Matchday 11 Brockenhurst 2 East Cowes Vics 2

3 October 2026

Wow, it only seems like two days since- but let’s stop there because apart from Toby and Ash, nobody else started both games and it was a great chance to use the “bench”.  And through to the second round of the Russell Cotes, although whether we call that eight straight wins – yes, it is, that’s in the record books… alongside our 360Player Club of the Month award (still overly excited about this one!). 

So back to league action and the visit of East Cowes Vics.  They’ve not had the best start to the season but took a point off Downton last week, so clearly no mugs.  Even so, Brock’s long winning run came to an end with something of a whimper – not quite as sharp, not quite as accurate, and letting a promising position slide away.  And all that despite a very fast start – 3 minutes, Harry McGrath with a brilliant shot arrowed just wide of the near post from 25 yards with the keeper nowhere.  One minute later, keeper George Bridi came for the ball outside the box, didn’t make the best clearance, and Sami Makhloufi curled a shot over from a similar distance.  Chika Ugwumba was looking dangerous down the left, giving Caleb Dyer a torrid afternoon – his cross to the back post headed over by Colmer, the ball was fractionally too high for him and he couldn’t get above it to head it down.  Even so, surely the Badgers’ opener was coming… 11 minutes, a collision inside the Vics half, ball rebounding over the halfway line, Bailey fouled… and while the visitors were arguing, Toby Bailey thought quicker than anyone else and hit a sensational shot from what must have been 60 yards… on target… keeper Bridi was near the edge of his box and got a hand to it but not enough.   One of those goals that I won’t be forgetting for a while!  To be honest I’m guessing about the 60 yards but if the pitch is 110 yards long (non-league standard), that must be about right… sensational.  Jake Wright then headed a corner out from under his own bar – and suddenly on 27 minutes, Vics woke up, Josh Neale making space on the edge of the box with some tidy feet but a tame shot straight at Stainer-Reid.  That was followed by a good break down the left from Charlie Haward but Will Bridi couldn’t quite reach his cross… but then four minutes before the break, another unusual goal for Brock, McGrath flicking the ball on towards Ugwumba, keeper Bridi again left his box to challenge but his attempted clearance hit Ugwumba about 25 yards out and bounced goalwards… Ugwumba was following it in to score but ultimately didn’t need another touch as the ball won the race.  So, 2-0… but in first half injury time, corner to Vics, recycled to the edge of the box and hammered through the ruck by Jake Wright to pull one back.  I think it got a deflection on the way, maybe off a defender, but no doubt it was his goal.  HT 2-1

And, for whatever reason, the Badgers didn’t ever really get going after the break.  Vics stepped it up, brought a bit more urgency, and it changed the momentum completely.  The visitors were certainly physical, and the ball was in the air more than I would like to see every week, but you can’t criticise a team for playing to their strengths within the rules.  56 minutes, a chance for Haward after a shot was blocked, but his shot was tame.  And then maybe the defining moment of the game.  58 minutes, Toby Bailey injured in midfield – I honestly didn’t see how that happened, Brock certainly thought it was a foul but they may not be the most unbiased.  In the end Brock were able to pull the ball out and Bailey had to be subbed: bad news for the Badgers, but made worse because Rossi clearly told the referee rather too strongly what he thought of the (lack of) decision and found himself in the sin-bin.  And within two minutes of the restart, Vics levelled things up, a corner headed on and headed in unchallenged by Toby Snow from close range.  Clear from our angle that the ball actually went out off a Vics player and shouldn’t have been a corner at all, but these things happen and you have to defend them better than that.  Anyway, Vics had made the most of their man advantage and might have taken the lead before Brock were back up to full strength, Charlie Hart turning well in the box and making space for a shot which was powerful but… nowhere dangerous.  Vics stayed in the ascendency, though, and Brock came under quite a lot of pressure.  To be fair they withstood it pretty well, solid defending and the calm Stainer-Reid making some important takes.  Was there to be a winner?  A nearly-thing for Brock: again Bridi leaving his area to make a challenge, again not getting a clean clearance, rebounding towards goal but too slowly and, while McGrath followed it in, Snow was able to clear before it reached the line.  Then Makhloufi with a shot which looked to be going over but dipped wickedly, brilliantly tipped onto the bar and over by Bridi… and still time for a couple of wild shots from Barnes and Weeks for Vics before the ref blew for full-time.  FT 2-2

So in the end… a point was probably about right.  Dan was named man of the match – fair enough, personally I’d have gone for Rian but that tells you that the defenders were to the fore.  Magnificent, quick-thinking goal from Toby, let’s hope someone can clip that up because it deserves to be seen again (and by more people!), but for whatever reason Brock didn’t quite click after about 25 minutes.  Lessons to be learned, unbeaten run continues… and we take that to Division One leaders New Milton next weekend in the Vase… up the Badgers!