Brockham Badgers U12A came within five minutes of being Premier North Division champions in their first season in the Surrey Youth League.
In a fitting finale to the season, due to earlier postponements, they travelled to Wandgas needing a draw to top the table, while their hosts needed a win to secure the title! Disappointingly, Wangas’ home pitch was unavailable and their replacement was unworthy of such a big game, sloping badly and dissected by dips and ridges, easily the worst Brockham has played on all season.
Badgers were almost at full strength, just midfielder Oli Winter still absent with a knee injury. The match opened with both sides looking to get forward at pace and, while Wandgas forced two early corners, Brockham almost scored from their first soon after. While Badgers looked the more dangerous moving forward, and were hoping to take an early lead, Wandgas were resilient and threatened from set pieces, and the match was finely balanced at 0-0 at half time.
Starting the brighter after the break, Wandgas forced two more corners and, on 36 minutes, opened the scoring from their third. Brockham kept their heads though continuing to play creatively and, while they were unlucky to lose captain Ross Bangs to an injury, they got back on level terms with a superb goal after 49 minutes. Will Mahoney drove with determination down the right wing before releasing Josh Brown, whose cross was headed powerfully goalwards by Harvey Mewis. When the ball came back out, George Coffey controlled it before despatching a fine shot into the roof of the net.
With 11 minutes remaining, Brockham had the draw they needed but, to their dismay, a free kick awarded just outside the box in line with the centre spot gave Wandgas their lifeline and was duly dispatched to give them a 2-1 victory just five minutes from time - snatching the title from the Badgers' grasp..
Brockham heads were down at the final whistle as they had come so close to the league title and automatic promotion to the Elite Division. But what a season they have had! They reached the last 16 of the Surrey Cup. Like Wandgas, they won 15 out of 20 league games. They scored more goals (71) than any other team in the division, with five boys getting into double figures. They conceded fewer (just 17) than anyone. Their goal difference of 54 was 14 better than the champions.
But above all they played with style. Manager Simon Coffey should be congratulated for producing a squad of boys who play the most attractive attacking football, with the emphasis on good passing and width, grounded in solid defence, and in the best spirit - never unsporting, never giving up. Many an opposing manager has complemented Brockham and Simon for the quality of their football this season, and the progress made over the last twelve months has been wonderful to observe.
Moving up from the Epsom and Ewell League was a big step and we would have been happy with a mid-table finish, so to finish second in such style, against some very decent opposition, is fantastic. Like that other brilliant team at the Emirates, they sometimes see scoring as an art form to be explored rather than a job to be done, and they probably should have scored a few more, but that’s something to work on, and some of the goals they have managed have been spectacular!
So thank you Simon on behalf of all the parents. Thanks too of course to Tony Brown and Nick Torpey. Keep up the good work and roll on next season!
Team: Matthew Batts, Will Mahoney, Matt Higgins, Alex Nicholson, Ross Bangs, Josh Brown, Harvey Mewis, Liam Ratcliffe, Bertie Edwards-Hedges, George Coffey, William Bletso, Ben Knight-Sawyers, Dan Hetzel, Angus Hodge, Harry Kensett. |
Both teams started slowly as weeks had passed without a competitive game.
Tadworth defended in numbers but it wasn’t long before Kemal Dogansoy fed an accurate ball into Leo Ruff who side footed his shot just wide of the post. Brockham battled through the first half to no avail, every player having a shot but not being able to find the back of the net.
Into the second half and Brockham’s defence was still relatively untroubled with stand in goalie from the U9 Whites, Oakley Wheeler, not being tested.
A big kick by Wheeler bounced over Tadworth’s players and found Dogansoy face to face with the keeper, who just did enough to keep his shot out.
Good linking play by Jamie Donegan and Matthew Ford and good defensive skills by both twins Jamie and Alex Finn saw many balls fed to Dogansoy who was heavily marked by Tadworth players. But Brockham’s attacking play paid off in the dying seconds of the game - Dogansoy picked up a goal kick onto his chest and volleyed a magnificent ball into the back of the net.
A well-deserved three points for Brockham, but credit to Tadworth who had defended so well.
Team: Denham, Dogansoy, Donegan, A Finn, J Finn, Ford, King, Ruff, Wheeler |
Brockham needed three points to secure a second place in the league. Both teams started well and Brockham soon realised that it was going to need good passing football to beat Mogador’s well drilled defensive line. It was from a good corner by Kemal Dogansoy that Matthew Ford’s pumping shot found the back of the net.
Brockham’s defence was well tested, but Edward Denham had good presence and Oakley Wheeler showed awareness in his box with some saves which kept Mogador as bay. However, when one of those saves fell back unfortunately to a Mogador player, he only had to tap it in for an equalizer.
Into the second half and Brockham battled on with great runs by Jamie Donegan and Ford and good midfield play by Leo Ruff and Fletcher King.
With the last attack of the match, Dogansoy’s corner found Ford whose shot skimmed just over the bar. The final whistle left the Badgers with sinking hearts, knowing a point wasn’t enough for second place.
Despite the feelings of disappointment, the U9 Reds can take pride in having played some great football over the season. Well done to all the boys that have been involved. They can look forward to even greater things next season.
Team: Denham, Dogansoy, Donegan, A Finn, J Finn, Ford, King, Ruff, Wheeler |
