League leaders and fellow league cup finalists Kew Association hosted Brockham Badgers U16A in an enthralling match then ended with the points shared and three goals apiece, Brockham bossing the first half and Kew the second half.
The Badgers got off the mark early with a goal on five minutes from Michael Cheeseman. Simon Vakeva-Baird won the ball in midfield, played a ten yard pass to captain Sam Lloyd who quickly passed it on to Cheeseman who clipped it first time beyond the Kew keeper’s stretching dive.
Brockham continued to press their advantage with some good passing football throughout the team and some excellent defensive contributions from all, particularly wide players Joe Silver and Jack Coppin. Kew were all at sea and when Chris Parsons lofted an intelligent free kick from 40 yards out into a dangerous area on Kew’s penalty spot Vakeva-Baird was on the move. Using his height advantage he directed a header beyond the Kew keeper for the black and white’s second, an advantage they took into the break.
Kew came out of the blocks early and set the tone for the second half when they scored just two minutes in. Brockham however responded immediately from the restart with a ball into the right channel which was chased down by Silver. Using his pace he beat first one and then a second Kew player before driving a low ball from a wide position a yard out from the goal line and across the goal mouth. Kew defenders were still adjusting their body positions from running at goal and the ball flew off an outstretched defensive leg and into the Kew net to give Brockham back their two goal lead.
Kew were a different team in the second half. They kept the ball better, their offensive work was more direct, and they pressed the ball higher up the pitch. This put Brockham on the back foot and if it weren’t for some good defensive work Kew could have snatched another.
Two forced substitutions for Brockham upset the balance of the team a little and Kew took advantage as the black and whites adjusted. A ball came in from Kew’s left channel and zipped across goal where it fell to a Kew striker. He still had to do a lot from a tight angle but didn’t hesitate in striking a superb first time rocket across goal and into the top left corner of the Badgers’ net.
Brockham fashioned one or two opportunities and Kew should have been reduced to ten men after a horrific late challenge on Cheeseman who spun a full 360 degrees in the air, but only a yellow was produced. It was on the run of play however that Kew snatched their equaliser. It was a scrappy goal that Brockham should have dealt with better. Following a double save from Rabbetts the ball fell to a Kew player 10 yards out. The Badgers were slow to respond and he poked the ball away unchallenged.
Rabbetts made a world class save in the dying minutes to save a point for Brockham and enable Brockham to see the game out for a fair result given the dominance of each team in respective halves.
Man of the match: Joe Silver