Matchday 12 Brockenhurst 3 Hamble Club 2

18 October 2025

Many of you probably went to the charity match last night – Brock Legends v Saints Legends.  A terrific evening with some surprisingly fine goals and a whole lot of laughter.  4 minutes 30 on the clock and we’d already had three goals (including a very early and very dodgy penalty), Mark ‘Sparky’ Barker getting one back for the Badgers after going 2-0 down.  Saints, and in particular Shane Long, then turned it on to lead 4-1: personal view is that Long was far too young and fit and it hardly seemed fair!  But Sparky got another just before half-time (2-4) and then suddenly 3-4… 3-5… 4-5… and then Sparky rounded off his hat-trick with a blinding volley with five minutes left to level things up at 5-5.  And Brock might even have won it in the dying seconds, the keeper rushing out to block Barker’s shot and the ball bouncing free to young Jacob Kenna on the edge of the box, and his goalbound effort headed up and away from his own goalline by none other than Francis Benali!  Terrific fun.  It wasn’t, perhaps, the highest quality game you’ll see all weekend but there were still some glimpses of what used to be – Shane Long the most obvious example, but considering they’ve never played together before the Brock Legends actually combined pretty well, it certainly wasn’t just kick and hope.  There were times when it looked like a game of walking football (one visitor pointed out that it was like watching the opposite of Benny Hill, with the action slowed down rather than speeded up), but huge credit to both sets of players for giving such entertainment.  More importantly, attendance of 608 so that will have raised quite a few quid for the respective charities.  Top marks to all involved.

And so to the first of what usually seems to be at least three games per season against the Monks from Hamble – always seem to get them in a cup sooner or later, usually away from home…  No bones about it, Hamble are a good side.  They’re always in and around the leading group, apart from one disappointing season a couple of years ago which was mitigated by winning the League Cup instead.  Stable squad, confident in how they play, and already sitting fourth in the table with a game or two in hand, still unbeaten after nine games – making it a stern test for the Badgers, who set a clear benchmark with the statement performance at Beatrice Avenue on Tuesday.  The passage of time hasn’t dimmed my enthusiasm for that, either; I did wonder if I’d overdone the praise but thinking back over the game no, it was thoroughly deserved.   Which made today’s game all the more important… two personnel changes from Tuesday, Liam and Jack coming in for Barry and Taylor, plus one positional change with Mitch moving back to his more usual striker’s position.

The first half of this game was largely one way traffic in the visitors’ favour.  However I try to dress it up, that’s what it comes down to.   Within the first minute, Mazi was burning down the left wing and putting in a dangerous cross; shortly afterwards he was set up by Matt Casey, formerly of this parish and still well-loved, but his shot from the edge of the box cleared the bar.  Should Case have shot himself first time?  14 minutes, Yeomans was played in but shot straight at Valero; 15 minutes, Douglas was played in but shot straight at Valero: good catches both but ones he’d expect to make.  Brock were being bullied – if it’s your own team you call it managing the game, if it’s the opposition you call it the dark arts, but the Monks were that bit cleverer and more streetwise, that bit more physical and also, to be honest, working harder – always two closing down a Brock player.  The pressure finally told on 26 when Jordan Cunningham arrived in space on the edge of the box and arrowed a shot into the far corner to give Hamble the lead.  Within three minutes it could have got worse for Brock – one header superbly tipped onto the bar by Valero, the rebound headed onto the bar and over by Mazi, should probably have done better.  Brock were looking tentative and, for once, poor out of possession as well as with the ball.  They had their first attempt on 36 from Henry Brooks who fended off two challenges but shot wide; three minutes later, finally, a silky move, Freddie Beale played in behind the defence to level things up.  But then in overtime at the end of the half, a corner wasn’t properly cleared, Valero made a sensational reflex save to tip the ball onto the post but nobody could get hold of it and the ball was eventually steered home by Sol Mazi to give the visitors a lead at the break which they thoroughly deserved.  HT 1-2

Time for the manager to earn his corn, then, not for the first time.  Hamble could and probably should have been out of sight at the interval, but the game was still alive.  The visitors might easily have extended their lead – first on 55 when a corner bounced through the box and somehow wasn’t bundled home, and on 57 when a clever move released Cunningham down the left, he cut inside but his shot came back off the inside of the far post and into the waiting arms of a grateful Valero.  But then, gradually, Brock started to grow into the game.  Hamble’s long balls forward were bringing them less joy, and the Badgers were opening up spaces and starting to look like a threat; and in the last 25 minutes they were the better side.  The chance of a point, which had looked like it would be daylight robbery at halftime, suddenly seemed a real possibility.  But they were still struggling to create a really clear opening for a shot – the Monks were heading everything away, blocking crosses and backing themselves, with reason, to hold out.  Beale chipped a shot over the bar… and almost out of nowhere, 7 minutes from time, a super pass slid through for Luke Gray, beyond the defenders, taken out by the onrushing Harvey Doe – penalty, converted by Luke Holmes to restore parity.  Now the Badgers believed they could win it and three minutes later, Beale in space down the right – beat his man, cut inside and hit a powerful shot too close to Doe… who unaccountably spilled it, and Connor Dunesby-Bent was on hand to smash home the rebound and, unbelievably, Brock were in front.  Not done yet: suddenly the Monks remembered that they could play too, Valero with a couple of very sharp saves – the second, at the near post from Francis, particularly impressive – but Hamble had lost their composure in the closing stages and that was epitomised by Will Gange, subbed on in 75 minutes, booked a couple of minutes later and then in overtime sent to the sinbin but obviously carried on chatting because instead of the dugout he was shown a second yellow and went straight to the changing room.  A first defeat for Hamble, and three points for grit, resilience and unstinting hard work!  FT 3-2

Am I unkind to talk about daylight robbery?  Certainly for an hour, Brock were second best, which makes it all the more creditable – and me all the more proud – for how they stuck at it.  in the first half nothing much was going their way: bounce of the ball, decisions, but also game plan, everything just wasn’t quite falling right.  I have never seen a Brock player work harder than Toby Bailey.  Both Lukes were increasingly influential.  Dylan was selected as man of the match because his Duracell had been recharged and he simply never stopped.   I don’t believe Liam missed a single header at the back all afternoon.  Jordi made some superb saves, which will no doubt be overlooked in dispatches because everyone will want to talk about two late, decisive goals.  Are we on a roll?  What we are is seventh in the league (yes, games in hand, blah blah) – let’s keep looking up!