Matchday 22 Sherborne Town 0 Brockenhurst 2

28 January 2026

OK, so Saturday happened.  It wasn’t great, but it’s done.  After a four-week break, it was probably understandable – a bit of a scratch team, distances not quite right, players out of position a bit too often – but an immediate chance to do something about that with a trip to the GMS Windows Arena Sherborne.  Third attempt for this – postponed back in November because of the wind and rain, postponed again in January ditto – and miraculously surviving Storm Chandra for this one.   Huge credit to the Sherborne volunteers for getting the pitch into such good condition too – flooding may have prevented most of the Brock massive from reaching the venue, but once there you’d barely have known it had rained! 

An important game for both sides too, just outside the playoff positions: a long way to go for sure, but every point counts.  Brock welcomed back both Tobys, Bailey and Colmer, to midfield, alongside re-signing Andriy Demira… the Zebras hadn’t actually played a league game since 27 December, over a month ago, with just one cup outing against Weymouth a fortnight ago…

Four days on; different worlds.  Brockenhurst were back on song, and were very comfortable  winners; indeed they might have been disappointed not to have won by more than a couple of goals.  In the first half, in particular, they were dominant – Bailey and Colmer running the midfield, Freddie Beale zipping down the flanks, Demira settling into his midfield role as if he’d been in the team all season.  The early skirmishes had not, however, brought a breakthrough – the defence was looking solid and calm but at the other end, the final ball was not finding its target.  11 minutes, a loose ball broke to Bailey on the edge of the box – it was a decent opportunity but the ball sailed high over the bar.  The lead arrived on 21, McCarthy-Gardiner with a pass to Henry Brooks near the edge of the box, he was being closed down so took a shot which seemed to go right through Attwood in the home goal.  The Badgers had deserved it, and might have added 8 minutes later but for an excellent defensive block to deflect Colmer’s shot… but the second did duly arrive on 39 minutes: Freddie Beale somehow managed to reach an overhit pass which looked destined to run behind, put in a blinding cross and Connor Dunesby-Bent bundled the ball home.  A third goal might have followed, clever through-ball to Dunesby-Bent, brilliantly intercepted by George Mapletoft just in time.  HT 0-2

Not so fast, Badgers fans… some of us remember that it was 0-2 here last season, and Brock ended up on the wrong end of a “five-goal thriller”, which is not how I have ever referred to it since.  To be honest, that never looked likely this evening.  The Badgers should probably have put the game to bed early in the second half, but the final shot was tame or the final ball not quite accurate enough.  And the Zebras definitely improved.  58 minutes, a disputed throw for Sherborne and while half the players were still arguing, the hosts took it quickly down the line to Alex Murphy who made the most of the space and played in a wicked cross – but no Zebra anywhere in sight.  But the second period comprised a lot of huff and puff with little end product for either side: a good run from Geraghty rather unconvincingly headed over his own bar by a defender (lost in the crowd); for Brock another superb cross from Beale which Ethan Speechley-Price would surely have buried had a defender not just managed to head it away… one minute to go, a free kick from near the halfway line, a header from Murphy near the edge of the box, a comfortable diving save for Puleo.  And in injury time, a swift break from the Badgers ended with McCarthy-Gardiner rifling a shot just the wrong side of the near post.  FT 0-2

Ah yes, this is how Brock are supposed to be.  The Toby-axis restored to midfield, energy all over the pitch and matched with real calmness in possession.  There were a couple of juggles from Ben, but I don’t have a word of criticism for anyone tonight.  Andriy is a very useful addition, but my man of the match by some distance was Toby Bailey: shielded the defence, ran the midfield, set up attacks and organised the team.  “No sniff” he shouted after Brock scored their second, and sure enough, no sniffs were offered.  I couldn’t call Toby a Rolls Royce because he gets far too muddy for that; but let’s just say, we miss him badly when he’s not there.  So back up to seventh, behind Lavvy only on goal difference (yeah, that weekend loss cost us!) – and the next four games will tell us a lot about where we are.  Home to Portland in fourth, away to runaway Stoneham, away to Baffins (in eighth) and home to New Street (in seventh).   And do you know -  I’m really looking forward to it.