Runners-up in last season's County Cup, Brockham Badgers U15A were 5 minutes away from advancing to Round 3 of this season's competition when a speculative long-range strike from a Guildford Academicals player took the game into extra time, whereupon the home side made the most of their late escape by adding two further goals to run out 4-2 winners.
The first half had been so encouraging for Brockham as they played some of their best football of the season. Following their 4-1 defeat to the same opposition on the same ground just a week ago, manager Simon Coffey decided to take the game to Guildford in fielding a bold 3-5-2 formation. For much of the first period the two teams vied for possession with neither gaining the upper hand, but on 33 minutes Badgers made the breakthrough when Alex Nicholson did well to work the ball to his strike partner Chris Brooks, who took it on and dinked it nicely over the keeper. Just a minute later, Harvey Mewis worked an opening and smashed a shot against the bar, but just before the break Nicholson once again set up Brooks who showed his blistering pace to burst into the box and finish well for 2-0.
A great end to the half but a poor start to the second as Guildford were gifted a goal back just 5 minutes in, and at this point went with three up front in search of the equaliser. Soon after, the influential Mewis limped out of the action having made a telling contribution in an unaccustomed central midfield role. Nevertheless, the lively Nicholson had the ball in the net but was adjudged offside, and a series of chances to put the game out of reach came and went for Brockham as they showed their habitual poor finishing following some great passing moves.
More frustration followed in extra time as Guildford scored a third just 1 minute in, then Liam Ratcliffe went on a determined run into the box and put in a great shot – but the home side were saved once more by the crossbar. A second disallowed goal followed for Brockham, and Academicals added a fourth to kill the game off.
So it's 'concentrating on the league' time for Brockham but they can be proud of possibly their best display of the season. Special mentions for Will Mahoney who as usual was a rock at the back, Harvey Mewis and George Coffey who both added skill and graft to the midfield, and Chris Brooks who once again chased tirelessly for 80 minutes and scored 2 great goals.
Squad: Dennis Rapson, Will Mahoney, Liam Ratcliffe, Matt Higgins, Will Bletso, Oli Winter, Mike Richardson, Frankie Routleff, Josh Brown, Jack Wyllie, Harvey Mewis, Alex Nicholson, George Coffey, Harry Ramsey, Chris Brooks.
Report by Simon Winter
