A sizzling performance saw Brockham Badgers U15A get their season off to a belated start with a 2-1 victory away to Corinthian Casuals. Quick pass and move football was back and so was the boys confidence. The Badgers could have been easily five or six to the good by half time. Buoyed by the appearance of Alex Flint for the first time this season, the black and whites weathered some early threats to go on and dominate the game.
Despite travelling with only eleven fit players the make shift left flank of Jack Coppin in defence and Jordan Martin on the wing was working to good effect. Both had the beating of their opposite numbers for pace and Martin was combining with Flint up front to such an extent that Martin could have had three by the twenty minute mark. It was Flint who struck first however. Shrugging off some close attention from his marker he poked the ball beyond the advancing keeper with just enough on it for the ball to roll over the line from 12 yards.
Joe Silver on the right wing had already declared his intentions to the Casuals No.3 facing him with some pacey runs, and with a neat one two worked between him and Luke Brightman he was once again in clear space on 25 minutes. A well delivered cross was cleared by Corinthians for a corner, from which Martin’s in-singer was directed into the back of the net by a Corinthians player to give Brockham a two goal margin.
Despite a soft concession by Brockham taking the score to 2-1 mid-way through the second half, the positive tone of the match continued in much the same fashion as before to the end. Justin Tarrant and Simon Vakeva-Baird dominated the defensive line and between them, George Gomes and Coppin, they snuffed out nearly every Corinthian threat. Luc Jhugroo, Lewis Wood, and Brightman played some neat two touch football which usually led to an incisive pass into the path of either Flint, Martin, or Silver. Martin had two more chances, Wood had a shot and a header cleared from point blank range, as did Vakeva-Baird, whilst Tarrant climbed well to meet a Martin free kick and buried it with his head at the far post only to see the goal ruled offside. James Rabbetts in Brockham’s goal had little to do for once.
Sam Lloyd made a cameo appearance ten minutes from time following three weeks out with injury, and almost got himself on the score sheet. Having been awarded a penalty in the dying seconds he thumped a thunderous spot kick just inside the upright only to see it bounce back out off the square post, across the goal line and out for safety.
The result was no less than the Badgers deserved. The score was tight in the end but the game was comfortably theirs.
Man of the Match: Jordan Martin and Simon Vakeva-Baird