Downton 1 Brockenhurst 0

3 September 2024

After Saturday’s home disappointment, the Badgers were back on the road this evening, away at Downton.  I’d been to The Nest once before, for a pre-season friendly in summer 2023, and I can only repeat what I said then: it’s a lovely ground, and a pleasure to visit.  Of course, it’s always going to be more of a pleasure if you win…  Jake Adams and Jamie-Jay Burgess were both back on the bench tonight for Brock, although it looked as though Jake picked up an injury in the pre-match warm-up which wasn’t the start any of us wanted. 

There wasn’t much to choose between the two sides in the opening stages of the game.  Brock were generally comfortable in possession, but it was obvious very early on that the Downton defence was well drilled – holding an excellent line and keeping their shape, generally excellent out of possession and intercepting passes and crosses on a regular basis.  Most of the early play was in front of the respective defences: a curled shot from Gray straight at Storr, a fine run from Moreno well defended by Osman, another cross from Moreno, sent goalwards by Simpson and very well saved by Storr’s quick reflexes.  Simpson with a shot just wide: the Badgers were getting closer, but back came the Robins – one excellent move between Davies and Erdinic down the right on 25 minutes but the cross was blocked by Francis and cleared by Rhys Taylor, shortly followed by Smith finding himself in space on the left and Butler called into action with a sharp save at his near post.  Butler repeated that save on 30, this time from Davies, as the hosts pressed forward – but the Badgers broke, Simpson released into space down the left wing, reaching the ball and putting in a fine cross to Walker whose header came back off the inside of the post and into Storr’s arms.  Fine margins: 4 minutes later, another Robins move down the right appeared to have broken down, but a very deep cross was met at the back post by Moseley whose header back across goal went over Butler and nestled in the far corner.  HT 1-0

Having been pretty disciplined in the first half, Brock didn’t start the second period with the same composure.  Moseley took too long when in space near the touchline but with Butler well out of his goal, which allowed Gray to get back and challenge Erdinic just in time.  Butler then didn’t get enough on his punch at a corner, and Osman blasted over from the edge of the box – both of those incidents within the first ten minutes, although at the other end Gray had a header over.  The Badgers settled, and regained more control; but too often, having played out calmly and found someone in the quarterback position, in space on the halfway line, the next action was to put a foot on the ball and pass it backwards.  Not enough movement ahead of them, and credit to the defence?  Easy to be critical from the sidelines.  Finally, the Brock chances started to arrive midway through the half – an excellent counterattack, Walker finding Simpson who must score – superb block from the defender.  Ten minutes later and another two outstanding blocks from the Downton defence, the first from a Moreno shot and the second from the rebound; apologies that I was too far away to identify all the players involved here.  3 minutes on, and keeper Storr saved brilliantly on the line, this time the rebound headed over.  On another day, any of those could have gone in and Brock might have pulled clear.  Instead, the Robins held out, and as Brock pushed for the equaliser the hosts might have extended their lead by exploiting the spaces left at the back: sub Regan Mason shot straight at Butler.  Two minutes to go, another break, Smith jumped into Butler who consequently dropped the ball – everyone waited for the whistle which didn’t come, and frustration finally boiled over.  Brock felt they had been on the wrong end of a few decisions – to be fair, they may have had a point a couple of times – and Rhys Taylor complained once too often and was sinbinned.  There were seven minutes of overtime (Downton had been taking their time, and why wouldn’t you?) in which Smith should have scored the second but smashed his shot wide; and the game was done.  FT 1-0

Harsh realities: in the end, Downton deserved to win because they scored a goal, and Brock didn’t.  However you dress it up, however pretty your football and however impressive your possession stats, it all comes down to that simple equation.  (Even I can hear the frustration in that sentence!)  There were some very solid performances: Elliott was excellent, Rhys worked exceptionally hard to win the ball back, Joel won about a million headers.  There were chances, but they were squandered – credit to a very good defence, too.  It was much, much better than Saturday, and Brock wouldn’t have been flattered by a draw.  But they didn’t get it, so the next time to put things right is with the long trip to Sherborne on Saturday…