Matchday 4 Wincanton Town 2 Brockenhurst 2

16 August 2025

May you live in interesting times… and it seems we do.  Quite an aftermath on Tuesday – I might have commented at the end of my match report, but I decided I should let things settle down first.  And now it’s settled, what is there to say?  Unacceptable behaviour, to be sure, responded to properly by the club; and Danny’s gone.  Overall: played 66, W22 D 6 L38.  Total goals scored 99 – one shy of the ton.  To be fair to Danny, he came in when the club was in turmoil – limited funds, huge disruption to the squad and not the best atmosphere.  The target was to preserve Premier Division status, and that was achieved.  This season there’s been more investment, and – well, it’s not started the way he would have wanted, no doubt.  No question about his commitment, thanks for keeping us up and good luck in future. 

As to Brock – more change to follow of course, but meantime an interim management team for a really important game at Moor Lane, home of Wincanton Town, who also haven’t had a great start to the season.   (Understatement on both counts: both clubs out of the FA Cup, and without a league point!)  New signing Luke Holmes started for Brock – his first appearance for anyone this season – it was mostly a recognisable line-up.  As to the game:

Well, it wasn’t great, but let’s get the mitigations in first – two teams short on form and confidence, playing on a rock-hard dusty pitch which was very uneven in places (and even required running repairs in the first half to fill in a hole).  As a result, flowing football was always quite unlikely, and the ball spent a lot of time in the surprisingly strong breeze… it wasn’t very pretty.  In the end, both sides took their first point of the season, but both probably felt it was a missed opportunity to take all three against modest opposition. 

Brock started well, and thought they had taken the lead on 9 minutes with a Steve Walker header from a corner – disallowed for shirt-pulling seen by the assistant, who clearly didn’t see the two pairs of hands pulling his shirt in an attempt to drag him down to earth – all about the angle, maybe.  But it only took three further minutes for the Badgers to open the scoring, a corner was cleared, played back into the box and headed home by Sam Steel.  Huff and puff from both sides followed, some nice touches from Luke Holmes for Brock, one sharp save from Valero (oh yes, and a mid-half break for the heat!).  34 minutes, another corner for the Badgers caused chaos, Dylan Walker managed to bring the ball down and from a tight angle clipped the top of the bar.  Two minutes later he came close again after a clearance was intercepted and he was through on goal but placed his shot just wide of the near post.  Best chance for the Wasps, an intelligent curling shot from Irwin just before the interval which went wide but had Valero beaten.  Then came the running repairs mentioned above… and 5 minutes into overtime, another Brock corner, headed in by Holmes to give the Badgers a half-time cushion which, in all honesty, they deserved.  HT 0-2

As so often, the team trailing at half-time came out with greater determination after the break, whereas Brock seemed sluggish… it took four minutes for Darren McAllistair to beat Steel on the right, get goalside and then run 20 yards unchallenged before placing his shot across Valero into the corner and bring the hosts back into the match.  Two minutes later, McAllistair again, this time on the left – a great run, superbly blocked behind for a corner by Torniainen.  And then came the moment of real controversy on 54: another bouncing ball, Sam Steel’s foot went up, Joe Beckey’s head came down, contact – stonewall yellow card.  Inexplicably given as a straight red by the ref, who wasn’t having a confident game.  I can only guess he reacted to the shouting because – well, it was never a red, and I think he knew it.  But the Badgers had to play 35 minutes in the heat with a man short, and that was always going to be a stretch.  Liam Macfarlane, excellent for Brock again, cleared one off the line; Valero saved from the lively Korey Andrews, set up by the ever-willing McAllistair.  Brock did have their moments – a Holmes free kick, 25 yards out, no other player in blue anywhere in sight and he hit the post.  Time ticking by, and sub Freddie Beale, who overall looked pretty energetic, saw a ball rolling across the box and arrived 18 yards out – but missed his kick.  14 to go and Beale again, this time after strong work from Torniainen, cut into the box and his near-post effort was brilliantly turned away by keeper Zak Beard.  That could so easily have been 3-1 and game over; instead, within a couple of minutes, it was 2-2 after another Wincanton break led to some pinball in the box and finally Aikhuele smuggling the ball over the line.  Could either side find a winner?  Ultimately no: Beckey headed wide for the Wasps when about three yards out and it looked easier to score (smashing cross from Wise).  McAllistair with a great turn on the edge of the box but dragged his shot well wide.  Another good cross, Jarvis headed wide at the back post.  And there was more, with Macfarlane clearing off the line for a second time, 90+5.  But try as they might, the Wasps couldn’t find the elusive winner.  FT 2-2

I could write pages more, at this point, but instead I’m going to keep this short and sweet.  There were some better signs today – and a draw, at least – but nobody expects a manager, whoever they are, to bring about miracles in one short training session.  He selected the squad based on what he’d seen; I think a couple may have been unlucky, based on performances this season, but I’m not a coach or any kind of expert.  Liam was very good at the back, again; and ahead of that, it may just take a bit of time to work out the best formation and the right personnel.  Seeing Brandon and Toby back from holiday was a definite plus!  The ref and (at least one) assistant had a shocker, poor decisions both ways although I think Brock got the short straw.  Wincanton worked hard, never gave up and by the end deserved at least a point.  Time to move on…