For the opening match of the season the Badgers U11 B team took a voyage into the unknown – a trip to Forest Row and a picturesque pitch surrounded by woodland on three sides. Coach Steve Smith had urged his team to insist on parental pampering after the second friendly the previous week, and at the kick-off the players looked a little more refreshed that they had on Wednesday.
Having the best of the early exchanges, Badgers pressed on the right, but Forest Row soon found their feet and managed a succession of corners and one effort from long range that just cleared the bar and headed into the undergrowth. After eight minutes they had made the pressure count as a break from the left put their number 9 through to take the lead with a clean finish.
End to end play ensued, then the ultimate long ball play saw Freddie Bedford latch onto a kick from hand by keeper William Triggs and score Badgers’ first of the season. Jubilation and confidence ensued, with the midfield in particular playing with more confidence. However, Forest Row were not a team to lie down, and soon forced Triggs into a brave punch out which landed at the feet of an attacker. The ball came through a thicket of players in the box, and Forest Row were back in front.
Through the rest of the match Triggs saw more and more action – his rugby training preparing him to put his body on the line again and again to deny Forest’s oncoming strikers, notably teaming up with defender Jamie Finn deny what had appeared to be a certain goal. Unfortunately the resulting corner trickled across the area, and was somehow turned into the net, possibly without the involvement of Forest’s players. Half time came with Badgers two goals down, but still in the match: Jamie Hunt and Harry Wilkins continued to threaten when released, though this was all too rare. The midfield were fully committed, but the team seem to lack the ability to get the ball out of their own half.
Through the second half Triggs was again called on to do his duty, and it was thanks to him that the score didn’t reach embarrassing proportions. He was beaten by a high cross that dropped at the far post to give the Forest number 10 the simplest of tap-ins. A final goal came from a cheeky lob diagonally across the area.
There were many encouraging signs in this performance and with a little more tactical awareness, particularly in central defence, the team have the potential for a great new season.
Report by Tom Race
