Baffins Milton Rovers 3 Brockenhurst 0

1 October 2024

The last time these two sides met, on a warm Saturday in April, a Badgers victory put them in pole position to claim the final play-off spot… then Brock faltered at Fareham, Baffins scored an injury time winner at Petersfield, and the rest, as they say, is history.  Since then, the two clubs have gone in rather different directions, and Badgers fans were anticipating a tough evening.  On a personal level, I’m going to add that I’ve always quite liked the PMC Stadium, even though I could do without the journey there and back!  Baffins is a club which is developing rapidly and there’s always something new when we visit: this time, it was the car park… which your intrepid reporter didn’t realise was attached to the club until too late, so both I and the Content Adviser parked up along the lane as we always have!

The scoreline makes this sound like a pretty comfortable win for Baffins, and in the end it was, but the Badgers gave a pretty good account of themselves and while the hosts deserved the win, the three-goal margin was slightly flattering.  It was a very watchable match with some decent play from both teams, and a couple of pieces of outrageous skill – on which more in due course.  An early scare for Brock when the ball bounced off a couple of players and fell to Welham inside the box, but his cross-shot went harmlessly wide.  But after that, the Badgers defence largely held Baffins at arm’s length: organised and disciplined, under pressure but not conceding a serious chance while creating several near things of their own – keeper Hardcastle quickly off his line to grab the ball ahead of Walker, then saving at close range from new signing Torniainen; then a Taylor shot deflected just wide of the post.  Only 8 minutes gone at this point!  On 16, an Adams shot on the volley whistled just past the post – offside had also been given in the build-up, but it didn’t stop some members of the Brock massive (yeah, that was me) celebrating loudly for a couple of seconds.  Very deceptive angle, that’s my excuse!  And just after that, Hardcastle hammered a clearance straight at Fay but alas for Brock, it rebounded towards the goal slowly enough for the keeper to get back and claim. That makes it sound like it was one-way traffic, which it wasn’t, but the hosts were largely foundering on the excellent Brock defence.  One sharp incisive move down the left got Pitman in, very well saved at his near post by Butler; two brilliant tackles in a minute, first from Wellman then from Burns.  But 27 minutes, and the breakthrough: Moreno slipped and lost the ball to the impressive Bello, the ball reached Bell on the edge of the box and he shot precisely beyond Butler into the corner. Heads didn’t drop: another flowing Brock move left Adams in a good position but he took too long and the ball was cleared… Walker saw a long-range shot just clear the bar… and three minutes from the interval, the lively Burgess cleverly made space on the right and his shot crashed back off the upright and away.  Fine margins… Baffins might have extended their lead in injury time when the ref didn’t spot a foul which we all did, the ball ran through to Welham, but Butler kept it out.  HT 1-0

And it stayed that way until halfway through the second period.  Brock continued to play pretty well, and it wasn’t impossible to think they might get back into the game.  But Baffins also looked dangerous – an excellent run from Fox down the left, Hodan unable to reach his cross.  55 minutes, the first outrageous piece of skill: a ball forward to Pitman 25 yards out, outstanding control, dragging the ball across and lashing a shot just wide of the near post.  Would have been a quite brilliant goal: a reminder that when he’s not waving his arms around and arguing with the officials (and fans) about dubious throw-ins, he’s still a hugely impressive footballer.  58 minutes, a lovely flowing Brock move, but Burgess shot tamely.  It was probably the best chance the Badgers created, and they paid for not taking it on 67: the defence contrived to lose the ball, but Baffins still had plenty to do, a couple of neat interchanges later and Welham was in on goal, Butler seemed to get quite a strong hand to the ball but it still rolled over the line and in. 

That was always likely to be enough, and Baffins were now exerting greater authority.  Cornwell flew down the wing and his cross seemed to hit his own man in the box before being cleared. 79 minutes, foul on the halfway line, free kick to Baffins just inside the Brock half.  Taken quickly by the sharp-witted Pitman, who had seen Butler off his line, and the keeper’s despairing leap was to no avail: the ball sailed into the top corner.  Outstanding, outrageous, sublime – you choose.  Pitman was alert, Butler wasn’t, and the striker also had the ability to deliver.  Hats off.  Second time I’ve seen someone score from their own half against Brock, but the first was nine years ago and I hope another nine pass before I see it again!  There could still have been more goals either way – McCarthy-Gardiner won a defensive header from a corner, at the other end a Simpson cross was hacked away from inside the six-yard box, and time was up. FT 3-0

Sometimes, you just have to hold your hands up – the better team won.  Those two pieces of skill from Pitman were a class apart.  But it was a decent game, and Brock played pretty well; that level of performance would have been good enough in several recent matches which have slipped away.  New boy Jack looked the part, Callum was having a good game before he got injured (another one… eleven on the injury list now!), Corey and Tyler were outstanding at the back.  Going forward, another nearly-story, more woodwork… shooting practice required!  The sponsors will expect goals on Saturday, and there’s a mango in it for someone…