This week’s Brockham Badgers U14A’s performance was a promising development against a team that had played them off the park three times last season. This season Brockham had already taken a point from the away fixture and they were optimistic about their chances of competing for the return match. Alas no points came the Badgers way but it was a tight game competed on a level throughout from which Aldershot only came out narrow 2-1 winners.
For the first twenty minutes neither team imposed any level of superiority, but equally, organisation and creativity were lacking during what was a particularly scrappy first half. The Shots took the lead from a move that was to become a theme of their attacking intent. Moving the ball down their left they were allowed to put a cross into the Brockham box. The black and whites failed to close the ball down quickly enough and unsighted James Rabbetts was beaten at the near post from 10 yards.
Brockham’s defensive line was managing to deal with Aldershot’s main front line threats but too few of Simon Vakeva-Baird’s and Justin Tarrant’s well won knock downs were being picked up by the midfield. This was putting Brockham’s defence under unnecessary pressure and gifting Aldershot the initiative. The Badgers came out better prepared second half. Midfield organised itself a little tighter and anticipated the knock downs better. Gradually they started to wrestle the possession advantage from the Hampshire boys and before long Brockham were level.
A cross ball from midfield to the Brockham right channel was cleared by the Aldershot defence but the knock-back was met by Tarrant who let fly a first time rocket from 25 yards that buried itself in the bottom corner.
Buoyed by their leveller it would have been of no surprise had Brockham pushed on and grabbed a winner, but complacency got the better of them. Again The Shots built from the left, their No.6 feeding their menace of a No.17 winger. He was allowed to run to the by-line with the ball and zipped in a low cross in front of goal. Two defenders and the Brockham keeper let it pass in front of them without a word to each other and the Badgers midfield stood and watched as two unmarked Aldershot runners competed gleefully for who was going to tap it in. It was a cruel response but a lesson in concentration and communication the black and whites shall have to learn.
To their credit Brockham came right back at the Shots with two excellent chances denied. The first was a free kick from Jordan Martin that ran through to the back post. Lewis Wood had made an excellent unseen run to the same position, but meeting the ball at speed and on his weaker foot the ball looped over the cross bar from just a few yards out. Martin went close himself shortly after with an instinctive shot with his left foot from range that struck the angle of the upright and cross bar and ricocheted to safety.
Brockham can be proud of their performance. Although their results may not show it, they’ve improved their game this season and this match was testimony to that. They’ll continue to target survival and show the academy kids that with the right attitude, work ethic, and belief, a village side can compete.
Lad of the Match: Tom Hampshire
Report by Jason Rabbetts
