The U11As ended the year still unbeaten in the league and top of the table, after a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Roundshaw Colts. Just as last week, Brockham surrendered a 2-0 lead but, unfortunately unlike last week, they were unable to recover and score the winning goal their play deserved.
Playing down a considerable slope on
a sticky pitch in the first half, Badgers gave a start to Angus Hodge
and Dan Hetzel, who both contributed well in a twenty minute period
of dominance. Liam Ratcliffe also started in midfield and put
in a battling performance which was to earn him a joint Man-of-the-Match
award with Alex Nicholson, who had his best game of the season at
centre back with a series of well-timed challenges and good positional
play.
Brockham broke the deadlock on 21 minutes when Josh Brown
put in a superb cross following a corner. Several players attempted
to turn the ball in before the dependable George Coffey finished from ten
yards out. Five minutes later, Brown made a surging run from halfway
and played in William Bletso. He took the ball on and, with just the
keeper to beat, nonchalantly slipped it under him for a 2-0 lead.
This should have been the half time score but, in injury time, Brockham
went to sleep at a corner and Roundshaw pulled a goal back to give
them some hope for the second period.
Roundshaw have scored freely
this season and are strong and quick. Only three minutes into
the second half they almost drew level - Matthew Batts bringing off
a marvellous one handed save low to his right. Brockham gradually
regained the ascendancy and had chances to seal the win, notably when
Bertie Edwards-Hedges went on a mazy run into the box and almost squeezed
the ball over the line at the near post. But it wasn’t to be and,
with only minutes remaining, a Roundshaw player was allowed to run
unchallenged through midfield and feed his striker, who shot powerfully
over Batts from the edge of the box.
So, a slightly disappointing
note to round off the year, but this will be one of Brockham’s tougher
matches this season and they can go into the New Year with every confidence
of winning the Division 1 title - with 19 points so far out of a possible
21; 24 goals scored and only five conceded. On top of this, they are
still in the Surrey Cup and have a realistic chance of making the
last eight, so the boys and manager Simon Coffey can be really proud
of the start they have made to their first season at 11-a-side.
Joint
Man- of- the- Match: Alex Nicholson and Liam Ratcliffe.
Squad:Matthew Batts, Will Mahoney, Matt Higgins, Alex Nicholson, Ross Bangs,
Josh Brown, Harry Morland, Oli Winter, Bertie Edwards-Hedges, George
Coffey, William Bletso, Liam Ratcliffe, Angus Hodge, Dan Hetzel, Ben
Sawyers.
Report by Bryan Bletso
The Brockham lads took full advantage of the benign December weather conditions to register their second consecutive 6-0 victory against a brave Scorpions team. There were a lot of positive signs today with good performances all around the park, and an excellent team spirit.
An early goal from Oliver
Kong took the pressure off the Badgers, and this was closely followed
by a bizarre own goal from Scorpions. Jamie Hanwell added a third,
before Tom Moriarty was upended after a jinking run in the penalty
area. Tim Hines stepped up to the spot and blasted an unstoppable
shot into the top corner.
Half time at 4-0 looked good, but there
were defensive frailties shown by Brockham which would have been exploited
by other opponents, and so no room for complacency.
The second
half continued much as the first with Ollie Kong again finding the
net, and Axel Davies following up with a good individual goal. Daniel
Hall was unlucky not to score, hitting the inside of the post in a
half where Badgers went close on several occasions.
So, an enjoyable
end to the first half of the season for Brockham which leaves them
third placed in the league, and earns them a well-deserved Christmas
break.
Lad of the Match: Andrew Watson with tenacious tackling
and good ball distribution.
After a two week break, nobody expected the U14Bs to play so well and yet get nothing from this game against top side Copthorne.
The match started with both teams playing well, but creating no real chances in the early exchanges. A good ball from Knowles gave Mackrell a half chance, but the keeper tipped it round the post. Over the next few minutes attacking chances came from great runs by Moorcroft, but the strikers failed to connect. Despite relentless Brockham pressure, it was Copthorne who had the ball in the net against the run of play. They looked dangerous on the break and that was how they scored, with Hern left helpless.
Brockham had done everything
but score and at the break found themselves 1-0 down - rather less
than theyr flowing football had deserved.
The second half saw more of the same, with Brockham dominant for long periods but still unable to find the finishing touch. In all, they hit the woodwork four times! A corner by Sourris connected with the head of Higgins, but the effort just went wide. A chance came from nothing came when a pullback by Penny gave Goddard a shot, but he hit the post.
Perhaps the best chance came after a good ball from Bangs to Goddard put the striker through on goal, only to be fouled on the six yard line. Robins stepped up and struck the penalty sweetly but, agonisingly, the ball came crashing down off the bar on the wrong side of the line.
Robins nearly redeemed himself minutes later when he took on three defenders and struck a shot that looked goal bound - only for a superb save to tip the ball onto the post. After this, a long range Parker shot produced another great save from the Copthorne keeper.
At the
final whistle the crowd let out a collective sigh of disappointment
but they had witnessed some of the best football ever produced by
the team and the Copthorne management were generous enough to say
they had never beaten a side who had played so well. Never has the
adage ‘we was robbed ‘ seemed more appropriate but, as they say, ‘that’s
football’
Squad: Hern,Goddard,Bangs,Moorcroft,Sourris,Higgins,Penny,Parker,Knowles,Robins
,Mackrell, Brightman.
Man of the Match: Moorcroft
The U10 Assassins eventually proved convincing
winners as they recorded a 3-0 win against Epsom Eagles C in the Epsom
and Ewell League.
Dominating for most of the game, Brockham proved
profligate in front of goal, the score remaining close until ten minutes
from the end. Good passing from defence and incisive breaks
from midfield created numerous chances, but usually the final pass
or shot was unable to match the rest of the move. Fortunately,
at the other end, secure defence allowed Badgers to maintain control
of the game and record their second consecutive clean sheet.
Despite
a difficult pitch, Brockham played flowing football right from the
start with Felix Saro-Wiwa showing good skills. Luke Brightman,
James Rabbetts, Saro-Wiwa, Sam Lloyd and even Chris Walton moving
up from defence had shots on goal. The Epsom keeper made several
fine saves, but a goal looked inevitable. After twenty five
minutes good luck intervened, when a Brightman shot, set up by a good
pass from player of the week Lloyd, rebounded off the keeper and a
defender into the net.
After the break, Epsom had their best
spell with three chances that forced good saves from Jamie Luckins. But as the half progressed, the balance of play shifted to the other
end. William Pereira forced a good save and a long range shot
from Saro-Wiwa was tipped over the bar. A goal kick from Walton
found Pereira in space who fed the ball through to Saro-Wiwa who put
his shot just wide.
Again the pressure told. In a goalmouth
melee, Pereira reacted fastest and forced the ball home. Just
before the end another good goal kick by Walton found Saro-Wiwa. He found Lloyd who made the score 3-0.
Against another side,
Brockham might rue the wasted chances, but this was a well-deserved
win which saw them move up to fourth in the table.
Squad: Jamie
Luckins, Tom Hampshire, Chris Walton, Tom Charman, Luke Brightman,
Sam Lloyd (c), James Rabbetts, Felix Saro-Wiwa, William Pereira.
It was the same story in the second half with Badgers dominating play - and the goal finally came. Archie Knight won a good tackle and played a neat pass to Ashley Marshall, who set up Lewis Wood to tap into the net. Badgers then won a quick corner which Pumas were unable to clear and Lewis Wood slotted home his second. Badgers were clearly in control, playing some good football; even the defenders George Gomes and Archie Knight pushed forward. Another move started from Archie Knight allowed Lewis Wood to place the perfect pass to Nathan Hughes, who opened his account with Brockham's third goal of the game.
Badgers were caught napping and allowed Pumas to play through a good move, but great tracking back from Luc Jhugroo and a good clearance foiled the attack.
The move of the game came after some great interplay between Ashley Marshall and Lewis Wood who laid off the ball to Nathan Hughes - but the Pumas keeper stood tall and made a great save. Moving into the last quarter of the game, Ashley Marshall launched a fierce twenty yard shot, which beat the keeper, but hit the cross bar, Luc Jhugroo followed up with a header which went into the side netting. Badgers determination to get another goal eventually paid off when more good passing in midfield led to Nathan Hughes scoring his eleventh of the season.
At the final whistle, Badgers had put on their best team performance of the season - the perfect Christmas present for their supporters and Manager!
Squad: Cameron Wallis, Nathan Hughes, Archie Knight, Luc Jhugroo, Lewis Wood, Ashley Marshall (c), Alistair Masson
Player of the week - Lewis Wood, running circles round everyone.