It was all Badgers in the early part of the second half with Mackrell at the centre of things – his run was smothered on 36 mins, his shot blocked on 37 and his through ball resulted in a good shot from Knowles on 40. Immediately afterwards, a smart throw from Brightman found Parker who capped a strong performance with a wonderful weaving run, beating three defenders, and a great shot into the corner of the net. Badgers deservedly 1-0 up. The boys continued to control the game and protect their lead well until a very unfortunate penalty was conceded on 49 minutes. Dunleavy could do nothing to stop the well-taken spot kick and it was now 1-1.

The Badgers threw everything forward in order to regain the lead they deserved. Goddard and Van Acoleyen pushed forward to add potency to the attack, but a packed East Grinstead defence held out and the home side could have stolen the game themselves with a breakaway goal, had it not been for Dunleavy’s superb save in the last minute.

A good defensive performance from the boys and, with a little more luck up front, this might have been a comfortable win. However, given the start to the season, this was another solid performance. Well done.

However, the boys showed good resilience to keep playing on and got thier reward four minutes from time when Stephen Kehl scored to make it 2-2.  It looked like Badgers would go on to earn at least a point, if not claim all three; but in the very last minute, despite the valiant attempts of lad of the match and Brockham keeper Henry Warne, Broadbridge Heath forced the ball home for a third scrappy goal - Warne suffering an injury in the process.  So, a first defeat for the A side, but a character building experience that will provide valuable learning going forward.

Brockham continued the excellent start to the season with another emphatic away win, their third in succession. The game started with Bookham forcing the pace and bringing an early save from Badgers’ keeper Michael Ellis, flinging himself low to his right, With their tall striker and imposing goalkeeper, Bookham provided intimidating opposition but Brockham were soon into their stride and George Coffey had a couple of good early efforts to round off some impressive passing moves.

Badgers took the lead when Bertie Edwards-Hedges found Oliver Winter on the edge of the box, his confident first time shot finding the top corner of the net. Bookham tried to exert some pressure, but from a swift break out of defence Coffey played a clever ball on to Winter, whose cross from the left squirmed under the Bookham keeper to make it 2-0. Brockham were flying now and, from the re-start, the excellent Angus Hodge hit a ferocious drive onto the bar.

The second half continued in the same vein with Coffey unlucky to hit a post for the second time in the match, but Bookham pressed hard in an effort to get back into the match. Invariably, they found Brockham resolute in defence. Alex Nicholson was first to every ball and keeper Ellis always well positioned. Eventually, Edwards-Hedges put the result beyond doubt with an expert header from a well-flighted Harry Morland corner.

Lad of the Match: Angus Hodge.

Weakened by the absence of three players, Brockham Badgers travelled to West Byfleet without any substitutes, but turned in a spirited display to fight back from 2-0 down and claim a well-deserved point.

From the kick-off, the Badgers midfield of Hines, Hanwell and Davies took control and moved the ball around well. Persistent pressure went unrewarded in the first half as Brockham forced a number of corners, without being able to find the finishing touch.

The second half started with a break-away goal for the Scorpions against the run of play. As Brockham searched for the equaliser, a number of opportunities were spurned or well defended by the Scorpions, before another break-away, ended in a second goal for the home team.

Instead of tiring, the Badgers dug deeper to find that elusive first goal, and it eventually came from Axel Davies who twisted and turned through the Scorpions defence before sliding the ball over the line. Brockham surged forward in waves, with some excellent triangular moves, with both Davies and Hines coming close. As the game approached the final few minutes, Tim Hines was rewarded for his efforts by looping the ball into the far corner of the net, to the dismay of the brave Scorpions defence.

At 2-2, and with time fast running out, the Badgers still went for the winner, but the referee blew up to end another highly entertaining and well-contested match.

It was a case of "how did we lose that one" as U11 (Black) dominated the game against their visitors, only to see a catalogue of missed opportunities and fine opposition goal keeping deny Badgers. 

Brockham had looked well in control, before a Southwater shot from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection off a Badgers boot to loop over keeper George Corfield.  Brockham pressed for the remainder of the first half, with Oliver Curtis and Toby Dowle going close, while Matthew Gill also had a shot narrowly go wide.  Just before half time, Southwater broke free to make it 2-0, but Badgers upped the pressure after the break and virtually camped in the opposition half. Alex Marshall, Thomas Bletso and Gill maintained a midfield grip on the gap, while defenders David Atkinson, Robbie Ventham and James Morgan dealt comfortably with the Southwater attackers.  But Badgers morning was summed up when a Gill shot hit the post, only for Southwater to break and have their only second-half shot on target make it 3-0.

Immediately, Badgers pulled a goal back through lad-of-the-match Henry Smith and, for the final twenty minutes, Brockham laid siege to the Southwater goal with the opposition seemingly incapable of getting out of their half, but somehow the visitors held on to claim victory. 

For the second game iin succession, U11 (Black) have played well in defeat and, if the same spirit and attitude is shown for the remainder of the season, more wins will surely follow.