Matchday 2005-09-10

Brockham Badgers U16 3 - 2 Billingshurst

Report by Roger Bayliss

The U16s season failed to get going until the second half of this home win against Billingshurst. Playing at the unfamiliar location of Boxhill school, a small pitch denied us our normal free flowing and open style of play. Billingshurst deservedly took the lead after a poor start by the home team, but by half time we were lucky to be level after a fine move was finished by Daniel Bryer.

Early in the second half, Brockham went ahead through a fine headed goal from Robert Bates. Several more openings were created with the U16s becoming stronger throughout, but they failed to capitalise and the visitors then pulled level after poor defensive marking. Further openings were created which eventually rewarded Brockham with the winning goal. Daniel Bryer scored his second to celebrate his 16th birthday the following day. Ally Cannon marked an outstanding display in central defence with the Man of the Match award.

Billingshurst Youth 5 - 5 Brockham Bagers U15

A high-scoring opening game of the new season saw the Under 15s take away a point in a 5-5 draw at Billingshurst.

Sam Spall grabbed a hat-trick to earn the Player of the Match award. Goals from Nathan Owen and Eddie Granville completed the scoring to earn the draw.

Brockham Badgers U14a 3 - 0 Steyning Strikers

Brockham Badgers U14b 0 - 8 Ockley Acorns

Brockham Badgers U13a 4 - 2 Roundshaw Colts

Report by Graham Mackrell

Having won the Horsham League last season, the U13a faced their first game in the Epsom League on Sunday. The Badgers had the better of the opening exchanges and should have taken the lead after 9 minutes, when Mackrell (K) was through on goal but fired straight at the keeper. More chances fell, before a neatly worked move on 14 minutes allowed Mackrell (K) to fire home to the Roundshaw Keeper's left.

The Badgers kept up the pressure with McDonald and Bayliss allowing Holland and Hales to feed the attack. Man of the Match Higgins made it 2-0 with a thunderous volley, after a McDonald knock on from Holland's cross.

During the second half the Badgers had chances to increase the lead but failed to capitalise. The defensive line up of Higgins, Crosbie, Yeates and Sugden kept Roundshaw at bay, before a looping cross shot found its way past Hardy to pull back the score to 2-1.

Almost from the restart, Holland jinked his way through but was brought down on the edge of the box. He got up and duly converted the free kick with a touch of Lampard high into the corner. Hales, now working up front on the left, fitted a low driven shot across the keeper which could only be parried away - and Mackrell (C) made it 4-1 with a carefully placed lob over the keeper. Roundshaw still had time to get one back as the Brockham legs tired, but the boys can be pleased with their first game in the new league.

Chiddingfold 13 - 0 Brockham Badgers U13b

Brockham Badgers U11a 10 - 0 Hurstpierpoint

Badgers U11 A side had a storming start to the season, smashing ten goals past a Hurstpierpoint side who never gave up. Without the injured Jonathan Walton and absent Maxim Harper and Tim Whybrow, Badgers were 2-0 up at half time courtesy of a brace by Ryan Winter - but it took a couple of fine saves by keeper Henry Warne to keep the opposition out just before the interval. Stephen Kehl scored a fine solo goal straight from kick off and from then on, with Henry Hill in good form in midfield, Badgers were in total control. Winter and Kehl scored further goals and Aaron Clark, Sven Van Acoloyen and Dominic Nicholls joined them on the score sheet. Lad of the match Mitchell Ward also scored a good goal to cap off a great opening day of the season.

Brockham Badgers U11 (Black) 2 - 0 Storrington & Sullington Vipers

Badgers Black U 11 team began the season with a solid win against Storrington. In warm sunshine, Badgers looked comfortable from the off with keeper George Corfield in confident form and central defenders Robbie Ventham, David Atkinson and James Morgan adapting well to the new 11-a-side game. The central midfield of captain Thomas Bletso and Matthew Gill were able to bring wing backs George Heymann and Tom Kinsey into the game - while Toby Dowle and Henry Smith were able to run at the Storrington defence with some confidence.

Badgers took the lead midway through the first half when Gill smashed home from just outside the 6 yard box, and made it 2-0 in the second half when Marshall hit the post before Smith was able to latch on to the ball and slot home. Max Ruff and Sam Norkett did well in midfield and defence respectively. The only surprise was that Badgers did not add to their score, with striker Oliver Curtis going close several times and Bletso lashing a left foot drive just past the post from 12 yards.

Storrington Vipers 10 - 3 Brockham Badgers U11 (White)

A TRIPLE WIN FOR THE BADGERS U10s

At the start of a new season the three U10 sides from Brockham Badgers, entered The Epsom & Ewell League for the first time and played their opening games on Saturday, all ending up victorious!

West Ewell 0 - 2 Brockham Badgers U10a

The U10a enjoyed a challenging game which ended in a 2-0 win to the Badgers. The first goal came from a great pass by Harry Morland up to George Coffey, who held it and laid it off to the left hand side in time for Bertie Edwards-Hedges to take it on and score a great left footed shot into the bottom corner.

William Mahoney, Angus Hodge and Harry Morland were compact in the midfield keeping the opposition at bay up to half-time. West Ewell came back challenging in the second half and we saw Michael Ellis busier in goal, pulling off a great save to his left. Together the relentless and strong tackling from the defenders Matthew Higgins and Alex Nicholson stopped any other chances they might have had.

The second goal came 12 minutes from the end, when again the ball was played up to Coffey who linked up with Edwards-Hedges, who then finished once more on his left. Next week we see them play away against Mole Valley Predators in the Cup.

Bookham Colts 1 - 3 Brockham Badgers U10b

A dry, bright day greeted the first competitive match of the season.

It started as a very even affair, with both teams vying for midfield possession. The breakthrough came when Brockham's William Bletso ran for goal only to see the ball be tackled out of play for a corner. He then took the corner which Bookham cleared easily but only to Joshua Brown who passed back to Bletso to drive in a low cross - which beat defenders and attackers alike and ended up in the net via a Bookham player.

On the restart, Brockham failed to clear their defensive lines and a low shot was very well saved by goalkeeper Mathew Batts. Unfortunately he was unable to hold it and the rebound fell at the feet of a Bookham forward who slotted home from close range.

A break by Brockham shortly afterwards won a throw deep inside the Bookham half. The throw by Brown landed at the feet of Bletso who sent in a low drive. As with Bookham's goal, the ball couldn't be held and spilled out to Daniel Hetzel, who tapped in from 4 yards. The rest of the half saw shots from Brown and Hetzel resulting in either near misses or good saves and in the last couple of minutes Brockham had to soak up pressure with brave defending as Bookham won numerous corners.

The second half started much the same as the first, mainly midfield tussles with very few chances. Solid defending from both teams stopped any real attempts on goal until Bookham broke through and a shot on Brockham's goal rolled just wide. There were a couple of forceful runs by Tom Moriarty, who had replaced Liam Ratcliffe at half time, but nothing really to trouble either keeper. Legs were starting to tire half way through the second period and players from both sides were managing to lose their markers. Brockham then brought on two new players, Daniel Baty and Daniel Crook, and this then gave them the much needed energy to set up new attacking options.

Brockham U15s 2005-6

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U14a on the attack - and on the way to victory - against Steyning

U12b on the defensive against Rofffey

U11 (Black) on the attack in their first full 11-a-side game

A near miss in the U11a game against Hurstpierpoint -

plenty more found the net as Brockham ran out 10-0 winners.

A shot by Crooks was put out for a corner. The kick, taken by Brown, flew into the centre of the goalmouth and a first time shot by Bletso found the back of the net to make the score 1-3.

The Colts then had a few attacks on the Brockham goal with one long range effort skimming over the bar. It wasn't to be their day as the referee blew his whistle to give Brockham Badgers U10b their first win of the season.

Brockham Badgers U10c 5 - 1 Wolves

In the first game of the season, Brockham Badgers proved too strong for the opposition, ending up with a comfortable 5-1 victory.

From the start, the Brockham midfield took control with Axel Davies, Tim Hines and Jamie Hanwell dominating the play. It was no surprise when Axel Davies opened the scoring with a fine individual goal.

Tim Hines and Jamie Hanwell added a goal each to give Brockham a deserved 3-0 lead at half time.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first with Brockham continuing to dominate, and Jamie Hanwell added a further two goals to secure a first-day hatrick. However the highlight of the second half was a brilliant individual goal scored by the Wolves midfielder, Courtney.

The game was played in excellent spirit, and was enjoyed by all the boys on both sides.