Neither Brockham Badgers or AFC Brooklands had met each other before so this Surrey Youth League Invitation Cup draw was a bit of an unknown quantity for both sides. Brockham started brightly and were comfortable in possession, moving the ball quickly with some good two touch football. Their patient build up play was rewarded when Luke Brightman played a lovely through ball from the middle of the park between the AFC full back and centre half for Michael Cheeseman to latch onto. Cheeseman started where he finished his stunning debut match last week scoring once again with a perfectly taken goal from 15 yards, struck hard and low off his left foot beyond an on-rushing goal keeper.
Sam Lloyd is a combative captain, always there to win a fifty fifty ball and lead his team by example. When he ran onto another ball behind the Brooklands back line it seemed his first touch had invited the keeper to collect, but Lloyd was having none of it. He stretched to toe the ball first and was taken down in the area by the momentum of the advancing AFC keeper on a wet sliding surface. Cheeseman had been nominated for spot kicks but Lloyd picked up the ball and nobody was going to tell him otherwise. He despatched the penalty confidently and Brockham were cruising.
Luc Jhugroo had put in another excellent performance but was crocked by a groin strain minutes before half time. Brockham had to switch their defensive line-up to accommodate the injury and other missing players but everyone slotted in and performed superbly. Had it not been for a comical goal ten minutes into the second half and a tired pass 10 minutes from time Brockham should and would have kept a clean sheet. James Rabbetts advanced out of his area to nod a 10 yard bouncing ball to man of the match Oscar Cremmen in midfield. The ball should have bounced up to meet his head but somehow just slid flat across the ground leaving Rabbetts stranded and gifting an easy tap in for the Brooklands striker.
Brockham remained patient though and stuck to their game plan and sure enough the maturity of their play enabled them to take a two goal lead again. Lloyd received a pass to feet with his back to goal and under tight pressure from an AFC defender. Lloyd rolled his body and with a nice turn of pace and deft footwork freed himself and ran into the space behind the Brookland left back. Looking up he spotted Jack Coppin flying to the back post. Lloyd delivered an inch perfect ball across the goal where Coppin tapped in from two yards out.
Brooklands nicked one more goal when Brightman sold Rabbetts short with a tired back pass from where their striker nipped in, rounded Rabbetts and slotted into an empty net. Ten minutes from the final whistle Brockham won a free kick 30 yards from the Brooklands goal. Jordan Martin played an intelligent ball to Cheeseman’s feet twenty yards out who was able to turn and shoot. An outstretched Brooklands defensive leg changed the direction of the ball and gave the keeper no chance. Brockham saw the game out confidently and can look forward to the next round of the cup.
