Kirdford away is a tricky fixture and a potential banana skin for the first game of the season. But Badgers went in with high hopes and tactically astute 4-3-1 formation.
Brockham absolutely dominated the first-half. Lucas and Oliver combined brilliantly on the left. For the first ten minutes nobody else seemed to get a touch. Meanwhile their counterparts on the right Morgan and Toby were equally as effective.
Lucas found Ezra with a marvellous through ball. Ezra smashed the ball cleanly but the keeper's position made it an easy save. Badgers then piled on the pressure with their inspirational central midfielder Henry Lucas doing a fine impression of Patrick Vieira.
Eventually the ball broke from a corner for Ezra who neatly tucked it away from close range.
Kirdford had their breaks though as Brockham got sucked in looking for their second goal and our defence was caught out twice before half-time. We went into the break 2-1 down which seemed very strange considering the amount of possession the team had enjoyed. Joe and the debuting Zain had formed a great partnership an even though Kirdford were strong going forward the scoreline didn't reflect the game.
Half-time Kirdford United 2 Brockham Badgers 1
Kirdford had defended brilliantly in the first half and were just as good in the second half, foiling chance after chance. The equaliser came after Ezra chased down and dispossessed a defender and threaded the ball through to Lucas who disguised his finish with real skill. Lucas had been absolutely fantastic throughout the game both in his tackles, his runs and his passing.
Ezra continued to defend from the front. The left axis of Oliver and Lucas was formidable. But slowly Morgan and Toby came to take a bigger and bigger role in the game. They put so much running in to the second half. They have a formidable partnership. Both boys are solid in the tackle and are consummate team players.
Oliver Quigley came on from the bench and made a good contribution in the middle.
Eventually a pass from Oliver to Ezra and then to Lucas set up another brilliant finish. This time Lucas went for power and cracked the ball into the roof of the net. Great football.
The things got a little scary… The Badgers' football declined and too many times players were looking to beat one man too many in midfield when the through ball was on. This left the team open at the back as weary legs could not track back. It looked like Kirdford would sneak an equaliser. All credit to Kirdford for still being in the game at this point. Joe, Zain and George Lees had to be alert at the end as Brockham put the three points in jeopardy when they should really have controlled the game.
In the end they weren't punished for their exuberance and came out with a deserved win.
Full-time
Kirdford United 2 Brockham Badgers 3
Team: George Lees, Morgan Hamilton, Lucas Woolley, Joe Allen, Zain Khan, Toby Evans, Henry Lucas, Oliver Yeates, Ezra Charles, Oliver Quigley.
Man of the Match: Lucas Woolley – a driving force on the left (a better version of Gareth Bale).
Match Report: Jason Charles