Anything the Premier League can do the Surrey Youth League can do better. What a game! The Brockham boys took a whole lot more from this game than just the point. They proved to themselves that they can compete, they proved they can come back when seemingly buried, but most of all they relearned the tempo and work rate that for years had forged their spirit and yet this season had until now somehow eluded them.
The Badgers were right at the Ashford team from the off, pressing play, winning tackles, and breaking at pace. It caught their hosts off-guard and unsettled their backline. Within minutes Brockham had two good chances to take the lead but it took twenty minutes before their persistence paid off. Sam Lloyd lofted a high cross in from the left and Simon Vakeva-Baird headed home from close range at the far post.
Ashford to their credit stuck to their game plan and gradually started to rein back some possession in the latter stages of the first half. Some well timed tackles by Tom Hampshire and Justin Tarrant prevented one or two dangerous passages of play developing but the signs were there and there was nothing they could do to prevent the equaliser. An early strike from range hit the foot of the Badgers upright, bounced out to the penalty spot from where a clearance merely fell back for the Ashford striker to lift over James Rabbetts in goal.
Brockham came back out for the second half with the same tempo as they started the first. Things looked promising until an innocuous shot from Ashford found the net. Rabbetts seemingly had the save covered but the ball bounced in front of him as he stretched to reach it and he watched mournfully as it went over his arms and rolled over the line.
It was still all to play for and both teams were competing strongly for a narrow advantage until two suicidal incidents of miscommunication between defence and keeper gifted Ashford a three goal lead. Two silly mistakes and the Badgers were 4-1 down with five minutes to play and seemingly down an out of a game they didn’t deserve to be losing by such a margin.
The boys had other ideas however. With new found resolve they mustered themselves for an almighty last effort to salvage something if only pride. From the spot kick a midfield surge saw Ashford concede a free kick. Jack Coppin whipped in a dangerous ball to the six yard area from where Tarrant finished with his right following a goal-mouth pinball.
Two minutes later a clearance found Lloyd lurching on the edge of the area. He got a shot off but it was blocked by the Ashford defence. The rebound span out to Coppin in the 18 yard D from where he lifted a peach of a left foot shot into the net.
With only seconds on the clock the Brockham manager half jokingly asked for another. The Ashford centre kick was brought forward in midfield but the advance was quickly closed down by Hampshire and Tarrant. Lloyd pinched possession and with a quick look up he saw Jordan Martin free on the left. An inspired lofted pass of 30 yards into space was met by Martin running at pace. This was his moment. So many similar chances had passed this season but somehow he picked the most challenging of all to drive coolly past the Ashford keeper and level the game.
The boys celebrated in style and deservedly so. They can build on this and enjoy once again the fantastic team spirit that has seen them good for so long.
Lad of the Match: Sam Lloyd
Report by Jason Rabbetts
