Brockham Badgers U10 Barbarians 4 - 1 Kingswood Falcons A, (Epsom & Ewell Youth Football League), Saturday 17th March 2012

After a strong performance in last week’s draw against league leaders NPL, the Barbarians showed that they truly were back to their best in comprehensively dispatching Kingswood Falcons A.

The promise of a bright, sunny morning was soon dissolved by a steady drizzle, making the playing surface somewhat difficult, however this did not hinder the Barbarians settling into a rhythmic passing game with which Kingswood found it difficult to cope. The speedy back line of William Glenn and Ben Austin comfortably coped with the long ball game of the opposition which was their only means of evading tough-tackling centre-midfielder Bailey Osborne. Defensive solidity enabled left and right midfielders to get forward almost at will, and the deadlock was broken after seven minutes as a right-wing cross from Ben Mackenzie was played straight out to Callum Holder who made no mistake in hitting the back of the net.

Roles were reversed a few minutes later as Holder turned provider for Mackenzie, cross from the right for the latter to show that he could match his colleagues finishing prowess. 2-0 Barbarians.

Finally breaking out from the sustained pressure delivered by the Barbarians, Kingswood finally gave ‘keeper Josh Snow some action by calling upon him to demonstrate his handling skills by meeting and holding a shot just under the bar. Moments later, captain Lily Turner sent in a free-kick from deep which evaded defenders and attackers alike, and flew just past the post.

No let-up for Kingswood, as the introduction of the speedy Tom Ambrose to the right back position to combine down the right with Mackenzie led to the latter shooting from the right corner of the penalty area just inside the left post to give the Barbarians a 3-0 lead at half-time.

Kingswood had the advantage of the slope in the second half, however the Barbarians were in no mood to ease up. On those occasions that the visitors were able to break through from midfield, they were efficiently and effectively marshalled by Glenn and Ambrose and reduced to hurried, off-target shots, and a single scoring chance which was snuffed out by Ambrose’s superb sprint back to block-tackle.

On 28 minutes, Ben Mackenzie was rewarded for his best performance of the season when his high cross to the far post dropped into the net to earn him his hat-trick and player-of-the-match award. There followed a number of further chances for the Barbarians, including a shot over the bar from Ben Austin and from Callum Holder an outrageous Gascoigne-esque lifting of the ball over a defender following by a long-range shot. A re-shuffling of positons gave Lily Turner a run as striker and she was unlucky not to claim a goal as she shot narrowly wide.

Kingswood maintained their fighting spirit throughout, however, and for this earned a deserved consolation goal as they scrambled the ball home shortly before the final whistle, leaving the score at 4-1 to accurately reflect the Barbarians superiority on the day.

Barbarians: Lily Turner (capt.), Josh Snow, Ben Austin, William Glenn, Tom Ambrose, Ben Mackenzie, Bailey Osborne, Callum Holder.

Report by Frank Holder

 

Brockham Badgers U10A 1 - 3 Wolves

The best team on the day lost!  Another enthralling encounter between Brockham and league winners Wolves, saw the Badgers seize the advantage in terms of open play and chances, but the opposition snuck into the sheep pen and ran off with the Sunday roast.

Both teams play some very good football.  They each like to build play from the back and move the ball along the ground with a natural passing style that on occasions gives a display of pass and move one touch dynamism that belies their age.  Wolves are very good at dictating the tempo and as such can take the sting out of the opposition when it comes to pressing and urgency.  A little more of Brockham’s normal style and tempo might have produced a different result.

Brockham were up for this one though and were soon out of the blocks with a couple of attempts on goal from Conan Torpey and Ed Russ that stung the Wolves keeper’s hands.  The Badgers certainly had the lion’s share of possession in the first half but Wolves are an excellent counter attacking team.  They allow their opposition to play in certain areas and wait to press and nip in once the ball reaches their own half.  They then rarely waste it, making accurate passes to quick moving players that mount goal opportunities in a matter of seconds for a clinical forward with a real eye for goal.

Wolves’ first came from an interception in the middle of their own half which was quickly switched outside right.  Brockham were a little slow to cover the threat and a cross came in that was finished well.  A similar second shortly followed.  A wasteful pass in midfield conceded possession, the ball was switched right again and despite some tight marking by Joseph Rabbetts the canny Wolves winger sneaked a cross in from the by-line.  Huw Morgan anticipated well and went to ground to parry the ball with an outstretched hand as it fizzed across his area, but it fell to a Wolf in sheep’s clothing who sharpened his claws from short range.

Against the run of play, two shots had put Brockham down by two goals.  Brockham pushed on.  Torpey hit the post, Russ skimmed the cross bar and fired another into the belly of the very capable Wolves keeper, and William Timmons, who was having an excellent game in left midfield had one shot pushed away by the keeper and another fizz past the post.

The next goal was typical of football , and what makes it such a frustrating but ultimately exciting game.  A long goal kick from Wolves was met by Rabbetts deep in his own half.  The ball spun up off his knee from his half clearance, Morgan and Rabbetts hesitated as the ball dropped between them and the Wolves number 4 was there again to nip over the sheep pen fence and snaffle supper for a third time.  The big bad Wolf licked his lips.

The second half was one way traffic.  Brockham stifled the Wolves counter attacking threat with a little more pressing high up the pitch.  This worked, neutralising threats to the extent that Morgan had nothing to do in the second period.  Sam Church, Ed Russ, and Owen Knowles combined well with some one touch passing that saw a good shot from Russ collected confidently by the Wolves keeper.  Russ then headed another good chance from a Church cross and had a another strong shot from distance pushed over the cross bar.

Harrison Watts and Rabbetts were absolutely solid by now, and this provided a little confidence for Brockham to continue to push for a goal.  Russ on a rampaging run punched the ball at goal from outside the area.  The Wolves defender raised an arm to protect himself and a penalty was given.  Russ drilled it low and hard and the Badgers were back in the game.

Rabbetts had a powerful shot sail over, a great turn on the outside of the box saw Torpey ping another shot which the Wolves keeper saved yet again, whilst Church was finding lots of space on the right to put in threatening crosses in a repeated display of link up play with Russ.  Timmons had another crack, Torpey hit the post for a second time, and the big bad wolf in goal blocked yet another, this time from Timmons.

Twelve shots to none, but it wasn’t to be in the second half.  Brockham tried everything but the Wolves keeper was up to the challenge.  Watts was the Badgers’ man of the match for his perfect defensive display, but everyone agreed that the Wolves stopper must surely have walked away with their own award.

Man of the match:  Harrison Watts

Brockham Badgers U10 Barbarians 1-1 NPL Youth A (Epsom & Ewell Youth Football League), Saturday 10th March 2012

Having perhaps not quite delivered the results of which they are capable during a New Year period which significantly disrupted their match schedule, Brockham Badgers U10 Barbarians finally raised their performance level to that of the first half of the season.

Saturday’s return fixture at home to NPL Youth saw a frenetic opening period, with end-to-end action from the off. Despite the absence of the defensively stoic Tom Ambrose, the gritty determination of the defensive unit saw off in quick succession some penetrating offensive moves from the opposition. Some excellent blocking and covering by the likes of Ben Austin and William Glenn gave protection to ‘keeper Josh Snow who – when he did need to respond – did so effectively and confidently. In their turn, the midfield trio of Bailey Osborne, Ben Mackenzie and Lily Turner gave NPL plenty to worry about, with the latter providing a stunning 20 yard pass to split the defence and provide Mackenzie with a shooting opportunity which went narrowly wide.

The tendency of the Barbarians not to be first to the ball set a counter-attacking pattern to the game. NPL were able to keep the defence busy on those occasions when they managed to evade the strong tackling of man-of-the-match Osborne in centre-midfield. Home supporters and team alike had hearts in mouths momentarily when Snow was called upon to make a stunning point-blank save, and again when a header from an NPL corner was put narrowly wide.

Going forward link play between midfielders Osborne and Mackenzie kept their opponents from complacency by linking well with striker Watkins to create chances, however a lapse in attention further back allowed NPL finally to break the deadlock with the last kick of the first half.

After the break the Barbarians progressively suppressed NPL both in terms of penetration and confidence. The clearance of a Barbarians free-kick fell to Turner who shot narrowly over, before being provided by Watkins with a further opportunity which again failed to find the net. As legs tired the game again opened up into an end-to-end affair, however chances for both teams dried up, the Barbarians fortunate to have in defence the ever-dependable William Glenn who on more than one occasion used his speed and anticipation to sweep up long balls forward from the visitors. In midfield the Barbarians more than held their own, and were defended from the front by Watkins who battled hard to regain possession in advanced positions.

With ten minutes to go and having given everything he had, Watkins was replaced by leading scorer Callum Holder who had been held in reserve following a bout of illness. Fresh pace gave fresh concern to NPL. Holder kept them fully occupied at the back until the last minute when the quick-thinking Mackenzie provided penetrating service to Holder from the flank, and the latter ghosted past the defence to shoot from the corner of the penalty area through the legs of the keeper and into the far corner. Thus was sealed the point the earlier efforts of his teammates so richly deserved.

Team: Turner (capt.), Snow, Austin, Glenn, Mackenzie, Osborne, Turner, Watkins, Holder.

Report: Matt Snow & Frank Holder

 

 

Brockham Badgers U10A 2 - 4 Old Coulsdon Colts

It wasn’t a great day at the office for Brockham Badgers U10s at the Big Field this weekend. The Barbarians went down 4-0 to Ashtead Colts whilst the Assassins missed out on securing 3^rd spot in the Premier Division of the Epsom & Ewell League when they were beaten 4-2 by Old Coulsdon Colts.

It was not for a lack of effort though.  Conan Torpey struck gold on five minutes to score for the third game in succession and give the U10As the lead following a long throw from Ed Russ.  The lead was short lived however when the excellent Harrison Watts was adjudged to have brought down the Colts forward in the penalty area, which he duly converted to level the game. 

Brockham continued to push forward and take the lion’s share of possession but were stunned when Coulsdon caught them on the counter and struck a sharp shot from outside the area.  Coulsdon bagged a third quickly afterwards, winning the ball in midfield they drove forward and switched the ball quickly left to right for a well worked goal.

Somehow Brockham still looked good for the points though and their good work was rewarded when again Russ provided the assist for Torpey to reduce the deficit.

How Brockham didn’t draw level in the second half is anyone’s guess.  Russ and Joe Rabbetts went close from long range, and when the two combined with fifteen minutes to goal only quantum physics can explain how Rabbetts’ header saw the ball drop on the line and then spin of its own accord around the outside of the post.  Will Timmons made two good drives into space from defence and could have scored with either had luck been wearing black and white on the day. 

The Badgers had read the direct and  long-ball goal kicks from Coulsdon all morning, but on the last occasion they failed to deal with it.  Confusion between Timmons and the otherwise excellent Huw Morgan in goal, allowed the ball to bounce over them and the Colts striker to sneak in and bag their fourth.  Fair play to the Colts, but it’s a funny old game!

Man of the Match: Harrison Watts

Molsesey Juniors 4 - 1 Brockham Badgers U15A

Brockham Badgers U15A undid themselves this weekend.  They dominated offensive play, and had they been more clinical in their finishing, the score line may have been different.  But their failure to organise defensively as a unit, combined with some nervous goal keeping, once again lost them the match and places them firmly in a relegation dog fight with only four games of the season remaining. 

The first ten minutes was a pretty even affair, both teams getting to grips with each other and trying to impose their own shape and tempo on the game.  The match ebbed and flowed with some half chances at either end.  Molesey opened the scoring at the end of this spell.  Brockham lost the ball high up the pitch in midfield.  Molesey played the ball wide to their right midfielder.  Brockham’s left winger failed to track and by the time he’d woken up to the threat Oli Gout at left back was two on one.  Molesey’s right midfielder was allowed to advance as Gout tried to cover both the threat and the potential pass inside, and enough space to shoot was all Molesey needed to put the ball in from 15 yards.

Brockham responded well.  Alex Mitrovic and Joe Silver both had chances cleared off the line, and Brockham looked more like the team who would go on to win.  It was a neat ball into Alex Mitrovic from midfield which he smartly switched outside right with his first touch which allowed the Badgers to level the game.  His pass was perfect – a yard or two nearer Jordan Martin than the Molesey goalie, forcing the keeper to advance always in the knowledge that Martin’s pace would get him their first.  Martin took a touch, rounded the keeper and drilled it home.

Brockham were immediately hit by a self inflicted succour punch.  Within two minutes of the restart Molesey went ahead again.  Again the threat came down the Molesey right.  Gout could have met the aerial threat early with his head but did well all the same well to recover and push the danger out wide from where an innocuous cross came in for the Brockham defence to routinely clear.  Inexplicably both centre halves and right back let the ball roll in front of them without an attempt to intercept and an advancing Molesey player cut in from the left and tucked it away.

Brockham looked a little nervous now and started to rush things.  Too much emphasis was being placed on getting the ball forward too quickly and as a consequence possession was being given away cheaply.  The next goal started from losing the ball too easily in an offensive position high up on the left but the result was more a stroke of luck than anything.  A Molesey striker took a speculative shot from 20 yards.  It was a simple collect for the Brockham keeper as the defence and the Molesey front line turned to jog back to the half-way line.  Somehow though the ball slipped through his wet gloves and rolled through his legs and over the line.

To their credit, Brockham didn’t drop their heads.  Two excellent chances to get back in the game were gifted on a plate but neither were taken.  The first came from some excellent combination work on the right from Sam Lloyd and Luke Brightman.  Lloyd put a peach of a cross in from the right, across the six yard box that just begged to be finished.  The ball passed all of the Molesey defence and dropped for Martin who elected to attempt to chest it into the goal rather than direct a simple header into the gaping net.  The ball went wide.  Next, Jack Coppin made an excellent run into the Molesey penalty area where he was brought down and the referee blew for a spot kick.  Coppin shot wide.

Luck just wasn’t helping Brockham’s attacking cause to balance their defensive shortcomings, and so the combination transpired for Molesey’s fourth.  A simple collect on the bye-line was fumbled by the Brockham keeper and the ball somehow rolled out for a Molesey corner when Brockham should have instead been on the counter.  The most obvious Molesey man to mark was the number 10.  He was the tallest, most vocal all match, and was their standout player and captain.  The corner sailed in, and the number 10 was there at the back post totally unmarked to head home.

Brockham have a front line to be feared.  They can score against anyone, but if they don’t defend as a unit and organise themselves on set pieces then no matter how many chances they create they will always be vulnerable even when the possession advantage is theirs.  The team is good enough to be at the opposite end of the table but instead it finds itself in a relegation battle.  The boys can get themselves out of it but it will require them to determine the outcome not the opposition.

Men of the Match:  Sam Lloyd and Luke Brightman

 

 

 

 

 

Surrey Youth League - Brockham Badgers U16A 4 Mitcham Imperials U16 0

Brockham Badgers U16A put their disappointing defeat in the quarter final of the Surrey Cup last weekend against lower league Corinthian Casuals by sweeping a decent Mitcham Imperials side aside at a rain swept Big Field on Sunday.

 

Brockham now sit in 2^nd spot in the division, and with three straight victories without conceding a goal Brockham seem to be on a good spell of form at the moment despite a mystifying loss of form in the Surrey cup clash. 

 

Sitting just 2 points behind Brockham at the start of play, Mitcham are a good footballing side, but Brockham were always on top and the 1-0 interval scoreline courtesy of a Will Mahoney goal was no more than Badgers deserved.  As the rain tumbled down, a second goal for Brockham from a busy Josh Brown set the tone for the game in the early second half.  Harry Ramsey used his pace to punish an indecisive defence 15 minutes from time, and then George Coffey rounded of fthe scoring via a direct free kick that evaded the keeper as players deceived his line of sight in the box.  Tom Ball made a good debut for the Brockham side with an energetic performance.

 

The Brockham clean sheet was almost threatened late on when the otherwise exemplary Brockham defence switched off for a second, but Dennis Rapson was his normal impressive self and he smothered the effort as Mitcham looked destined to score a consolation.

 

Team – Dennis Rapson, Will Mahoney, Connor Baker, Matt Higgins ©, Will Bletso, Tom Ball, Mike Richardson, Josh Brown, Alex Nicholson, Gecco Navalta, Frankie Routlef, Harry Ramsey, George Coffey

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Brockham Badgers Black U11 v Kingswood Falcons U11 (South Surrey Youth league)

Brockham started the game with some crisp accurate passing that had Kingswood chasing shadows.  The team work was exceptional and the passing inch perfect.

 

Toby Evans really stood out, in what became a tough physical midfield battle.  Toby was brave in the tackle and released the ball quickly to make chances for his team mates.  He's a real team player and was instrumental in keeping the pressure on Kingswood.

 

Oliver Yeates scored the pick of the goals with a chip into the top corner.  The Kingswood keeper had a great game and made a fantastic last ditch tackle on Ezra to prevent a certain goal.  But he couldn't keep Badgers at bay.

 

Morgan slammed home a penalty.  Ezra poached one in the box and Oliver Yeates went in to the half-time huddle with a hat-trick.

 

Half-time: Brockham Badgers Black 5 Kingswood Falcons 0

 

The second half saw a spirited fight back from Kingswood early on.  And The Falcons got a deserved consolation goal.

 

Brockham continued to apply the pressure but the final ball didn't arrive quick enough as the boys all had one eye on the goal and the other on the score sheet.

 

George Lees was very accomplished in his striker role.  Kept the ball, led the line and finished superbly.  He has a great shot on him and brings others into the game.  His goal was a highlight of the second half.

 

Jack Duncan got his reward for his constant running with a cool finish.  Lucas Woolley was electric on the left and played his goal through the keeper's legs.  Oliver got his fourth in a high scoring match.

 

The Badgers did well to keep their cool in a game that saw many fouls and incidents.  They have big games coming against top quality opposition.  They will need to be at their absolute best.

 

Final Score: Brockham Badgers Black 9 Kingswood Falcons 1

 

Squad: George Lees, Morgan Hamilton, Lucas Woolley, Joe Allen, Zain Khan, Oliver Yeates, Henry Lucas, Toby Evans, Ezra Charles, Jack Duncan

 

Man Of The Match:  Oliver Yeates (superb finishing)

 

Match Report: Jason Charles

 

 

 

 

Brockham Badgers U15A 1 - 1 Leatherhead Youth

Despite having only twelve players to field this Sunday, Brockham Badgers U15A responded with a thoroughly disciplined display that ensured they shared the spoils with local rival Leatherhead in a closely fought 1-1 encounter.

Brockham setup to limit Leatherhead chances and play a counter attacking game.  They enjoyed some good possession in the first fifteen minutes going close when Joe Silver was through one on one with keeper and drew a brave save.  The Badgers maintained their shape and stuck to their game plan despite a concerted effort from the Tanners to force themselves into the game.  Leatherhead chances were limited to long shots from outside the area thanks to some sturdy work from the tireless Sam Lloyd and Kieran Rice who had been asked to patrol midfield in front of the Badgers’ back four and break up threats before they had a chance to challenge Justin Tarrant who put in an impressive display as stand-in keeper.

If Brockham were going to break the deadlock it looked more likely to come from a wide position where Jack Coppin and Silver were enjoying some success but instead it came down the centre where Alex Mitrovic bagged his first goal for the black and whites.  Receiving a high ball on his chest with his back to goal and under pressure from both Leatherhead centre backs, he had enough composure to quickly look over his shoulder and see the Tanners keeper off his line.  As the ball dropped Mitrovic hooked a cheeky lob over his left shoulder which dropped under the cross bar and gave Brockham the lead.

The remainder of the first half was box to box stuff but with little in the way of chances coming for either team.  Brockham were working hard and frustrating Leatherhead and deserved the edge going into the break.

The second half played out in a similar pattern to the first.  To their credit Leatherhead started to look the more threatening but Brockham were happy to let them play in certain areas and break it down in others always, always on the look out to put their pacey wide men in for a counter.  Both teams has some tight calls for off-side halt some fair chances had they run on, and Leatherhead had the ball in the back of the net only for it to be disallowed for off-side, whilst Brockham had a good strike cleared off the line by Leatherhead.  The match had a narrow win for either side or a draw written all over it.

Leatherhead then snatched the equaliser.  A corner to the Tanners was cleared, then pinged back in and half-cleared again, where it rolled into a space twelve yards out onto which a Leatherhead player was advancing.  He struck it well and drove it powerfully into the Brockham net.

Leatherhead now had their tails up and fancied they might go on and win.  Brockham were tiring and rolling one sub every five minutes to keep some legs fresh.  The Tanners pressure was pretty relentless in the last ten minutes but Brockham steeled themselves and also had one or two opportunities that threatened of their own.

With a minute on the clock to go, Leatherhead put a through ball down the middle.  Their striker latched onto it at pace and edged a yard past his marker into the penalty area.  Tarrant had advanced quickly to close the angle but put in more of a defender’s challenge than a keeper’s.  Penalty.  Brockham hearts stopped.  They’d fought doggedly all match for each other and now looked to lose a well earned point in the dying seconds.  Tarrant stood tall and did enough to make the Leatherhead spot kicker aim for a low corner.  Fortunately for the Badgers, and agonisingly for the Tanners, he put it marginally wide.

The final whistle blew and the spoils were shared.  Both teams had equipped themselves well and a point a piece was the right result.

Men of the Match: Oscar Cremmen, Sam Lloyd, Kieran Rice

Brockham Badgers U10A 3 - 3 Leatherhead Youth

A magnificent effort to come back from two down against a very good Leatherhead side earned Brockham Badgers U10A a well deserved point at the Big Field this Saturday.

Leatherhead took the lead early on with a wonderful strike from outside the area, and they doubled their lead ten minutes later with a headed goal following some nice wide play and a cross in from the right.  Brockham were struggling to find their rhythm early on but once they got the ball on the ground and started to move it quickly across the ground they gradually imposed themselves on the game. 

Conan Torpey was once again a threat up front – all movement, strength, and pressure, giving the Swans defence a real handful of power to deal with.  Two opportunistic strikes in succession were dealt with before Torpey got the Badgers back in the game.  Will Timmons showed great composure under pressure to weave out of a tight spot in left defence, put the ball down the line to Joe Rabbetts who went on a tricky run and fed a nice ball from the left.  Torpey still had a lot to do but with a calmness that belied his age he slotted home with a great right footed finish from ten yards.

Torpey then fell foul to a double set back.  Mud in his eye followed by a tough shin challenge put paid to his threat for a while and the disruption was all Leatherhead needed to set their stall out again.  Pinching the ball from a Brockham defender in a tight position the Leatherhead winger put a pass across goal for their impressive No.6 to bag a third for the visitors just before the break and force Brockham‘s manager to re-write the half-time team talk.

The Badgers set up differently in the second period.  George Wryde and Rabbetts were set the task of stopping the service that was all coming down the right side of the Leatherhead formation, whilst captain Ed Russ was asked to put in a man-marking shift against their creative and combative No.6.  The change made a difference.  It was Brockham now looking the most threatening and a good stint by Matt Chapman was now asking questions of Leatherhead’s left field.  Two or three good chances for a goal were thwarted at both ends with Huw Morgan and his counterpart in the Leatherhead goal making a difference to the scorecard.  But with only ten minutes remaining Brockham needed a break.

Dividends were repaid for their good work when Harrison Watts and Owen Knowles combined on Brockham’s right to cut a ball back from the bye-line where who else but Torpey was there to bundle the ball in for Brockham’s second.

Sam Church’s introduction for Watts late on was the last roll of the dice.  It was decisive change.  As the clock ran down, Church made an interception deep in Brockham’s half, he cut the ball inside for Russ who fed Rabbetts making a run on the left.  His ball into Torpey was switched back left to Wryde who slid a left foot shot into the bottom of the Leatherhead net.  The centre kick was taken and immediately the referee blew up for full-time.  The Badgers had pulled off an excellent recovery from two goals down to level the game 3-3 in the dying seconds.

Man of the match: Conan Torpey

Manorcroft 2 - 0 Brockham Badgers U15A

Points are proving difficult to find in 2012 for Brockham Badgers U15A, and so it proved as they went down by two goals to nil at Manorcroft this Sunday.   No points from five games since the turn of the year leaves them looking over their shoulders only four points clear of relegation with some difficult games to come.  A poor run they have to halt.

It doesn’t help that goalkeeper James Rabbetts has been in an out with injuries all season, and is now a long term absentee.  Justin Tarrant and Jack Coppin both admirably volunteering to stand in during his absence.  A number of key players are also yet to hit any sort of form in 2012.  Losses to be fair have been narrow in score line and on occasion not necessarily a reflection of the performance on the pitch, as Brockham have dominated at times and rarely been outplayed.  Alex Mitrovic is also new to the team, leading the forward line, and still coming to terms with his team mates and Brockham’s style of play.  These are excuses but also crumbs of comfort from which to draw some confidence.

Manorcroft took the lead after fifteen minutes with a fortunate goal.  Stand in keeper Tarrant had advanced a long way off his line and the Manorcroft winger lofted an opportunistic ball from range which dropped into the net.  The game was still up for grabs.  Brockham should have upped the tempo and gone at the Manorcroft boys with their normal high speed pressing game, but instead they allowed their opposition to dictate the pace of the game.  At times it was snail like, and Manorcroft simply parked the bus with two banks of four in a well organised defensive shape.

Things improved marginally midway through the second half but the final ball in the final third was lacking and on far too many occasions possession was given away with a sloppy pass.  Manorcroft were all hustle and bustle without creativity and bundled a second in with twenty minutes remaining.  Brockham continued to dominate possession but again the incisive pass, the tempo, and the desire seemed to be missing from the efforts of too many players.

If the Badgers are to salvage anything from this season it is these key players that need to muster themselves and the team and demand performances.  Two or three leaders need to establish themselves.  Conceding without a keeper is understandable but failing to score against an average team who for large parts of the game played with only ten men is a concern.  This Brockham side are capable of beating anyone on their day, as some of their victories this season are evidence.  It’s time for a response.

Man of the Match:  Luc Jhugroo and Simon Vakeva-Baird