Matchday 9 Brockenhurst 4 Cowes Sports 0

27 September 2025

Matchday nine already!  Almost a quarter of the league season done, and the visit of one of the islanders – who are themselves only onto matchday five, having won three of the previous four.  (If you read my ten-year anniversary piece you’ll realise that Cowes Sports actually played quite an important part in our story with Brock, because if we’d lost that game we might never have come back…)  Anyway, as ever in the Wessex, some player shuffling – Steve Walker off to Bridgwater in the step above, but Liam Macfarlane fit again and back into the starting line-up.  When everyone’s fit, this looks like a decent enough squad – and, personal opinion, quite an important afternoon for the Badgers, looking to build on the outstanding performance at Andover New Street last weekend and show that a corner has been turned…

This was another outstanding performance from Brock, particularly for the first 50 minutes by which time they were 4-0 up and then rather went into cruise control.  In the first half they played some scintillating football at times, sharp interchanges and clever positioning leaving the visitors looking distinctly second best.  The first goal came as early as the third minute, Connor Dunesby-Bent chasing onto a long pass, winning a tackle against keeper Hatt and slamming the ball home from a tight angle.  Hatt was called into action again on 11 minutes when a Taylor Crook shot, deflected at source, was creeping in at the back post and the keeper just managed to push away; and then Bent intercepted a clearance and his cross was only just headed away.  The Yachtsmen had shown their own intent, the pacy Tout-Waters racing down the left and finding the side-netting before the impressive Carter-Knight won the ball and played in Tout-Waters who passed the ball past the near post.  15 minutes, one of those brilliant flowing Brock moves, the outstanding Toby Colmer found Walker, his shot cannoned back off the bar but Freddie Beale converted the rebound.  That was a pretty simple finish; Beale’s second on 22 was anything but, an overhit cross from the left found him out near the right-hand touchline but he cut inside his man and arrowed the ball inside the near post from 20 yards.   The visitors were largely being kept at arm’s length but might have pulled one back ten minutes from the break when the referee waved a surprising play-on and Carter-Knight had a clear shot at goal, tipped round the far post by Valero.  HT 3-0

A comfortable enough lead at the interval, then; priority for the Badgers was to ensure that the Yachtsmen didn’t get a sniff of a comeback.  Sure enough, within three minutes Walker won a header right on the touchline and raced clear but could only find the side-netting; but another minute and they had the fourth, assist from Beale and a quality finish by Colmer, in off the underside of the bar.  Perhaps understandably, some of the heat went out of the game after that.  Bent hit a powerful shot straight at Hatt, but Cowes did start to gain a little more possession and territory.  By and large the Badgers were very good out of possession, made some great interceptions and blocks, Steel headed one looping shot off the line and the defence held firm.  Colmer might have extended the lead, sent clear but well challenged by a covering defender – and then the one sour note of the afternoon when Jared Tout-Waters, who had been lively enough, sustained an injury resulting in his substitution.  It looked like he twisted his knee as he fell, a really unlucky incident, best wishes to him for a speedy recovery.  Oatley had one powerful shot straight at Valero; for Brock, another great run from Walker but a shot straight at Hatt, and then just into overtime a storming run from Macfarlane, breaking out of defence and into the opposition half before setting up Omarion Mason, who cut inside his defender but pushed his shot wide of the near post.  FT 4-0

Another thoroughly enjoyable afternoon for Badgers fans – a mighty impressive performance, showing that last week wasn’t a fluke.  Positive, incisive, organised off the ball – a real joy to watch, night and day compared to some of those early season displays.  (Occasional visitors sitting near us commented on the huge improvement compared to the last game they’d seen, which was a fair observation.)   Again, really pleased I didn’t have to choose a man of the match – the sponsors went with Freddie, which was fair enough, but Toby was terrific, Marcelo was calm and intelligent, Dylan was all energy as ever – and most importantly, it was a team performance, not relying on a single individual.  It wasn’t a game where a defender was in the frame for man of the match, but I’m going to give a shoutout to Liam; there was one misplaced defensive pass but otherwise he was assured and pretty much faultless.  Trying not to get overexcited, but this was a high-quality performance and things are definitely looking up.  Now for Braishfield on Tuesday…