After a lethargic start against an uncertain Merstham
team, the U10 Assassins' superior skills paid off in the second
half with another fine goal-scoring performance. Brockham manager,
Jason Rabbetts, was pleased with the team’s performance overall: “We
were lucky in the first half but much better in the second as we started
to play as a team”.
The Badgers started well from the kick off
as they forced a corner and hit the post. Some good interplay between
Luke Brightman, Sam Lloyd and James Rabbetts saw another chance go
just wide and a moment of individual skill opened the scoring as
Felix Saro-Wiwa ran through the defence to slot the ball past the
keeper.
But the early promise faded and, for the rest of the
first half, the game lost its coherence as each side struggled to
string passes together. However, after weathering a period of
Merstham pressure, Brockham produced the goal of the game. James
Rabbetts received the ball from a goal kick, turned and shot over
the keeper from twenty-five yards. But after three minutes Merstham
responded with a hard shot into the corner of the goal to make it
2-1 at the interval.
The second half saw the recovery of Brockham’s
passing game. With both teams pressing forward, there were several
chances for Merstham, but many for Brockham. The first Brockham goal
of the half was created and finished by William Pereira who picked
up the ball on the half way line, turned, ran through the defence
and struck the ball cleanly past the keeper.
As they pushed forward,
the Brockham defence was left exposed, allowing Merstham to snatch
a goal to bring the score back to 3-2. But that was the end of their
resistance. In the last fifteen minutes, the goals rolled in. Sam
Lloyd touched in a cross at the near post; a pass from Lloyd found
Luke Brightman free in front of goal and a Brightman cross looped
over the keeper off a defender’s knee.
A good win in the familiar
U10 Assassins style – overwhelming commitment to attack delivering
chances and goals at one end and defensive exposure at the other.
Squad:
Jamie Luckins, Tom Hampshire, Chris Walton, Tom Charman, Luke Brightman,
Sam Lloyd, James Rabbetts (c), Cameron Boychuck, Felix Saro-Wiwa,
William Pereira
Player of the Week: William Pereira
Report by Simon Haines
This was the U9 (Whites) third match together and the game started well with Brockham well organized and in control. The highlight of the first half was a wonderful goal for the Badgers. A diagonal ball from Jacob Ideson from the half way line literally took out the entire Tadworth defence, falling into the path of Tom Runacres, who took one touch and then fired a great shot into the top corner of the Tadworth net. Beautiful football!
In the second half, Tadworth came back very strongly. A couple of soft goals and another very well taken effort gave the Tigers a 3-1 victory.
So we did not get the result but the boys are beginning to buzz. They improve every week and are starting to play as a team, at times playing some wonderful football which is a joy to see.
Star player: Laurence
Dean was again outstanding in defence but this week’s star player
award has to go to Tom Runacres – a great goal. Well played
Tom. Well played all the boys!
Badgers domination continued, allowing George Gomes and Ashley Marshall to link up Lewis Wood and pile more pressure on Horley. But Horley continued to be stubborn at the back. Brockham won a corner and were caught out on the counter from Horley, but some cool defending from George Gomes allowed his team to re-group and take control again.
An attack started from George Gomes, with good link up with Ali Masson, allowed Lewis Wood to hit a shot on target. Badgers made a change, George Fenwick on for Nathan Hughes, and it had immediate impact. George Fenwick won the ball in open play and allowed Luc Jhugroo to lay off a nice pass to Lewis Wood, who scored a good goal.
Having taken the lead, Badgers were determined not to allow Horley to get into the game. Lewis Wood was running the midfield, winning all the balls, but from a Brockham corner Horley countered and forced Cameron Wallis to make is first real save of the match.
Badgers brought on Archie Knight for Luc Jhugroo, which was followed by another blistering attack from Ali Masson, earning a corner. A pin-pointed cross from Ashley Marshall onto Archie Knight's head gave Badgers their second goal.
Moments later Brockham won a free kick just outside of the goal area; Ashley Marshall's shot was tipped over the bar by Horley's goal keeper. The final whistle couldn't come soon enough for Horley who had found themselves on the receiving end of the U10 Barbarians' best performance of the season.
Squad: Cameron Wallis, George Gomes, Nathan Hughes, Archie Knight, Luc Jhugroo, Lewis Wood, Ashley Marshall(c), Alistair Masson, George Fenwick
Player of the Week: Ali Masson - his blistering runs were unbelievable!