FAV Q2 Bridport Town 3 Brockenhurst 1

21 September 2024

Back to Cup action for the Badgers, then – second qualifying round of the FA Vase, away to Bridport Town of the Peninsula League (East).  Almost needless to say, I’d never been to St Mary’s Field before, so let’s start with the basics.  Bridport – who play in red and black but are somewhat curiously known as the Bees – have a very decent set-up.  It’s a tidy ground, with boisterous and (mostly) good-natured supporters, and friendly people.  The “Bridport Experience”, as it were, is fine.  Bit of a trek, but fine.  The game…

The day started badly for Brock, with the team bus breaking down almost before it had left town and the team ultimately arriving shortly after 1430.  A delayed start until 1515 seemed surprisingly early… Badgers fans had spirits raised by the sight of the returning Ronan Moore, who needs game-time as he recovers from injury before resuming with Shaftesbury.  Eyebrows were perhaps raised by the sight of Oshitola not staying out with the subs… at this point, I should add that there was no team board to be found, and while Bridport have tweeted their team it’s based on approximate field position rather than number, so identification of the home team comes exclusively from my guesswork, apologies for any errors.  Eyebrows raised higher still when the game started and it became evident that Oshitola was starting at right-back, which is not a position we’ve seen him in before…

The first half was basically a disaster for Brock.  Both Channell and Josh Taylor did their hamstring – Channell on 20 minutes, and Taylor (who had replaced him) right on half-time.  Oshitola was hooked on 38 minutes, which shows how well that experiment worked out.  But by that time, the Badgers were already 3-0 down.  The first came on 5 minutes – an attack down the left, Gall (I think) too strong for the challenge and his cross turned in by – the home team credited it to Ayunga, who was certainly in the mix, but it looked to us as though it was a Wellman own goal.  The second was outstanding: down the right this time, Ayunga picked up the ball and hit an unstoppable cross-shot into the top corner.  And ten minutes from the interval, Charles won a challenge and poked a pass through to Ayunga who made no mistake.  There had been other home chances: Gall had pulled an early shot wide of the near post, #6 also shot wide from a good position.  Brock created a couple of opportunities of their own, mostly through Burgess wide on the right, but Walker shot wide from the edge of the box, and Simpson shot weakly from the angle.  In the final 5 of the half, the Badgers looked better: first a defender missed a header and Moreno’s cross caused mayhem before the ball was finally hooked behind; Gray had a shot deflected wide; and then Moreno was played clean through, brilliantly defended by #2.  HT 3-0

It was, as they say, a long way back.  Atiako-Hall came on at half-time and the shape and structure of the team was much more recognisable and, it has to be said, more solid.  50th minute, a sharp move between Atiako-Hall and Simpson with the former lofting home from the corner of the box to give the Badgers a squeak of a chance.  In truth the comeback never really looked likely, and that chance receded further on 55 minutes when Gray was shown a straight red following an incident with Gall, who was booked.  It was almost in front of me, and I didn’t really see anything but the usual pushing and shoving.  The assistant was much further away, at a poor angle; the referee had no idea what had happened.  The home fans shouted “elbow”, and maybe they saw something I didn’t; but they also shouted about “off the ball assault” all afternoon, and chortled royally at themselves.  Only Luke will know.  Either way, Brock were down to ten men.  A Bridport coach also saw red in this incident… Ayunga might have scored again but shot wide.  Callum Taylor, on as sub, hit a free kick which went untouched through the whole six-yard box.  But home keeper Scadding basically had nothing to do.  You wouldn’t have known the Bees had a man advantage, but it mattered not…  8 minutes left and another Bridport attack as Brock pushed forward, the ball coming to #14 who took it first time, almost no backlift, outstanding near-post save from Butler.  That mattered not either, except for respectability.  The hosts had a final shot which clipped the top of the bar.  The referee played 90 seconds of overtime despite about six minutes of stoppages for injury, red card discussions, subs etc; he had no better an afternoon than Brock, and they were all probably pleased to get it over with.  FT 3-1

So that’s the end of this year’s dreams of Wembley, march to the arch etc.  Fears of fixture congestion allayed. Bridport played with greater intensity and greater confidence, especially in the first half, and that was more than enough for the Badgers today.  No doubt arriving late didn’t help.  Some players missing, some out of position.  Ronan looked a bit rusty, understandably.  By the time the team started to play like we know they can, the game was already done.  The referee had an absolute shocker – never in control, no idea what he was watching (I know, it’s a tough job, but he was out of his depth.  That’s not a partial comment, he didn’t do either side any favours, although the red card was the crowning glory).  And of course, two more injuries, and a player facing a ban.  We’ve probably all had better Saturdays!  But, no time to rest, another cup game on Tuesday against Blackfield and Langley… come on you Badgers!