Aldershot Boys Elite 1 - 1 Badgers U14A (Surrey Youth League Premier Elite)

A really professional performance from every boy on the pitch saw Brockham Badgers U14A come away with a point following their match with Aldershot Boys Elite.  A good performance was the most the travelling party had hoped for having been thoroughly outclassed by Aldershot in the same fixture last season, but to be honest the Badgers arguably deserved all three points this time round.


It was clear early on that this encounter was going to produce a very different result.  Brockham opted for an uncharacteristic 4-4-2 formation and this helped swing the game in the black and whites favour.  Jordan Martin, Luke Brightman and Joe Silver between them made up the strike partnership over the course of the game and it was their energy and effort that kept Aldershot’s defence on the back foot.  This helped take the pressure off the Badgers back four, enabling the midfield to exert its influence.

Justin Tarrant won everything in the air, fought for everything on the ground, and Lewis Wood sprayed the scraps and knock-ons around the pitch with expertise.  Sam Lloyd was a man possessed on the right, supporting play it seemed from nowhere at times whilst always tracking back to double up on the red and blues left winger when George Gomes was in need of assistance.

It was completely against the run of play when Aldershot snatched the lead.  A cleared ball from Brockham’s defence and a moment of hesitation meant the Shot’s midfield was not closed down quickly enough.  Spotting the danger Luc Jhugroo advanced but had only a split second to put his tackle in.  The referee blew for a free kick 20 yards from goal and the Aldershot captain despatched a perfectly placed kick beyond the reach of James Rabbetts and into the top right hand corner of the Badgers goal.

Brockham came out for the second half buoyed by their performance so far and did not let falling behind make them despondent.  In the first ten minutes Tarrant and Martin both went close and if it were not for some very good goalkeeping they could have put Brockham level.  Shortly afterwards however Lloyd got his and the team’s just rewards with a wonderfully struck goal from 20 yards.

Advancing down the right, the ball dropped in front of him.  Without hesitating Lloyd adjusted his body and hit the ball on the volley right to left with the outside of his boot.  The ball swerved left to right and buried itself at pace into the top left corner of the Shot’s goal.

Brockham continued to edge the advantage for the remainder of the game but the result could have gone either way.  Aldershot were denied by a superb reflex save by Rabbetts that pushed the ball onto the post, whilst the excellent Simon Vakeva-Baird saw a well connected header from a corner go just over the cross bar.

Lad of the Match:  Sam Lloyd


Report by Jason Rabbetts