Brockham Badgers U16A 2 - 0 Epsom & Ewell Colts

Brockham Badgers U16A were in complete control throughout this match but equally struggled to make it count, and arguably could have found themselves in a spot of bother had James Rabbetts not had one of his best days in goal.

The Badgers never really got out of third gear to notch an important three points towards their title challenge, but it wasn’t a case of cruising to victory, more one of those games where they managed to get away without having to put in as much as they should have.  Other than a couple of frights when Epsom & Ewell got in behind Brockham’s defensive line and challenged Rabbetts the first half was a dull affair when Brockham failed to press their obvious quality into any advantage.

Joe Silver and Jack Coppin were always a menacing threat on either flank but didn’t challenge their opposite numbers as much as they might, but when given the opportunity their runs would draw the Colts defence to them and open up space for Michael Cheesman and Sam Lloyd through the middle.

It was a ball down the Colts’ flank that opened the opportunity for Brockham’s first goal in the early minutes of the second half.  The ball was put out for a corner which Silver stepped up to take instead of the nominated Lloyd.  Silver’s delivery wasn’t exactly copy book but to his credit he got an assist when the Colts defence failed to clear the danger and Cheeseman poked in his thirteenth competitive goal of the season from close range.

Injuries ravaged Brockham’s balance after that with Chris Parsons, Simon Vakeva-Baird, and Sam Lloyd all having to come off.  Brockham’s back line, particularly Luc Jhugroo, kept themselves well organised however, and Rabbetts built further confidence with another important save when it seemed easier to score.

From his save he punted a direct ball down the throat of the Colts’ centre backs.  Silver’s pace got him there first from where he placed a first touch ball behind Epsom & Ewell’s defensive line for Lloyd to run onto.  Lloyd still had a fair bit to do, shrugging off a strong challenge, but impressively finished by calmly passing the ball into the net from fifteen yards out.

Brockham eased back into their comfort zone again and saw the game out.

Man of the Match: Sam Lloyd

Sutton United 2 (0) - 0 (0) Brockham Badgers U11A

It took extra time for Sutton United to knock Brockham Badgers U11A out of the Epsom & Ewell League Cup with a goal in either half of the extra period.

Brockham put in an excellent performance to hold Sutton to a blank draw by half time, with the defence holding firm and a superb day’s work for Huw Morgan in goal making two or three key saves in the early minutes.  Sutton edged the first half but were not having it all their own way as Callum Holder came close to snatching the lead five minutes before half time when he was put in one on one with the keeper following an excellent through ball from Connor Boniface in central midfield.

Brockham took the game to Sutton in the second half, edging possession and having more chances on goal than their opponents, pressing high up the pitch and keeping most of the game in Sutton’s half.  George Wryde was a pillar of strength in the lone striker’s role, bossing his marker and holding the ball up well to bring his supporting midfield into play to good effect, whilst Brockham’s defence was excellent when called upon with Owen Knowles and Sam Church deserving particular accolade. 

When the referee blew for full time it was Sutton who looked the more worried, but it was still very tight and either team just needed a little bit of luck in front of goal that had eluded both sides when it counted in normal time.

Unfortunately for the Badgers it was Sutton that got the break.  A strong strike at goal from the right was well saved by Morgan but the parried ball fell just out of his reach.  The fast approaching striker looked odds on to bury it but somehow Church was there to compete for the first touch.  It seemed Church had done a magnificent job in sliding the ball out of play for a corner, but after consulting his lineman the referee determined the ball had crossed the line and gone through the side netting before appearing behind the goal’s left hand post.

The Kiln Lane boys felt a little hard done by but got their chins up and held the one goal deficit into the second period of extra time.  With two minutes to go however Sutton buried an impressive goal when a quality cross from their right pitched over Morgan and dropped for their striker to slam into the roof of the Brockham net from close range.

The Brockham lads were disappointed but their performance merited more and there was nobody debating whether they had matched their opponents throughout.

Men of the Match:  Sam Church and Owen Knowles