Bournemouth 2 Brockenhurst 1

11 January 2025

OK so last week, I would have wished everyone a happy new year and all that.  Except, Brock got postponed and the Content Adviser and I went to Stoneham Park instead (and I duly posted a report of that one too).  Always good to have a Plan B – today we were ready to go to the wonderfully-named Roman Glass St George to watch Andover New Street in the Vase… madness.  But S… Victoria Park passed the longest pitch inspection in history, so here comes game 24 of 38:

The first of three successive away league games for Brock – a trip to Poppies.  Bournemouth have been having something of a strange season: they pinched an early point from the Badgers with an injury-time equaliser, went on a run of strong results which saw them pitching towards the top of the table, but only one league win since 19 October (unaccountably, a 7-2 win against Wincanton Town).  So, no idea what to expect from this one!

This was, alas, an ordinary game between two ordinary teams, with the occasional moment of genuine quality standing out against markedly average fare.  Rarely can two sides have given the ball away quite so often in a single game – no lack of effort, but not amounting to a great spectacle.  An early shot wide from the hosts – and on ten minutes the Badgers took the lead, Bunce winning a corner and Torniainen curling it straight into the top corner.   Brock looked comfortable for a fair period after that, but couldn’t force home the advantage: a Bunce pass just ahead of Burgess, a firm shot from Adams well saved by ex-Badger Bartram, Atiako-Hall in behind the defence but only finding the side-netting, and then a cross which came off the heel of another ex-Badger Davis and flew over his own bar.  Forays forward from the Poppies were rare, but Stocker looked lively and on the half-hour hit a shot which Valero could only parry before Steel cleared.  Then one minute later, Stocker again with a clever run beyond two defenders, a decent low cross, Smith seemed to stumble and didn’t get much on the ball but it was enough to creep in at the back post to level things up.  HT 1-1

It’s frustrating when a ref is too fussy and blows every single time there appears to be contact.  But it’s also frustrating when, like today, the ref barely gives anything at all (and when he does, it’s not obvious he’s made the right call).  That didn’t help the flow of the game, which didn’t improve in the second half.  Ryan King – a third ex-Badger in the Poppies starting XI – hit a swerving shot just over the bar from 20 yards… and then the moment which was probably decisive.  Bunce with a brilliant mazy run into the box, his powerful shot brilliantly saved by Bartram – the rebound fell to Burgess close to the byline and he hammered a shot goalwards superbly tipped onto the post by Bartram for an amazing double save.  I found myself applauding Heath like in the old days!  That could have been the moment for Brock but instead Poppies started to create: Fishlock, energetic all afternoon, got into a good position but should have done better than shooting wide; then a great cross just too high for Smith… back came Brock, Torniainen with a superb cross which Walker headed over from about 8 yards.  Walker was then brought down in the middle of the park, definite foul and whistle blown immediately which was a shame because two Brock players had beaten the offside trap and would have been in on goal… Six minutes remaining and the game end to end with no obvious sign that a goal was likely but Brock again gave the ball away cheaply in their own half, a fine cross to the back post headed home by Stocker.  Poppies created and missed more chances as the Badgers pressed forward (Valero regularly in the opposition half by this time!), but then Tallal was sent off for a second yellow – could Brock capitalise – a free kick, header from Simpson, back off the post with the keeper beaten.  And that was that.  FT 2-1

All rather disappointing; Brock looked dangerous when they moved the ball quickly, but they did it too rarely.  A difficult pitch, to be sure, after the recent weather, but the same for both sides.  Jack was the standout for Brock today, and a word to compliment Jamie-Jay on his workrate and energy.   Great to see Heath again (wish he hadn’t made the save), not to mention some other old friends… but the season continues to stutter a bit… hoping for a step forward next week.