Six points from four matches in eight days was the target for the U16B's to clinch the B League title. The recent inclement weather had previously seen two scheduled floodlit midweek games called off and the Brockham were forced to clear up their fixture backlog in the week after the clocks changed and before the school holidays began.
Wednesday saw Rudgwick visit the Big Field and in a very competitive match Brockham took an early lead in just two minutes with John Radley stealing in at the back post to head home a Sam Billings free kick. The visitors replied within ten minutes and took the lead another ten minutes into the second half. Brockham, never on fire in this game, finally managed the square the match with a Mike Smith header following some good play on the left and a deft chip in from Radley.
The following night the Badgers were due to meet Cranleigh Hawks, but a combination of the away team's injuries and last minute withdrawls by parents aware that their son's uncompleted GCSE coursework was due the next day, gave Brockham a fortunate last minute walkover and some of the home team's players the opportunity to gain a few extra marks themselves!
That meant a victory away at lowly Storrington on Saturday would bring the league title.
Another bare squad of eleven players faced a team without a win all season,but who pushed the Badgers all game and were only denied a handful of goals by Man of the Match - keeper Navid Tomlinson. Two goals in each half from the Brockham goal machine kept up the average of four a game this season.
A James Boyman effort from a corner on thirteen minutes produced the third headed goal in succession and the two Mike's combined for Smith to finish off with his feet from a Richmond pull-back from the by-line.
Two more goals in the second-half from Sam Billings and Harry Sheppard completed the scoring - and the Championship for the team. Brockham politely waited for the end of game pleasantries to be completed before cracking open the bubbly and dousing all those within range.
The U16B’s last ever home game in a very hectic week was another Wednesday evening encounter against local rivals Ockley Acorns, who have the meanest defence in the League. With only eleven goals conceded all season to Brockham’s fifteen and a previous nil-nil encouter, it was essential that Brockham started brightly.
From the kick-off the Badgers did just that and attacked down the left flank. Within seconds they had a chance which was agonisingly just out of the reach of Seb Lopez but was a carbon copy of the opening minutes of the previous meeting with Ockley, in which Brockham dominated the chances but failed to capitalise.
The deadlock was finally broken when Brockham went ahead following a break from near the half-way line by Ali Turpie and Mike Richmond added another in the second half to pull clear. It was the Badgers turn to keep a clean sheet and wind up a very successful season at the Big Field.
The U16Bs have one more league encounter before going for the Double in the U16 Plate Final at Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre on Sun April 27th at 1.40pm. |
