Badgers Never Let Go!
A warm spring morning and a decent pitch made the depths of winter seem a lifetime ago as the Brockham Badgers U9 Barbarians lined up against the division’s strongest team, having been soundly beaten 5-1 in the home fixture last month.
The team took to the pitch determined to give a better account of themselves, and set about their opposition with guts, energy and no little style. The midfield of Tom Ambrose, Lily Turner and Arun Watkins worked hard to compete and to defend through attack by maximising their use of space and playing some decent balls forward to striker Callum Holder. However on a small pitch, and against very capable defenders, it was difficult to create clear goal-scoring opportunities in the limited space. Defensively the team worked well as a unit, and for the first third of the game, when Broadbridge did manage to break through hard-working full-backs William Glenn and Ben Mackenzie ‘keeper Ben Austin dealt well with the threat, displaying confidence and decisiveness.
Given the diligence and determination the Barbarians had put in to meet all that Broadbridge could throw at them, they could consider themselves somewhat unlucky to go a goal down five minutes before half-time, when a cross from deep on the left evaded the defence and fell to the Broadbridge striker who glance the ball into the right-hand corner of the net.
In the second-half the Barbarians continued to fight for every ball. Arun Watkins was superb in midfield, providing an effective link between defence and attack, and along with Turner and Ambrose proved ready to supplement the defence whenever necessary. Going forward some half-chances arose, and on another day a fine run and cross from Holder would not have narrowly missed the outstretched leg of Turner. The final whistle brought to an end a game in which the Barbarians had given everything, fully deserving the accolade received from the opposition manger who was fulsome in his praise of a performance which represented a massive improvement on the home fixture.
Players of the Match: Ben Austin and Arun Watkins.
Squad: Lily Turner (c), Tom Ambrose, Ben Austin, William Glenn, Callum Holder, Ben Mackenzie, Arun Watkins.
Report by Frank Holder
