FAV Q1 East Cowes Victoria 3 Brockenhurst 3 (5-3 pens)

23 August 2025

The first of at least three trips to the island this season for the Badgers – league games ahead (in October and April) but the additional bonus of an August visit for the First Qualifying Round of the FA Vase.  Brock actually played here in the same round two years ago and, from memory, won 1-0 in a very ordinary game, the hosts having had a player sent off in the first half (straight red).   Since then, of course, Vics have been promoted, so now it’s an all-Prem fixture...  and Beatrice Avenue is a decent enough ground, although not the most accessible for those of us from what the islanders apparently call ‘North Island’.  A chance for Brock to build on the improved showing on Tuesday, then.

The opening was lively, with Vics largely on top but not turning their authority into goals – one excellent near post stop from Valero after Reynolds cut inside, and then a scramble in which Valero made a close-range save with the rebound blocked on the line (possibly Liam Macfarlane, through too much of a ruck for me to be sure).  Brock were restricted to the rare breakaway: 13 minutes, Brooks down the left with a cross-shot which keeper Alex Ram looked to have under control but the ball went through his hands for a corner… within a minute, Brock had won a free kick (hotly disputed, as were many of the first-half decision), Brooks to the back post, headed home by Dylan Walker and the visitors were in front.  Ten minutes later, a second: Brooks again involved, this time feeding Burgess whose deep cross was pushed away by Ram but Walker again, at the back post, smashed the ball home despite a despairing attempt at a goalline clearance.  The hosts were still creating half-chances but shots were blocked or flicked just wide of goal, and the Badgers seemed reasonably comfortable.  HT 0-2

An early scare for Brock in the second half – a long ball forward for Vics, Valero playing sweeper-keeper but arriving a fraction later than Scott Jones and clipping the striker – yellow card.  The officials took the view that Scott was heading away from goal; possibly he was, but it was quite a generous interpretation and I could understand why the home officials were…. disappointed… with the decision.  (I always try be fair and to report what I see, and this afternoon I would say that Vics got the rough end of decisions – they didn’t get many 50/50s and a few calls were quite soft.)  The free kick offered Reynolds a chance at the back post but he headed wide; then Scott headed wide from a corner; Scott played through on his own, brought the ball down beautifully and passed it wide of the near post.   Meantime, Brock could have wrapped things up – a misplaced cross-field pass at the back, Gray read it and volleyed the ball just wide of an empty net.  The chances kept coming at the other end for Vics – Chapman volleyed over the bar, then Jones smashed a shot against the bar – 79 minutes, still 2-0, the game seemingly running away from them…

And then suddenly, everything changed.  A Vics player reached the byline on the left (apologies, I didn’t identify him), pulled the ball back, and Connor Kelly scored.  Literally 90 seconds later, a deep cross from the left, headed home by Jones, 2-2.  And five minutes after that, another deep cross, Valero got a hand to it but couldn’t deflect it far enough and Jones bundled it in at the back post to give the hosts the lead.  Bedlam in the stands… Vics could then have finished it, Reynolds was put through but pushed his shot across goal and wide; then a bouncing ball fell to Reynolds and he pulled his shot wide.  And then, three minutes into overtime, Brock won a free kick which created havoc in the box and, after a couple of shots were blocked, Kian Dugdale smashed home to level things up.  FT 3-3

So for the second game in a row, penalties.  East Cowes Vics up first, and they scored their first four: Reynolds, Wheeler, Kelly and Wragg, and to be fair, the keeper wasn’t getting close to any of the first four.  Brock scored three in fine style (Brooks, Steve Walker and Holmes); but in between came the fatal miss, Torniainen sending the keeper the wrong way but passing the ball past the post.  So a kick to win it for Neale, hit low and true, Valero couldn’t quite get down to it in time, and the hosts were through. 

I’m finding it quite hard to sum up my reactions to today’s game, to be honest.  Obviously, from 2-0 with ten to go, you should win the game.  Obviously, conceding two goals in 90 seconds is… not good.  Conceding a third – an identikit of the second – five minutes later is… even more not good.  But then to rally and find the equaliser, rather than letting heads drop: that was good.  And it wasn’t like anyone had a terrible game.  Dylan, as ever, never stopped running and had two goals to show for his efforts.  But nobody should be hanging their heads (and I very much enjoyed watching Kian when he came on).  Pens are a bit of a lottery; a rubbish way to lose.  No Wembley for Brock this year, then; and three draws to follow on from three defeats.  Let’s hope for a win against Yateley in the League Cup on Tuesday.