Brockham Badgers U9A 1 - 6 AFC Wimbledon (Epsom & Ewell League Premier Division)

AFC Wimbledon are the league leaders and Brockham would need a stellar performance to get any points from this game. Brockham were immediately under pressure but defended well before gifting a soft goal to Wimbledon. Matthew Chapman, in goal for Brockham, performed some marvellous saves to keep Brockham in the game. Brockham responded well to the pressure winning a corner and counter attacking with Sam Church forcing a good save by the Wimbledon keeper. On the break again Ed Russ crossed the ball to Joe Rabbetts  who finished perfectly, 1 – 1. Wimbledon immediately came back and hit the post twice but Brockham counter attacked again with Will Timmons forcing a good save just before half time.

Brockham came out for the second half positively but were not as organised as in the first half and soon found themselves the victim of a goal surge by Wimbledon. Before they knew it Brockham were 1-3 down and their heads dropped which made matters worse. Sam Church and Matthew Chapman battled hard for Brockham but that was not enough and Brockham conceded 5 goals in the second half. Brockham’s first half performance was inspired but they need to be able to maintain that level of performance throughout the game to have any hope of taking points from teams of Wimbledon’s calibre.

  

Man of the Match: Sam Church

  

Report by Rick Russ

Brockham Badgers U14A 4 - 1 Warlingham Colts (Surrey County Cup R3)

A convincing win and a terrific football performance gave much succour to Brockham Badgers U14A after a dismal run of results and the victory saw them through to the 4^th round of the Surrey FA County Cup for the first time.

The fixture with Warlingham Colts had been on and off all week.  The wintery conditions had meant no football for two weeks for most Surrey youth teams and the snow’s icy stubbornness forced MVDC’s hands on Friday, calling off all matches at the Big Field this weekend.  A quick switch to Brockham Recreation Ground and a sudden thaw however meant it was game on.

Brockham looked the better side from the start, but as seems their way this season, they inexplicably conceded in the first few minutes from a corner that dropped onto the cross bar and fell invitingly to the head of a Colt.

There was an air of calm confidence in the Badgers team this week though, and they dominated possession for much of the ensuing half.  This was built from the back where captain Simon Vakeva-Baird was a tower of positive inspiration with both Justin Tarrant and Tom Hampshire proving imperious partners for him in a physically intimidating back three.

Midfield controlled play and built a series of surging runs through the middle and out wide, in particular to their left where Jack Coppin was demonstrating his quick feet skills and devastating pace to good effect, on two occasions going very close to scoring when one on one with the Warlingham keeper.

Pace was definitely the weapon of choice and when Jordan Martin got in behind the Colts back line and ran onto a killer ball from Flint it was only a matter of placing the ball either side of the keeper to level the game.  Having opened his body superbly however the ball somehow went wide.  Martin and Flint went close again before half-time when only the heavens had any idea how Brockham were a goal behind.

It was all out power and pace for the second half with the introduction of Joe Silver up front and Martin moving right to support the pace of Coppin on both flanks.  Within minutes of the start Silver, who had been itching to get on, subtly poked the leveller in.  Five minutes later he had his second with a deft lift over the keeper.  Coppin then joined him with a superbly taken two touch finish on the end of a free kick from Tarrant, making it 3-1 to the Badgers.

Silver thought he had his hat-trick after pinching the ball from the toes of Tarrant following his powerful run from defence which parted the Warlingham team like the Red Sea, but Silver’s cheekiness was ruled out for off-side.  Another through ball provided Silver with his just rewards though.  He powered past two Warlingham defenders and passed the ball into the net for his trio of goals in thirty minutes.

Lad of the Match:  Tom Hampshire

Report by Jason Rabbetts

Brockham Badgers U12A (Blue) 6 - 0 Lower Beeding (Horsham & District 'B' League)

Table toppers Brockham hit six more

First Half
We had sticky conditions and a small pitch which dictated that we had
tight play with little room for open football. Having said that,
Dogansoy was showing some inspired vision with his clear reading of
the game and accurate passing.

On 5 minutes Brockham got their first chance, as Warne passed
straight for Donegan to shoot but his attempt was saved. The midfield
seemed a little frantic at times as space was at a premium but
Killick cut a commanding figure at the back and with Lane, they
snuffed out most of the Beeding forward movement.

Deadlock was broken on 10 minutes when Warne's winning pass found
Teague, who rifled in a confident shot past the keeper. 1-0.

Thus began a period of relentless pressure from Brockham and with
Purcell, they were constantly able to turn defence into attack. 2
minutes later Teague laid on a pass to the charging Turner, who
showed his wonderful composure to stop and then belt the ball beyond
the goalie, only to watch it bounce back off the upright.

In the next few minutes more opportunities beckoned as the Badgers
strikers appeared to be taking it in turns to try and score.
Dogansoy's shot went close, along with Turner's, as the league
leaders gained control more and more of a difficult game. However,
the home side very nearly stole through the Brockham ranks on 24
minutes, when the ball bounced wildly around a crowded Badgers
penalty area but it was eventually cleared. Moments later Vaughan
dashed back to make a timely sweeping tackle to stamp out another
Beeding threat.

The visitors relentlessly pursued their second goal, with Tiley
sprinting up front, but fell into the offside trap too frequently.In
the dying minutes a through ball once again found Turner's galloping
feet. The striker hit a punishing shot that flew into the net to make
it 2-0.
Half time 2-0.

Second Half
Brockham could not have had a better start to the second half. The
period was only seconds old when Teague delivered a very skillful
chip over a flat footed Beeeding keeper, to give his team a
resounding lead at 3-0.

The drama continued as Lower Beeding went on the attack 2 minutes
later. After a tussle, one of their forwards fell to the ground and
was awarded a rather fortuitous penalty. The spot kick was well taken
but was splendidly saved by the agile keeper Potts and parried out to
safety.

The let off for Brockham galvanized the team even more and they went
goal-bound yet again. Thomas made his presence felt up front and the
team's persistence eventually told. On 18 minutes another goal duely
came, from the boots of Turner. His great looping shot was kicked
assuredly from the edge of the area and hit the net uncontested. 4-0.
Goal number 5 came a mere 3 minutes after the restart. A Brockham
corner kick was floated over and met by Warne, who's header went in
like a missile. 5-0.

Heather and Watson were introduced to add fresh input to some now
tired legs. Despite the gluey condition of the pitch and a spirited
opponent Brockham were playing with pace and some flashes of neat
interplay. Although, their exuberant drive led them into more offside
traps.

There was only 3 minutes left to play for and Brockham pressed the
hosts again. This time they wove a pattern through the Beeding
defence down the right flank. A short cross into free space in the 6
yard box was quickly spotted by Vaughan. The player pounced and
smacked in the last goal of the day. 6-0.
Full time 6-0.

Man of the Match: Jacob Vaughan

Squad: Kemal Dogansoy, Jamie Donegan, Jordan Heather, Daniel
Killick, Dominic Lane, Sam Potts, Jake Purcell, Joe Teague, Wilbur
Tiley, Will Thomas, Ollie Turner, Jacob Vaughan, George Warne, Rufus
Watson.

Report by Tony Watson

Steyning 3 - 1 Brockham Badgers U16A (Horsham & District League)

Despite the scoreline, this was probably the best Brockham U16 performance of the season, Brockham playing the bulk of the game with only 10 men after injury had forced Ollie Smith to retire from the game. It was only very late that the home side made the game safe, and even then it was Brockham who created the majority of the chances throughout the 80 minutes, which on a better day would surely have resulted in a draw or win for the team

Fielding a bare 11 due to illness and unavailability, Brockham were boosted by the debut of striker Aaron Clark who has rejoined the club after a gap of several years, Clark having a promising game which bodes well for the rest of the season.

Brockham had an ideal start, scoring in the first minute through top scorer Stephen Kehl, whose shot crept in past the keeper, and Badgers sought to build on the goal, but Steyning equalised via a deflected effort on 15 minutes.

From that point, with the injured Smith soon having to leave the field, the 10 man Brockham side played well to a man. Keeper Connor Mitchell was as solid as ever, the back four of Henry Smith (having probably his best game of the season), Jack Hunt, captain Tom Bletso and Will Bletso were in control of the dangerous Steyning attack. In midfield, Scoop man of the match Ollie Legg was outstanding on the left hand side, while Joe Parker and Charlie Holmes were winning and playing a lot of the ball in centre midfield. Up front Clark and Kehl were forming a promising strike format. Either side of half time, Badgers looked likely to take the lead despite their depleted numbers, Parker and Kehl in particular seeing the home keeper make some fine saves.

But with 15 minutes to go Steyning were awarded a penalty, Mitchell given no chance by a well placed spot kick. Even then Brockham could have forced their way back in, a great Kehl 25 yard shot somehow pushed over by the keeper, while a pin point Legg corner was met by Tom Bletso's header which rocketed just over with the keeper beaten. As Badgers pushed up, Steyning killed the game in the final few minutes, taking advantage of a rare defensive mistake. That goal did not take away from the fact that this was a very good performance by Brockham  which if repeated for the remainder of the season should see Badgers claim some good wins

Squad: Connor Mitchell, Jack Hunt, Henry Smith. Tom Bletso (c), Will Bletso, Ollie Legg, Charlie Holmes, Joe Parker, Ollie Smith, Aaron Clark, Tom Bletso


Report by Bryan Bletso

Badgers U10A 5 - 4 St Paul's Panthers (South Surrey Youth League)

On Saturday morning we were treated to one of the most exciting games we're likely to see all season.  Definitely the game of the season so far.

Our illustrious managers, Simon and Mick, used the friendly with The Panthers to blood a few deserving starlets in the A team after some mightily impressive performances in the B team.

Morgan Hamilton ran the show early on with his trademark runs and midfield battling.  Morgan was pinging in dangerous through balls and crosses throughout.  The St Paul's defence had to be on their toes to keep Morgan's guided missiles from finding their target but there was only so much they could do...

Adam "Full Power" Bower was like a pickpocket in the hustle and bustle of the January sales as he timed his run to perfection, evaded all surveillance and clipped a stunning shot over the keeper and into the corner of the net.  Morgan's wonderful passing had the finish it deserved.  It was a wonderful sight to see these lads combining so well.

Oliver Yeates followed this up with a divine piece of opportunism as he took advantage of a lapse in concentration at the back, nodded the ball over the keeper and ran through for The Badger's second.

St Paul's would not lie down though and managed to claw one back right at the end of the first half.  Patrick Oliveira-Fry showed great awareness and intelligence in his attempt to cover the keeper.  Patrick has shown great improvement, attempts to use both feet and is a very solid defender.

Half-Time: Brockham Badgers U10 A 2 St Paul's Panthers U10 A 1

The second-half started with Morgan taking the gloves from the ever dependable George Lees.  George had made some excellent saves in the first half and his distribution was much quicker and therefore much more effective.  George is very quietly and steadily becoming a fantastic goalkeeper and when he plays up front he never lets anyone down. 

Even so, St Paul's soon levelled the game.  It was a little against the run of play but when a side never gives up there is always a way back.

Henry Lucas was formidable at the back.  His grace and poise on the ball was setting up Oliver Yeates to go forward.  When St Paul's attacked Henry was like passport control turning away everything that hadn't been stamped by one of his team mates.

The Two Olivers (now a real threat to Barker and Corbett) began to showcase their skills.  Oliver "Iniesta" Quigley carried on from where he left off last week, darting about and laying on chances for the forwards.  His vision for picking out team mates is a much welcome talent.

Oliver Yeates volleyed home number three from an acute angle.  It was a top notch strike to put The Badger's noses back in front.

The Panthers were soon back in it.  Quick to capitalise on errors they ghosted in to the box on two separate occasions and suddenly Brockham were four-three down.  It could have been worse too if not for Joe "The Radar" Allen.  Joe put in the challenge of the season to put off their main striker as he went through on goal.  Joe may well have saved the game.

Will Pirt was making the most of his second outing with some quality runs down the wing.  Will's industry was outstanding and the last time I saw someone turn that quick was when a fifty-pence piece fell out of Simon Lees' back pocket about two seasons ago.

Oliver Yeates wouldn't give in, and another super strike levelled the game at four-each.  Oliver and Ezra continued to threaten.  Oliver's passes soon found Ezra who seemed to teleport in from the left like Captain Kirk.  After a fine right foot shot was palmed away by The Panther's keeper it looked like The Badgers would have to settle for a draw...

Then Oliver made another great pass which Ezra took, beat his marker and drilled past the keeper.  It was a true goalscorer's goal and another milestone in Ezra's transformation from midfielder to attacker.

Full-Time: Brockham Badgers U10 A 5 St Paul's Panthers U10 A 4

Man of the Match: Henry Lucas, set up the counter attacks with excellent passing and kept the drawbridge up in defence (I'm too young to remember Bobby Moore but they say he was in the same league as Henry).

Squad: George Lees, Henry Lucas, Joe Allen, Patrick Oliveira-Fry, Morgan Hamilton, Will Pirt, Oliver Quigley, Oliver Yeates, Ezra Charles, Adam Bower

Report by Jason Charles

Badgers U9A 3 - 2 Worcester Park Colts (Epsom & Ewell League Premier Division)

Buoyed by their recent away win at Leatherhead, Brockham got stuck into Worcester Park straight away. Jos Hunt hit a shot hard and low to beat the Worcester Park keeper. Ed Russ took a short corner to Will Timmons who was unmarked on the edge of the box, Will hit it first time to make it 2-0. It appeared that Brockham had found their form and that this game was going to be one way traffic, but the Brockham players eased up and let Worcester Park back into the game, 2-1. Will Timmons hit another great shot which the keeper saved but Sam Church followed up to make it 3-1. Joss Hunt took a knock and was substituted for Archie Routleff. Joe Rabbetts, in goal for Brockham, made some great saves to protect Brockham’s lead including one with his head which he must have picked up on the streets of Bogata!

In the second half Matthew Chapman went in goal for Brockham whilst Joe Rabbetts moved out to the left and Owen Knowles went to right back. Worcester Park applied pressure immediately, winning corners and getting another goal back to make it 3-2. Great defending by George Wryde and Owen Knowles kept Brockham in front as Brockham pushed forward. Ed Russ had a good free kick saved and a cross from Owen Knowles was met by Joe Rabbetts forcing another good save. Brockham applied more pressure but could not get another goal and the home crowd were delighted and relieved to hear the final whistle, 3-2. Based upon the balance of play Brockham deserved all three points.

Man of the Match: Ed Russ

Report by Rick Russ

Cranleigh Casuals 2 - 1 Badgers U9 Barbarians (Horsham & District Youth League)

Unbeaten in nine matches since the start of the season, a long trip deep into the Surrey Hills saw the Barbarians attempting to add Cranleigh Casuals to their impressive record.

Right from kick-off it was clear that to impose themselves on Cranleigh the Barbarians would have to bring together all the positive attributes they have displayed this season, for Cranleigh were clearly the strongest opposition faced so far. As a unit Cranleigh were well-organised, and provided a very stern test with their hard-working defence, including a very capable goalkeeper, and more attacking players with no little ability.

Despite the unusual experience of facing a team with such capability Barbarians were not cowed, and fought toe-to-toe to gain possession. Honours were even for the first ten minutes, with play being concentrated in a midfield where new captain Lily Turner, Tom Ambrose and Ben Mackenzie showed their usual energy and ambition. In goal, Jethro Burton was relatively under-occupied.

Whilst there could be no faulting the commitment of the team, it was nonetheless apparent that the recognition that Cranleigh possessed the players to cause damage made the Barbarians a little reluctant to open the game up by playing passes to colleagues in space. There was a tendency to dwell on the ball and this was punished when possession was lost in right midfield. The Cranleigh left-midfielder advanced, and shot from the left edge of the area, beating the unsighted Barbarian keeper.

Heads did not go down, and the Barbarians retained their fighting spirit. Too few chances were created however, with the striker a little isolated by a continued habit of over-playing the ball further back. When shooting opportunities did come, the Cranleigh ‘keeper showed his quality.

After half-time the game opened up a little, with two or three chances being created. Arun Watkins and Ben Austin worked hard to support their team’s ambition whilst William Glenn and Huw Morgan at the back made some timely interceptions when Cranleigh broke through the midfield.

With ten minutes to go the price was paid for earlier failure to create sufficient genuine goal-scoring opportunity. Cranleigh again broke free on their left, and their striker let go a looping shot into the top right-hand corner beyond the reach of the Barbarians’ keeper. 0-2 to Cranleigh and seemingly no way back for the black and whites.

Five minutes from time, Callum Holder took the initiative. Intercepting a Cranleigh move in the centre circle he raced forward, jinking past two or three opponents. Bearing down on the ‘keeper, he struck with his left and the spirits of his teammates were lifted as the ball nestled into the left hand corner of the net.

The rally continued as chances came and went, chances which on another day might well have stuck. A minute to go and another break from Holder represented the last chance to salvage a point. He again broke from the half-way line, beating all challenges save that of the outstanding Cranleigh keeper who saved at the striker’s feet. The final whistle followed, signifying the first defeat of the season for the Barbarians.

Man of the Match: Ben Austin

Squad: Lily Turner (c), Tom Ambrose, Ben Austin, Jethro Burton, William Glenn, Callum Holder, Ben Mackenzie, Huw Morgan, Arun Watkins.

Report by Frank Holder

Old Isleworthians Youth Red 0 - 2 Badgers U11 Sunday (Surrey Youth League Cup)

If the first quarter was anything to go by, we were in for a typical cup tie, as both teams participated in frantic end to end attacks.  Each term earned a number of corners, but nobody could find the net.  Brockham’s Callum Agent came closest latching onto a poor headed clearance, but he drove the ball just wide of goal.  To add to the frenzied atmosphere the coaches were finding it hard to be heard as aircraft took off overhead, including a huge Airbus 380 en route to Singapore.  Brockham’s Nataniel King was the first to truly trouble the Isleworthians defence with his impressive pace, however he wasn’t able to get the better of their captain at centre back, who remained impassable.  It wasn’t until late in the first half that another surge down the left hand side by King, having picked up a throw in, culminated in a cross to Max Austin who seized the rare opportunity to squeeze the ball between the keeper and post for the Badgers to take a 1 – 0 lead into the break.

The second half saw continued end to end activity with the Isleworthians particularly quick on the break.  The Badgers defence stood up extremely well, with some great saves by Alex Wells at short range and resolute clearances by Alex Watts.  Aidan Torpey was typically busy in defence and encountering quite a battle in mid field, but still managed to bring the ball forwards.  On one charge he pushed the ball out to the right.  Max Hill did well to bring the ball under control and slip it to Finn Campbell who guided it into the net for a 2 – 0 lead.  Conor Gilmartin and Campbell pestered the Isleworthians defence up the right hand side but were unable to break though again.

Brockham had beaten an undefeated side and showed great character to keep a clean sheet on a narrow pitch.   Gilmartin was named man of the match for his constant pressuring and excellent covering in defence.

Man of the Match: Conor Gilmartin 

Squad: Callum Agent, Max Austin, Finn Campbell, William Conroy, Conor Gilmartin, Thomas Hemming, Jack Wisbey, Justin Hurst, Alex Wells, Aidan Torpey, Natanial King, Max Hill, Alex Watts, Tom Phillips

Report by Christopher Hurst

Badgers U15A 2 - 0 Tooting & Mitcham United Stripes Terriers (Surrey Youth League Premier Elite)

Brockham Badgers U15A brought to an end a dismal run of five consecutive defeats with probably their best performance of the season at home to Tooting and Mitcham Utd. The 2-0 victory was all the sweeter as it avenged an earlier cup defeat at home to the same team in what had undoubtedly been Badgers' worst showing of the current campaign. With 4 regulars missing, Brockham lined up with several players out of position, including stand-in keeper Alex Nicholson, but this didn't deter the home side from taking the game to Tooting from the start. The first half-hour saw Badgers pose the greater threat going forward, and their good work was eventually rewarded when Oli Winter opened the scoring on 30 minutes with a fine shot from outside the angle of the box which sailed over the keeper into the far top corner.

Badgers came out all guns blazing after the break and had several good chances to double their lead, not least a penalty tipped against the bar by the Tooting keeper. The pressure soon told when Mike Richardson burst into the box on 50 minutes and, taking the ball to the bye-line, calmly crossed for Chris Brooks to finish at close range. Although the visitors had their chances to get back in the game, this was a day when the whole Brockham side pulled together and every player contributed to a fine display, with particularly strong performances from Mewis and Richardson in midfield and the back four of Mahoney, Higgins, Bletso and Bangs who spared Nicholson too much work in goal (though what he had to do, he dealt with comfortably). The one thing missing – as usual – was some more clinical finishing, and a higher winning margin would not have flattered the Badgers. If they can keep this level going a mid-table finish should easily be within their reach.

Squad: Alex Nicholson, Will Mahoney, Ross Bangs, Liam Ratcliffe, Matt Higgins, Will Bletso, Oli Winter, Mike Richardson, Josh Brown, Harvey Mewis, George Coffey, Chris Brooks.

Report by Simon Winter

Brockham Badgers U14A 1 - 6 Bedfont Eagles (Surrey Youth League Premier Elite)

Another decent performance, another disappointing result - finishing really counts at this level.  Brockham Badgers, buoyed by a good outing last week were in optimistic mood to face the Middlesex FA County Cup finalists Bedfont Eagles for their first time.

Things started well.  Although conceding early on, the Badgers immediately responded to level the game through Sam Lloyd and they dominated the first twenty minutes.  A lack of concentration however allowed three silly goals for the Bedfont boys in a nightmarish ten minute spell at the end of the first half which put Brockham undeservedly on the back foot.

The Eagles smelled blood and came out for the second half in impressive fashion.  Brockham held their nerve though and didn’t allow the score line to diminish their determination.  Lewis Wood, Jack Coppin, and Jordan Martin all went close on several occasions but nothing was hitting the back of the net.

At the other end however Bedfont made it count every time.  They bagged themselves two more goals mid-way through the second half to secure all three points and to finish the game with a score line that deceived the Badgers’ real performance.  The Eagles deserved the win but not by quite the margin they enjoyed.

Lad of the Match:  Simon Vakeva-Baird

Report by Jason Rabbetts

Badgers U12A Blues 3 - 1 Roffey Robins (Horsham & District B League)

First Half
Brockham kicked off the game on a sticky Autumn pitch. They launched
into their first attack with only seconds played and continued to put
the Robins under pressure. Although, on 3 minutes the away team
showed their potential for surprise with a sprinting break from their
own half, which clearly woke up the Brockham defence. Down at the
other end, 5 minutes later, Teague whipped over a telling cross that
required a decent save by Roffey's keeper.


Once more, the Robins replied with an assault on the Brockham goal,
only to be denied by a Vaughan clearance off the goal line. On 10
minutes there was more surprise for the Badgers as the ball bounced
around in their penalty area and was only half cleared. The ball
landed at the feet of a ready and willing Robins forward, who hit a
strong shot that took a deflection and ended up in the net. 0-1.


The normally tight Brockham defence were trying, with a little
difficulty, to adjust to the efforts of the trying Roffey forwards.
As soon as they found their feet again Brockham began to assert
themselves and drive forward. Their attempts paid off in the 12th
minute, when Thomas gifted Turner a lovely through ball into the
area, to chase. The striker's assured finishing left the visitor's
goalie watching as the ball slid past him and into the goal, for the
equalizer. 1-1.


The tide was turning Brockhams way and just 2 minutes later they won
a corner. The kick went to Teague, who delivered another great
looping shot over all comers heads to make it 2-1.


The hosts were keen to add to their tally and strove towards goal at
every opportunity. We saw some visionary passing from Dogansoy and
plenty of graft from Thomas and Warne. Up front, Turner, Teague and
Potts were a constant menace. Turner and Teague both had full hearted
attempts at goal but the half ended in a narrow lead to Brockham.
Half time 2-1.


Second Half
The visitors were stung just 2 minutes after the half kicked off,
when Turner wove himself past the Roffey defence down the left wing
and cut the ball back inside to the charging Thomas. Thomas
dispatched a confident strike that went clean past the out-stretched
keeper, for his side's third. 3-1.


An increasingly slippy and heavy pitch made for some tired legs and
the flow of the game started to look a bit stodgey. The ball
generally went from one end of the field to the other, with both
sides going for goal. Roffey went close on 8 minutes with a shot that
was lifted over the heads of all. Mostly though, Brockham were the
team now most likely to score.


Their commanding defence in Purcell, Lane, Killick and Baker were
working as a secure unit, allowing their team-mates ahead of them
more freedom to play forwards, and kept keeper Wheeler relatively
untroubled. Watson was added to create another dimension on the wing,
and despite the pitch Brockham were playing some good formation
football. They were also closing down the opposition more effectively.
Brockham's pressure won them a number of corners and following a
lovely movement in the 24th minute they won the last corner kick of
the day. A well placed kick floated over and could have had any
outcome. The ball was cleared and the scoreline remained at 3-1.
Full time 3-1.


Man of the Match: Sam Potts


Squad: Joe Baker, Kemal Dogansoy, Daniel Killick, Dominic Lane, Sam
Potts, Jake Purcell, Joe Teague, Will Thomas, Ollie Turner, Jacob
Vaughan, George Warne, Rufus Watson, Oakley Wheeler.

Report by Tony Watson

Badgers U16A 1 - 1 Twin Oaks (Horsham & District League)

Brockham U16As played out a terrific game of football against Twin Oaks at the weekend, perhaps feeling hard done by not to have got all three points as for the second game running Badgers finished the far stronger of the two sides only to finish with a draw.

Brockham started once more with a high tempo and scored inside 5 minutes, Stephen Kehl tapping home after the keeper parried a Henry Hill shot.

Twin Oaks have gained  a couple of good cup scalps this season, including A league Ashurst Wood, and played their part in an entertaining match. Brockham were just shading it though, and it was slightly against the run of play when 5 minutes into the second half Twin Oaks equalised, a long range shot finding the inside of the post with the otherwise excellent Brockham keeper Connor Mitchell just failing to tip the ball round the post.

The last 20 minutes saw Brockham have all the possession. Chances fell to Hill, Kehl and Tom Bletso from some fine Ollie Legg corners, but somehow the Twin Oaks goal escaped with the game finishing at 1-1. Ref Neil Holland went out of his way at the end of the game to complement both sides on a fine game which reflected well on both clubs
Lad of the match went to Stephen Kehl for his tireless running, although midfielder Ollie Smith ran Kehl close with an energetic performance

Brockham keeper Connor Mitchell's matchday and training gloves are sponsored by Robbie Ellis (Football Freestyle Promoter) To book a freestyler for an event you can contact Robbie on 07837 994461

Squad: Connor Mitchell, Henry Smith, Joe Parker, Tom Bletso (c), Jack Hunt, Ollie Smith, Ollie Legg, Mike Carty, Will Bletso, Henry Hill, Stephen Kehl, Tim Hopkins


Report by Bryan Bletso

Badgers U16B 2 - 2 Greenway (Horsham & District League)

Badgers U16B came back strongly from 2-0 down in an exciting game at the Big Field on Saturday, Badgers bossing the second half but somehow failing to score a third goal that would have won the game

Inexplicably, Brockham produced a disinterested opening 20 minutes that saw Greenway race into a two goal lead, both soft goals conceded from corners.

Midway through the half, Brockham woke up and began to get more possession, Dan Hoad and Ollie Curtis a real handful for the opposition defence, and just before half time, badgers pulled a goal back through Hoad

The second half was one way traffic, the team showing grit and determination, lad of the match Ben Wright leading by example as the team really got stuck in. With 20 minutes to go, Badgers equalised when Hoad's shot was parried into the net by the keeper

There only looked like one winner, Brockham putting pressure on the Greenway goal, Curtis having several chances only to see the keeper save well. Late on a flowing move saw Curtis cross for Caldwell, but his diving header just skimmed over the Greenway bar.


Lad of the Match: Ben Wright

Squad: Jack Whetnell, Sam McFarland, Max Ruff, Dhilen Patel, James Stone , Elliott Austin, Josh Hook, Stefan Issberner, David Atkinson, Dex Bass, Ollie Curtis. Dan Hoad, Josh Caldwell, Ben Wright

Report by Bryan Bletso

Badgers U10A 7 - 0 Kirdford Juniors (South Surrey Youth League)

Could the Badgers bounce back from last week's defeat?  Would the score-line undermine morale?  How would the team manage with a number of star players missing?  These were the questions we'd been worrying about all week...

Huge sigh of relief on the sides when last week's Man of the Match, Jack Duncan, was seen warming up.  The team would have its Rolls Royce engine in gear after all!  We're all big fans of Jack's: The Badger's Man-At-Arms.

The game was evenly contested early on but The Badgers slowly took a hold of the game.  The inspirational Morgan Hamilton opened the scoring when one of his trademark driving runs saw him finish with style and guile.  Morgan impressed yet again.  He's been a revelation this season with a style reminiscent of Steven Gerrard.

Ezra Charles combined with Jack Duncan and Oliver Quigley to create a number of chances.  Young Charles finally got his goal by a combination of sheer grit and determination, as he tussled with two defenders and the keeper in the area, eventually bundling the ball over the line through sheer force of will.

Only minutes later and Ezra took a touch to go past the defender and drilled in a left foot finish into the far corner.  A real strikers goal that allowed The Badgers to throw off the shackles and truly express themselves.

Ezra and Morgan played a number of one-twos to slice through the opposition.  If these two boys hadn't had their asbestos vests on they'd have quite literally caught fire!  Ezra was pushing for his hat-trick and needed a little more composure in front of goal but he was getting closer ansd closer…

Oliver Quigley had his best game of the season.  His running with the ball was exceptional.  Twisting and turning in a full-circle as he evaded tackles and danced past challenges that at times was Strictly Come Dribbling.  Brockham's very own Iniesta was remarkable and a joy to watch from the touchline.

Morgan soon added his second and third to realise his second hat-trick of the season.  It capped off an outstanding all-round display.  He would show great dedication for the team throughout this game.

Half-Time Brockham Badgers U10 A 5-0 Kirdford Juniors U10 A

George Lees had been steady in goal in the first-half and continued to support his team mates as an attacker in the second.  His right foot drive into the top corner was denied by a sensational save from the Kirdford keeper.  George made some great touches and lay-offs for team mates; he never stops running for the cause.  George claimed more assists this week and is creating chances for those around him.

With Morgan selflessly taking a defensive role the chance for other players to play in midfield and shine was taken up.  Will Pirt came on and worked hard for the team.  This boy has a sharp turn and releases the ball intelligently.  It was a fantastic first-team debut for Will.  He almost got a goal too when a spirited run into the centre saw him deftly chip the keeper and clip the crossbar.  Will was very unlucky.

Henry Lucas was assured at the back and wonderful in possession.  He's been collecting centre-forwards for his collection all season and Saturday was no different.  We just hope his pockets are big enough to see him through to May.

Ezra Charles was pushing for his hat-trick and cut in from the left to hit a shot that the Kirdford keeper beat around the post.  It was a stunning save.  Ezra could smell the next goal and wouldn't give up.  Even so, he did manage to put a cross in for Adam "Full Power" Bower.  It came at Adam at waist height but he almost managed to turn it in.  This boy put in another solid team, performance.

Joe Allen, so reliable at the back, was setting up attacks, with his right foot posting recorded deliveries all over the pitch.  He hit a long range effort in the first half that took the paint off the post.  They used to say Liam Brady could open a can of beans with his left foot.  Joe can open the tin with his right and butter the toast with it too.  His through ball for Ezra to complete his hat-trick was as good as anything you'll see this season at any level.

Ezra's fourth and final goal was set up by his signature move.  He collected the ball on the left wing.  Reversed the full back to get to the by-line, cut in, skipped a challenge, faked a cross and slammed it home.  Wonderful football.

Kirdford had played well and should take credit from the game.  It was a brave and honourable display and hopefully they will take heart from their performance.

Full-Time: Brockham Badgers U10 A 7-0 Kirdford Juniors U10 A

Man of The Match: Ezra Charles touch, vision and finishing (McManaman and Fowler rolled into one) what else do you need!

Team: George Lees, Henry Lucas, Joe Allen, Jack Duncan, Morgan Hamilton, Adam Bower, Ezra Charles, Oliver Quigley, Will Pirt

Report by Jason Charles

Barnes Eagles 2 - 8 Badgers U14A (Surrey County Cup R2)

Every time these two teams meet, they are never boring matches. Today’s game was no exception. The game began in stale mate, both teams battling hard in midfield, but both defences not allowing there keepers to touch the ball.

After five minutes, Badgers started to press the ball with confidence and started to apply good pressure, which paid off. Martin beat the off side trap and burst forward to open the score line. Barnes a little taken back by the goal, invited further more pressure which lead to a Badgers corner. A pin point cross from Martin found the head of Cremmen to make it two.

Badgers were in control and another attack starting from the right side with some good interplay between Gout, Wood and Lloyd, gave Lloyd a chance to bolt forward to see his shot hit to post, but his persistence nearly paid off, but unfortunately his shoot went slightly wide of the post.

Barnes then caught Badgers of guard and opened up the midfield and defence with some good one touch football and scored a well deserved goal. Barnes then pushed there team up the field and started to apply more pressure, but the sure hands of Badgers goal keeper, Justin Tarrant kept any chances at bay. Moving in to final ten minutes of the first half, Badgers began to win possession. Some good interplay between Coppin and Flint opened up for Flint to slot home a great goal.

Badgers continued to press the ball and control the game, again this paid off. Flint, who took a long ball down the wing from Vakeva-Baird and became provider, with a neat cross from the left corner allowing Cremmen to neatly slot home his second goal of the game.

Second half changes for both sides; Brightman on for Gout and a change of formation and move around of players for Barnes. This has had an immediate effect; Barnes took control of the game and started to dominate. Within minutes Barnes had numerous shots on goal, but were unable to beat Tarrant’s safe hands.

Then a mistake of the new look defence of Vakeva-Baird, Jhugroo and Tom Hampshire which had not put a foot wrong all game, allowed Barnes to pull another goal back. Badgers were taken back by this and allowed Barnes to take more control of the game. Although this gave Badgers some opportunity to catch Barnes on the break due to their high line. The midfield trio of Wood, Cremmen & Lloyd started to absorb the pressure and then with some quick passing and nice through ball, gave Martin the opportunity to get his second of the game.

Barnes still not deterred by score line continued to push forward in numbers and cause problems, but again got caught on the counter attack which allowed Martin to complete his hatrick. Badgers were now were on top and playing some great one-touch football. Silver replaced Flint and made an immediate effect with some darting runs, which gave Coppin the perfect opportunity to make it seven goals.

Barnes although down, showed they still were not going to take this game lying down,  and opened up a gap, but Jhugroo closed it down quickly forcing the shot to go over the cross bar. Moving into the last five minutes, the final change for Badgers; Gout came on for Martin and made an immediate impact, by scoring a goal and making if eight for the visitors. The final whistle was blown and it was well deserved win Badgers. Roll on the next round.

Man of the Match: Sam Lloyd

Report by J-P Jhugroo

Leatherhead FC 2 - 3 Badgers U9A (Epsom & Ewell League Premier Division)

Brockham went into this match needing points but missing a few players. Brockham Coach, Jason Rabbetts, was on a winter vacation and he had taken his son Joe with him! Step forward Jason’s understudy “King Kev” Timmons.

Brockham played the first 10 minutes with only 6 men, but you wouldn’t have known. Brockham passed the ball well and broke through the Leatherhead defence with ease creating numerous chances. Jos Hunt, up front for Brockham, had a number of chances, hitting the post and shooting just wide; eventually the ball went in for Hunt and Brockham took the lead. A penalty shout went up from the Brockham supporters but the referee wasn’t interested. Leatherhead got a break and managed to get one back on the stroke of half time.

The second half was exciting from the whistle with both teams having opportunities but it was Will Timmons who put Brockham ahead. The Leatherhead Keeper clashed with Will Timmons and the game was stopped for a few minutes whist the keeper received treatment. Leatherhead never game up and in the last minute of normal time Leatherhead found their equaliser. The referee signalled for 2 minutes of added time and both teams went out to clinch this game. Ed Russ in midfield passed forward to Jos Hunt who played a delightfully weighted chip over the Leatherhead defence where Callum Holder had only the keeper to beat. Holder, as cool as a cucumber, drilled the ball hard and low to the keepers right, 2-3. The King is dead long live King Kev!

Man of the Match: Ed Russ

Report by Rick Russ

Badgers U9 Barbarians 3 - 0 Heron Way (Horsham & District League)

The main objective of the pre-match talk was to emphasise to the team that after three splendid wins against less gifted teams, the Barbarians had learned during the previous match that to win against stronger opposition high standards of passing, movement and making space are essential.

This was the return fixture against Heron Way. The away game had been a close, 0-0 affair, however the Barbarians came away feeling that they had not done themselves justice. Today was the opportunity to put that right, but victory would only come with hard work and the application of key principles.

As usual, the Barbarians’ rock-sold defensive foundation was the platform which enabled those with attacking responsibilities to fulfil them with confidence. Heron Way possess the players to put their opposition under pressure, yet it was perhaps disheartening for them that Jethro Burton and in particular player-of-the-match William Glenn consistently broke them down by timing immaculately their interceptions and laying the ball off to a well-placed midfield colleague.

In midfield, the outstandingly consistent Lily Turner – who is surely the best female player in this division – and captain-fantastic Tom Ambrose time and again orchestrated Barbarian attacks by gaining possession of the ball and playing it simply and effectively. The reward came halfway through the first half when Ben Mackenzie took advantage of this constant supply by breaking through the centre of the Heron Way defence and slotting the ball home for his hugely deserved first goal of the season.

And the Barbarians were not about to rest on their laurels. Dominance continued, with play-anywhere Huw Morgan again making it difficult to know whether he is of more value to the team when performing heroics in goal or when tackling and dribbling with supreme skill in the outfield. A pity therefore that he narrowly missed claiming a goal after an irresistible run through the centre.

In the second half Ben Austin took his place in midfield having not been over-stretched in goal in the first half, and made a very effective contribution with his ceaseless running. Arun Watkins showed how his excellent close-control can be devastating when he extracts the ball from a tight space and feeds it to a team-mate in space.

Barbarians’ dominance was confirmed when Callum Holder received the ball just inside the Heron Way half. Lightning acceleration took him clear of two defenders and left the ball nestling in the back of the net. 2-0 to the Barbarians.

A similar effort came a few minutes later when Callum broke through the right side of the Heron Way defence and tucked the ball into the left hand corner to underline a much-deserved victory over the strongest opposition faced this season, and to claim his fourteenth goal in eight matches this season. Whilst this is a superb record, it is also clearly the product of the marvellous teamwork and ability of the squad as a whole, which remains unbeaten at this half-way point in the season.

Man of the Match: William Glenn

Squad: Tom Ambrose (c), Ben Austin, Jethro Burton, William Glenn, Callum Holder, Ben Mackenzie, Huw Morgan, Lily Turner, Arun Watkins.

Report by Frank Holder

Upper Beeding 2 - 2 Badgers U16A (Horsham & District League)

Brockham Badgers  U16A put in a good team performance at Upper Beeding on Saturday and can count themselves unlucky not to have come away with all three points.

After the disappointing performance the week before against Cranleigh, Brockham got back on track from the off as they forced Upper Beeding on to the back foot with a high tempo start to the match,. Beeding were rocking and it was no surprise when lad of the match and captain Tom Bletso slotted the ball home from a corner to make it 1-0 on 10 minutes.

 Brockham continued to press but despite opportunities could not build on their lead, and against the run of play Beeding equalised from a corner after Brockham failed to clear twice giving Beeding a simple opportunity in the 6 yard box.

1-1 at half time, Brockham were somehow behind within a minute of the restart, Brockham losing the ball in midfield  which led to Beeding catching the defence flat footed, a great strike from a Beeding striker giving Brockham keeper Connor Mitchell no chance.  The fact Mitchell hardly touched the ball for the rest of the second half is a testament to the domination Brockham now had, but it was to be a frustrating half for the Badgers.  Stephen Kehl did well to equalise for Badgers with 20 minutes to go, sliding the ball past the Upper Beeding keeper who had a great game, and it looked like it was a matter of time before Badgers scored the winner.

Beeding defended for their lives though, and made life very difficult for Brockham, and despite plenty of possession few chances were carved out for Badgers.  Indeed, a gutsy Beeding side gave Brockham a scare with 10 minutes to go, having an effort ruled out from a free kick for off side. The last 10 minutes saw Badgers press and press, a frenetic last period seeing Brockham dominate but create few real chances.

Squad: Connor Mitchell, Joe Parker, Henry Smith, Tom Bletso ©, Jack Hunt, Ollie Smith, Ollie Legg, Charlie Holmes, Will Bletso, Henry Hilll, Stephen Kehl, Mike Carty

Man of the Match: Tom Bletso


Report by Bryan Bletso

Badgers U16B 6 - 3 Chesworth Rovers (Horsham & District League)

Brockham Badgers U16Bs secured  a deserved win over a battling Chesworth Rovers on Saturday, Chesworth doing well to make life difficult for Badgers with two great first half strikes to go in only 3-2 down when Badgers probably deserved a lead of greater than a solitary goal at the interval.

 The star of the day was  a rampant Ollie Curtis at centre forward, Curtis grabbing 4 goals over the game as he proved too hot to handle for the opposition, but special mention also goes to David Atkinson who excelled in an unaccustomed right midfield position, scoring into the bargain.  Brockham's other goal came from Dan Hoad, but Badgers were deserved winners and go into the remainder of the campaign with confidence.


Report by Bryan Bletso

Badgers U12As 3 - 2 Storrington Vipers (Horsham & District B League)

Hard fought win keeps up Brockham title hopes


First Half
Brockham sprung into action straight from the kick off and took the
game to Storrington. The first real chance came in the 5th minute,
when Tiley slid a ball for Potts to gallop after, but the forward's
attempt was muffled by the visitor's defence. The first corner also
went to Brockham, just a minute later but led to nothing. Brockham
were on top of their opponents but were having to fight to maintain
their supremecy. Purcell, dominating his area of the pitch on the
left was playing some intelligent passes to propel his team forward.
In the 9th minute The Badgers were unlucky not to take the lead when
Potts knocked in a shot that clearly had the keeper beat but he could
only watch as the ball hit the woodwork and bounced away to safety.
Soon after, Brockham won another corner, which resulted in The Vipers
almost catching the home side out with a sprint out of defence and
into attack. They broke at speed again minutes later and this was a
wake up call for Brockham, who had to be careful of the sucker punch
and Wheeler in goal had to keeper on his toes.


On 18 minutes Brockham pressed again, down the left wing and Teague
and Tiley conspired to wriggle their way through the Storrington
defenders with some beautiful moves. Teague followed up with a well-
drilled shot that the keeper couldn't get to and ended up in the net.
1-0.


Two minutes after the restart a throw in on the right flank found
Teague, who looked ready to cross into the area, but his looping shot
left everybody flat footed as it sailed over the keeper's head and
make it goal number two. 2-0.


Warne began stamping his presence in midfield and Donegan continued
to harass, as Brockham turned up the pressure. However, Storrington
had shown bursts of energy earlier and on 25 minutes they produced
another counter attack at high speed. Their attackers were not picked
up early enough and they went on to net their opener. 2-1.


With 3 goals in 9 minutes, we now had a game on our hands. It took
all of 2 more minutes for Brockham to hit back, when a corner was
crossed into a crowded area and was met by the quick boots of
Heather. The striker didn't need a second chance and his side now led
3-1.


The last few minutes of the half were all getting a bit breathless
and The Vipers refused to roll over and die. In the final minute they
gained a last gasp corner, from which their forwards were quicker to
a scrossed ball and scored a vital second just before the interval. 3-2.
Half time 3-2.


Second Half
Storrington began the half full of hope and went looking for the
equalizer. First corner went to them on 2 minutes, followed by
another a minute later. Brockham cleared their lines but not without
looking a little uncomfortable. Both teams fought out the first
opening minutes and the away side looked somewhat the sharper at times.
On 8 minutes Turner produce some sharp play of his own and created a
goal scoring chance but his shot was stopped. Gradually, The Badgers
were coming to life more and were pushing harder, with Thomas
immersing himself in the midfield action. Heather had another attempt
blocked and then Teague set up the lively Potts to shoot once more,
but the attempt was saved. Warne also went close and the now livelier
Bockham won a succession of corners. The dependable Purcell, with
Lane and Vaughan were now in charge at the back of Brochkam's half of
the park.


On 18 minutes Watson and Potts threaded their way through a stodgy
Storrington defence but once again the final shot went unrewarded.
More Brockham corners followed and one of which gave Watson a chance
from some way out. His up and under kick almost caught out the other
team's goalie.


Time was ticking away but the action and pace continued unabated, and
with 2 minutes remaining Brockham thought that they had wrapped the
game up once and for all. A cross from the right wing had been met
cleanly by The Badgers strikers and the ball ended up in the net, but
the ref had blown for an infringement on the Storrington keeper. The
seconds were going down and down but Brockham pushed on and on. Baker
won the ball in midfield and hit a pin-point pass for Watson to chase
and shoot well, but the shot was smothered by the keeper. There was
still time for one last scare at the other end but Lane was equal to
The Vipers threat and the game ended in another victory for Brockham.
Full time 3-2.


Man of the match: Joe Teague


Squad: Joe Baker, Jamie Donegan, Jordan Heather, Dominic Lane, Sam
Potts, Jake Purcell, Joe Teague, Wilbur Tiley, Will Thomas, Ollie
Turner, Jacob Vaughan, George Warne, Rufus Watson, Oakley Wheeler.


Report by Tony Watson

Badgers U9 Barbarians 1-1 Copthorne Youth (Horsham & District League)

After a series of excellent wins in which they thoroughly dominated slightly less gifted teams, the Barbarians learned the valuable lesson that against stronger opposition they cannot afford to forget that passing, movement and making space are the weapons that win games.

Through the excellent efforts of Ben Austin in goal, William Glenn, and player of the match Jethro Burton, the Barbarians were again very secure in defence, As ever, Lily Turner, Tom Ambrose and Ben Mackenzie worked hard to gain possession in midfield, and thus with the team’s usual firm foundation of the greater share of possession it seemed that an improvement on September’s draw away at Copthorne would be forthcoming.

In more advanced positions, however, a tendency to over-play the ball and ignore opportunities to give the easy pass to a team-mate in a better position saw the team create fewer genuine scoring opportunities than usual. Work needs to be done to recognise that whilst the team has players who are very skilled on the ball, such skills are valuable in escaping the attentions of opponents in tight spaces but wasted unless the ball is passed on to better placed colleagues before possession is lost. This was particularly evident after 15 minutes when Copthorne were allowed to break up Badgers’ midfield possession and take the lead.

Nonetheless the usual hard-running of Ben Mackenzie and Callum Holder, along with the close control of Arun Watkins kept Copthorne occupied to the extent that they created little further goal threat. Taking the opportunity to display his considerable dribbling skills, Huw Morgan showed how he presents a selection dilemma, being strong outfield in addition to being the squad’s most talented goalkeeper.

With time running out, it seemed that Badger’s might incur there first defeat of the season. Nervous spectators continued to give their usual vocal encouragement, and the team continued to press for the equaliser. After some close calls, the deadline was finally broken when Arun Watkins played a hard low cross into the area from the right wing, leaving Callum Holder with the simple task of cracking the ball home from close range.

Whilst the equaliser was deserved, given their dominance of possession, the team will know that failure to meet their usual high standards of passing in this contest lead to the creation of fewer chances. To preserve this season’s unbeaten record they will need to take this lesson into their next match, which will be an equally hard encounter with Heron Way against whom Badgers drew early in the season.

Man of the Match: Jethro Burton

Squad: Tom Ambrose (c), Ben Austin, Jethro Burton, William Glenn, Callum Holder, Ben Mackenzie, Huw Morgan, Lily Turner, Arun Watkins.

Report by Frank Holder