Brockham Badgers U15A’s hangover from last season’s Premier Elite humbling seems to have continued. After losing their opening game of the season by three goals to nil versus Barnes Eagles a week earlier, the Badgers failed to collect any points following a 4-2 defeat away to Wandgas this weekend.
To be fair, the black and whites dominated possession in the first half with excellent midfield work from Luc Jhugroo, Lewis Wood, and Sam Lloyd, who were given space and options by positive wide runs from Luke Brightman as a stand-in left winger, and Jordan Martin on the right. They were well supported by threatening overlaps and the high line pressure of George Gomes and Oscar Cremmen, and it was justification for a bright start that they took an early lead on 9 minutes when Jordan Martin was put through one on one with the keeper and finished confidently. A fantastic slide rule pass from Wandgas however was latched onto by their striker who timed his run perfectly and finished equally as convincingly after twenty five minutes to level the game.
Brockham continued to claim the lion’s share of play throughout the remainder of the first half with prolonged sequences of passes that eluded them the week before, and it looked as if it would be Brockham that might nick one before the break with most of the play taking place in the Wandgas third and the defensive pairing of Justin Tarrant and Simon Vakeva-Baird (c) looking very promising. A rare moment of defensive hesitation in an area where the ball should have been of no danger however created a situation that enabled the Wandsworth boys to play a quick one two and slide a low ball under the diving Brockham keeper and turn the game on its head.
In the second half Wandgas pressed the game much better. The space to pass was restricted and they gradually forced their game plan onto the Badgers. The possession advantage was reversed for most of the second half and with an increasing amount of pressure put in and around the box by the boys in purple it was only a matter of time before Brockham conceded again when a positive run down the left to the by-line by the Wandgas winger looked to predictably conclude with a pass across goal, but instead he pulled off a marvellous tight angled shot to surprise everyone, not least James Rabbetts in the Badgers goal.
That was then shortly followed by a speculative shot that sadly slipped through the normally assured hands of Rabbetts giving Wadgas a three goal lead. Rabbetts redeemed himself soon after with a spectacular leaping mid-air punch from under the cross bar following a fierce Wandgas free-kick. It was end to end stuff now as the Badgers switched to 4-4-2 and the striking combination of Luke Brightman and Joe Silver gave Wandgas more to think about. Tom Hampshire slotted into central defence very well and Vakeva-Baird took a natural left footer to the wide midfield berth. Both teams hit the woodwork twice, two or three good saves were drawn from each keeper and then Brockham pulled a consolation goal back with five minutes to play. Martin the scorer once more from a free kick which deflected in off a Wandgas head.
The were some very bright signs from the Brockham lads. Organisation and shape was better, and for large passages of play they showed the talent to good effect and worked as a team. If they can add greater concentration and work rate to their game over the coming weeks they should do well.
Lad of the Match: Luc Jhugroo