it was the Reds who went on the offensive. A shot from Leo Ruff went wide and then, with the Whites unable to clear the ball, an accurate pass by Matthew Ford found Kemal Dogansoy who made no mistake in opening the scoring.

The Whites had only just caught their breath when Ford outran the midfield to find Dogansoy in the box, whose shot was outstandingly headed off the line. But the pressure was too much as Ford once again fed a long ball onto the right wing for Dogansoy to strike a tremendous curving shot inside the far post for 2-0.

Badgers’ Whites tried their utmost but could not get pass the defensive line of Jamie Donegan and Edward Denham. It was just before the end of the first half when Donegan cleared the ball to Ford who squared for Collis to tap in a third.

It was 4-0 shortly after half-time, as Ford slotted in a Dogansoy pass.The Whites had their chances but strong midfield play by Matthew Appleton and Alex Finn stopped their flow.

Man of the match: Edward Ford for great presence in midfield.

This was the first outing of the new year for the young players and it was either going to be a blistering start, due to their pent up energy reserves, or a ‘rusty’ one.  They went for ‘rusty’! 

The first half was primarily spent chasing the ball around the park with very little shape.  When they did push forward to earn a corner, Justin Hurst delivered to Harry Fairley, whose neat touch to Joseph Issberner enabled him to squeeze the ball past the goalkeeper.  Hearts went on to threaten a number of times, however some sharp goalkeeping by Aiden Torpey denied them a couple of goals by half time.  

There must have been a few words said during the break as, in the second half, the Badgers were a different team.  Torpey had come out of goal and the youngsters began to pass and move into space.  It wasn’t long before their re-found form paid off, with Torpey receiving the ball in the box, neatly turning and planting the ball in the back of the net.  

Hearts quickly fought to get back into the game with an excellent goal high into the back of the net.  Issberner then surged up the pitch, slipping the ball to Torpey who scored his second.  Chloe Stimpson rounded the match off with Brockham’s fourth goal to earn the Badgers a well deserved 4 – 1 victory.  

Team: Paddy Doyle (man of  the match), Harry Fairley, Callum Glenn, Justin Hurst, Joseph Issberner, Oliver Kail, Jed Simister, Chloe Stimpson, Aidan Torpey

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CODES OF CONDUCT
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We have separate Codes of Conduct for Players, Parents and Managers.
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CAN YOU HELP?
Why just watch the matches?
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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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