Matchday 12 Brockenhurst 3 Hamble Club 4

17 October 2026

You know… it’s far too easy to get a bit down about things.  A couple of disappointing performances – one of them with serious consequences – followed by a pretty workmanlike victory against a Division One side in the Southampton Senior Cup.  So let’s remind ourselves: the Badgers are top of the form table, and yes eighth in the league table but with games in hand and only three points off second.  Whatever this is, it’s not a crisis.  (And if you want further confirmation of that, well, go and ask a fan of one of those teams in the bottom three or four.)

None of which makes today’s game any the less important.  Home to Hamble, who are currently that team sitting in second although they have played five games more than the Badgers.  And these are always difficult games for Brock – a great win at the Abbey right at the start of the season in the Hampshire Senior Cup but the Monks are always really tough opponents.  News for Brock, the return of club legend Mitchell Speechley-Price, still a bit jetlagged and scheduled to start on the bench, but part of the starting line-up after Chika Ugwumba pulled out injured.

Where to start with this rollercoaster of a game?  The start, presumably: second minute already, a deep cross, Henry Mubiru arriving at the back post with a volley but saved.  Third minute, a deep high cross for Hamble, it looked harmless but Valero lost the ball in the sun and, as it landed, Idris Beqiri cleverly stuck out his leg and deflected it in to give the visitors the lead.  Beqiri has apparently played at a higher level and it showed – strong and skillful, he looked too good for this level: a shot well blocked by Bradford on 9 minutes, and on 19 he simply put on the afterburners, raced between the two central defenders and in on goal – excellent save by Valero.  It was already evident that this was a louder game than we’ve been used to lately – Hamble Club do a lot of shouting on the pitch, both to one another and the ref, and Brock for once were also talking and encouraging… another Monks attack, intercepted by Henry Mubiru who ran most of the length of the field, evading or skipping over tackles before putting in an excellent cross: McGrath’s shot well over the bar.  And almost immediately, Brock lost the ball in midfield, Beqiri thought quickest and shot, excellent save from Valero who can’t have been set.  It was all a bit chaotic but there was then a lengthy delay on about 27 minutes when Leo Taylor was caught by Dylan Walker.  I might be in the minority of Badgers fans because I thought a booking was fair enough, but Taylor stayed down and eventually had to leave the field on a stretcher, something you never want to see.  Wish him a speedy recovery.  When we finally got back under way, another fierce shot from Beqiri, another great save from Valero… up the other end, a clever disguised pass from Makhloufi, McGrath in on goal, good save with his legs from Harvey Doe.  But then, marginally into overtime, Beqiri picked the ball up about 35 yards out and barrelled his way past three defenders before unleashing a ferocious shot into the far corner for 2-0.  Harsh on the Badgers, but heads didn’t drop: first McGrath turned well on the edge of the box but pulled his shot just wide of the near post, and then 6 minutes into injury time, Makhloufi made space and tried a shot which was blocked but rebounded to Speechley-Price who capped his return with a fine finish. HT 1-2

Half-time assessment was that there were more goals in the game, but which way they would go… almost an immediate third for the Monks, Oli Davies shooting within the first minute and drawing a sharp save.  And then surely the decisive moment: Hamble breaking, Beqiri and Walker tussling on halfway and each having a hold of the other, but Beqiri was cleverer, he held lower and the ref didn’t see that, and if he only saw the Walker foul then it was a clear second yellow and marching orders.  50 minutes, down to ten, and five minutes later it got a whole lot worse when Davies, out on the left, seemed to overhit his cross and instead lofted it over Valero and into the top corner from about 28 yards.  Stunning goal although he surely didn’t mean it (and he didn’t celebrate like he did!).  Tough for the Badgers – they weren’t getting much from the ref, who was a last-minute replacement after the nominated referee got held up in a major traffic incident, and Hamble weren’t helping the game by rolling around after every tackle (which brought a suggestion that they were the new Portchy: harsh but not necessarily unfair on this showing).  A fine save from Valero from Davies… Brock refused to lie down, Dylan Andrews with a cross-shot which missed everyone and whistled past the far post.  Then McGrath holding the ball up excellently, sliding through Palmier in on goal… which he cleared by about 30 yards, ball still rising, eta Mars sometime soon.  Andrews again, racing forward and taking advantage of confusion between Doe and Jack Francis to skip past them but Francis recovered with a strong tackle.  15 to go, another challenge, another lot of rolling around (possibly a foul, it was on the far side and I couldn’t tell) – and the ref excelled himself by contriving to book Dylan Andrews, who had been nowhere near the incident, before finally “unbooking” him and correctly identifying Rian Drake.  However: this was the final straw for the Brock fans.  I’ve honestly never heard the Brock crowd get on a referee’s back before – for the occasional decision, yes, but not consistently and for the remaining 15 (plus overtime, of which more below).  He didn’t have a great game, stepping in at the last minute, and I don’t think either side was very happy with him, but Brock were now incensed.  And they used it to fire themselves forward – 83 minutes, a long throw only half-cleared, Ashton Palmier with a superb looping header which cleared everyone and went in at the back post.  Half a sniff, then – 5 to go, McGrath fouled, Palmier free kick from 20 yards – bang, top bins, 3-3.  Bedlam in the stands.  The Monks looked seriously rattled and – and yet they contrived to find the winner on the break.  It hadn’t been at all obvious that Brock were a man down, but now and then they were exposed on the break Valero had made a couple of fine saves, and this time he made another miraculous stop but Nick Yeomans arrived at the back post and was able to scramble the ball over the line with 7 seconds remaining.  Plus… 12 minutes of stoppage time.  Twelve.  Had his watch stopped?  Brock pushed for another equaliser, might have had one when Doe lost the ball but the goalmouth scramble saw the ball bounce away… Yeomans placed a glancing header wide for Hamble… one last chance for Brock with a free kick, defender surely not ten yards – kick hit his arm, free kick now 9 yards closer… another scramble but no purchase on the final header and that was match done.  FT 3-4

Phew.  First thing to say: incredibly proud of the Badgers today.  Massive performance with ten men, threw everything at it and nearly snatched a deserved point.  It wasn’t always the prettiest game but there was real intensity all over the pitch, and nobody let themselves down.  Great to have Mitch back (intensity in human form, that guy!).  Really pleased I don’t have to pick a man of the match because I could name so many, but probably Jordi for about 6 blinding saves, followed by Ash for two great goals… shame about the moonshot!  No more to be said about the ref, or about the visitors, except that I really hope Leo Taylor is OK.  Hold your heads high, Badgers, and take that level on to Tuesday…