MSF Hamworthy United 3 Brockenhurst 4

2 December 2025

So the weather duly beat the Badgers for the second Saturday running, and your intrepid reporter decided not to go watch a neutral game, but to stay home on the sofa and watch the racing… and I could write about that for hours too, but that would be a very different blog, mostly about seizing your opportunity when it comes along – take a bow, Golden Ace!  But ten days without a game ahead of a visit to one of the leading teams in the division doesn’t seem ideal, so Brock arranged a mid-season friendly at Hamworthy United, safe in the knowledge that the pitch would be playable barring something truly remarkable. 

And, by the way, how good it is to see Hamworthy United back in the pyramid.  In the year they were promoted to the Southern League under Tim Sills, they were a truly outstanding outfit, and their subsequent troubles – well-documented – were really disappointing.  It’s hard enough to make it in a higher league without being penalised for things you can’t control.  But I’m pleased to see them back, I never minded going to the County Ground even though we often didn’t perform our best there.  My views on plastic pitches are probably well known, but at least there was a game…

And what a strange game it was: played on increasingly cold evening, with a couple of vigorous showers thrown in (intrepid or not, I ran for cover), not a huge amount of intensity – but seven goals of varying quality in front of a very sparse crowd.  Although Brock started well enough, and caused some mayhem in the United box after only three minutes when some desperate blocks kept them at bay, they soon fell behind.  The Hammers kept the ball alive in the Badgers box with three or four headers (at least one looked well offside) before the ball finally fell to Josh Taylor, 8 yards out, who scored on 7 minutes.  And what a pleasure it was to see Josh again, by the way – a fondly-remembered ex-Badger, that one, even if him scoring against us wasn’t the plan.  5 minutes later and it was 2-0, a deep corner headed in at the back post by an unmarked Bailey Rowe.  Brock needed to switch on… and to be fair, they did, with Walker and Brooks both impressing – Walker with a cross, Speechley-Price with the header, excellent save by Crisp; and then a repeat, this time the ball cut back to Speechley-Price 12 yards out but his shot went over.  Hubbard blazed over from the edge of the box for the Hammers… Darlow hit the outside of the post after a cute pass inside the full-back… and then Brock did get one back, Brooks with another run and a powerful cross-shot which Crisp reached comfortably but he didn’t get enough on it, and the ball rolled behind him into the net.  Over to Freddie twinkletoes Beale, a superb run but Crisp managed to turn his shot over the bar, and then a cross which Crisp did brilliantly to tip over after it came off a defender and was heading for a certain own goal.  Plenty of action – and one really disappointing sight, Bragginton having to go off after he appeared to injure an arm or shoulder – hope he’s OK and it wasn’t too serious.  HT 2-1

The second half saw changes… many changes… from both sides, with the game inevitably becoming more fractured as it went on.  6 minutes in, Brooks fired over a cross, missed by the defender, converted by Barry Mason to level the scores.  Beale with a free kick to the near post, just about scrambled behind by Crisp – and then on 58 minutes a goal for Brock, Walker with a cross which was cleared to the edge of the box and the ball looped up off Toby Colmer, cleared the keeper and went in.  I don’t have the joy of replays and it looked like a mishit to me but if Toby wants to tell me it was a beautifully cushioned volley I’ll believe him!  So, Badgers in front and now largely in control of the ball, although they did allow sub #19 too much space for a shot, comfortably saved by Valero… 73 minutes, game made safe when Walker yet again made space and drilled over a cross which ricocheted off Miller and in for an own goal past a wrong-footed Crisp.  Maybe not as safe as I thought – 78 minutes, the outstanding Josh Malpas ran onto a super cross-field pass, turned inside and smashed home off the underside of the bar to narrow the margin to a single goal.  A word on Malpas – constant threat down the right, ever-willing runner, no idea where he gets that energy from but a hugely impressive performance and definitely the standout player for the hosts.  But the Hammers couldn’t find their way back into the game and Brock did see things through reasonably comfortably (and more than one Hammers player might have been grateful that the ref didn’t bring his cards, in those closing stages, or they might have racked up quite a few yellows!).  FT 3-4

A good workout.  Henry had another really fine game at right-back (probably not the position he expected to be playing this season!), Dylan as tireless and dangerous as ever down the left, and I’m going to spotlight Toby Bailey, who was the one player who very obviously brought his intensity with him to the County Ground.  Never less than 100%, a second captain on the pitch, offering his “observations” to the referee – hard to overstate how important he is to this team, an incredibly intelligent player who it’s a privilege to watch every week.  Thanks to Hamworthy United for hosting, good to have some Tuesday night football, and all the best to the Hammers for the rest of the season.