HSC: Brockenhurst 0 Blackfield & Langley 0 (4-2 pens)

20 August 2024

First round of the Hampshire Senior Cup, on the date originally scheduled for a League Cup tie between these two sides.  And it was far too cold for August!  A few players missing for Brock, a debut for Ryan King and a welcome return from injury off the bench for Rian Drake.  These cup games, especially in the early rounds, are always a chance to use the squad, give some minutes, allow some rest; but at the same time, it’s good to progress – especially when 144 have turned out to watch, which is the best home attendance for a regional cup game in a long time!

However this wasn’t a match to live long in the memory, and we needn’t overly detain ourselves.  The visitors were wearing green numbers on green shirts which made identification extremely difficult (not a great choice of kit, Watersiders!).  Other points of note in a very poor first half: one half-chance for Josh Taylor after a good run from Burgess.  Wellman striding forward on the half-hour and shooting high from 20 yards – noteworthy only because it showed how few options he had.  A clever pass from Simpson, a decent chance for Walker who shot over from the angle; his recent form had the fans hoping for more.  39 minutes, a horrible clash of heads between Lawton and Roocroft – accidental, both jumping for the same ball, but it looked (and sounded) much more serious than it turned out to be: Roocroft was down for a couple of minutes but was able to get up and resume!  And four minutes into stoppage time, it was he who won a free kick just outside the box, well tipped over by Butler – the only time either keeper was called into action.  HT 0-0

We saw the ref as he re-emerged after half-time and suggested we should go straight to penalties, and save ourselves the bother.  But it could only improve, right?  Wrong.  Brock did win a corner, their first, in the 51st minute, closely followed by another.  On 61, another corner headed wide at the back post by Lawton, probably the most presentable chance of the night.  Walker was tackled inside the box before he could get his shot away, and that was the theme of the night for the Badgers: they had players ready to run in behind a defence which was playing quite high, but too often the man on the ball would hesitate, pause and procrastinate by which time the defence was set.  Having said that, on other occasions maybe the pass was played too quickly and the ball lost – easy for me to be impatient from the stands.  And Matonga, in particular, had a very solid game at the back for the visitors.  There were crosses, a couple of melees in either box, nothing resembling a chance.  Blackfield threatened occasionally – Mann found himself in space but had gone too soon and the flag was raised.  Mealing cut inside from the left and curled his shot over the bar.  Final five, a free kick not properly cleared and a weak shot from Wellman straight at Szyszko; another shot over the bar from Blackfield; game done.  FT 0-0

Four cracking penalties from Brock: Walker, Callum Taylor, King and McCarthy-Gardiner.  Two scored by the Watersiders, then two blazed over the bar, and the Badgers were through.

Tyler was named man of the match by the sponsors (no argument here), meaning he and Dylan have two awards each after four games.  There’s not much else to say: it was a poor game which neither side did enough to win.  Great to see Rian back, good to be through – and, as I’ve said previously, if Brock go on to win the competition nobody will remember how it started.