Matchday 5 Brockenhurst 5 Millbrook 1

30 August 2025

First today, before I start with the report, I want to tell you a story.  Once upon a time, about ten years ago, two friends were chatting online, about 80 miles apart, randomly looking through the results of the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup and delighting in the wonderful names which non-league teams have.  Between them they selected their six favourites among the winners.  And then, ten years ago this very weekend, they watched eagerly – and found that five of the six had lost.  The only winners were called Boldon Roofing CA but a quick Google identified that they played in Jarrow!  (They’re now called Jarrow Roofing BCA.)  “But”, she said, “We could still go to a First Qualifying Round tie, just for fun”.  “We could,” he said.  “Somewhere more convenient than Jarrow”.  So when the draw came out on the Monday, they looked through the ties and they selected Brockenhurst v Mangotsfield United.  “I don’t mind going to Brockenhurst,” said Laura.  She probably had somewhere more equidistant in mind, but no, it would be Brock.  I was content with that.  And the rest – well, for the rest you’re going to have to wait two weeks.

Up till today, it hadn’t been a great season for Brock – no need to go into all the details here, but this wasn’t the start to the season they’d been hoping for.   The team is starting to look reasonably settled under interim manager Danny Bowers, at least… up against a Millbrook side featuring two former Badgers (Bournemouth Senior Cup final hero Jon Webb in goal, and a more recent departure in Ryan Batley).  Brock haven’t done well against Millbrook lately, losing all three games against them last season… A visitor commented that their clothing was nice: not sure what colour they’d call their shirts, possibly “gold”, but in the driving wind and rain both sides soon looked pretty bedraggled!  Jon Webb, meanwhile, was wearing a pair of bright orange gloves which made it look for all the world as though he was about to start the washing up…

Conditions definitely didn’t help in the first half, a strong wind and increasing rain making the pitch very slippery.  The visitors, playing with the wind, started the stronger and the possession stats would have made interesting (and quite depressing) reading for home fans.  Parker with an early free kick, past the wall but gathered by Valero; Batley with a shot across goal and wide.  But possession doesn’t decide games, and the Dockers didn’t do enough with the ball – and 20 minutes, Brooks for Brock put in a cross which was just too high for Woodward, Dylan Walker (look it’s annoying having two Walkers, I’m just going to call him Dylan) gathered the ball and was adjudged to have been fouled by Ben Clarke: penalty, duly converted by Sam Woodward for his first (official) goal for the Badgers.  Two minutes later he might have added a second, the best move of the game by some distance between Brooks and Dylan, pulled back to Woodward who controlled the ball 15 yards out but shot wide.  Ah, but 26 minutes, a corner for Millbrook – curled in by Bobby Gorman and glanced home by Batley to level the scores.  The lead had been against the run of play in a scrappy game; the visitors deserved to be all square.  More set pieces for the Dockers, more chances – Batley headed across goal and wide, Vidler headed over when unmarked, and then Gorman with a free kick near the touchline which Valero had to tip over the bar.  Then just before the interval, Parker brought a long ball out of the air and fired just wide of the near post.  “Not a classic”, visitors on top, everyone soaked… HT 1-1

Kicking with the wind in the second half, could the Badgers turn the metaphorical tide?  Early signs weren’t great: Clarke with a free header at a corner, over the bar.  Gorman with a free kick, over the wall but wide.  57 minutes, a deep cross to the back post, headed goalwards by sub Ben White but straight at Valero when he perhaps should have done better.  63 minutes, Burgess on the goal-line blocking a shot which came through the crowd… Brock did have one opening, an incisive pass from Brooks to Toby Colmer, who shot narrowly past the far post.  And then on 71, finally: sub Freddie Beale with some smashing work on the right, driving a low cross turned home at the near post by Woodward and the Badgers were in front.  Four minutes later, more Brock pressure and Beale hit a shot from 25 yards which looked quite speculative but cannoned back off the post! 

I wonder if Millbrook heads started to drop a bit, to be honest; they had looked the more likely for most of the game, had missed a few pretty presentable chances and now they found themselves behind, and against a Brock team which was starting to believe in itself.  The back four looked more solid, the midfield started to gain a semblance of control for the first time, and maybe the visitors were tiring.  Nine minutes remaining, a first victory in sight – and the Badgers exploited the spaces which were opening up, Dylan trying his luck from 20 yards, powerfully hit and also getting a slight deflection which took it away from Webb and into the corner for 3-1.

Now Brock began to run riot.  The best goal of the game came on 89: Rossi emerging from defence, a perfect pass down the line to Dylan who outpaced his defender and then hit a superb cross-field pass to Beale in space… who got to the byline, pulled the ball back, and who else but Dylan arriving to power home from the edge of the box.  Badgers in dreamland, but not done yet: three minutes over the 90, another great pass from Rossi finding Beale in space and – no “one more pass” here – he skipped past his defender and powered home from the edge of the box into the far corner.  FT 5-1

God, where do I even start?  Actually that’s easy, I start with Dylan who was terrific this afternoon, covering every blade of grass, helping out in defence and next minute driving beyond his defender to chase another long ball.  Goals, assists and unbridled commitment: absolute standout performer and obvious man of the match.  Great to see Sam getting a couple of goals too, and a really impressive cameo from Freddie.  The first half was a tough watch, but once Brock finally found their stride, and their confidence, you could finally see the team we thought might be in there somewhere!  In fact my only worry is that Jordi was definitely managing an injury in the second half, hopefully that’s nothing serious.  Ultimately, a first win of the season, in style, and now… let’s kick on!