PSF AFC Totton 3 Brockenhurst 1

24 July 2024

The new season less than a week away: two final pre-season preparation games ahead, the first away to the Stags from Totton.  I hadn’t been to Snows Stadium before: very good pitch, and a pretty decent crowd (free entry, so nobody will have counted but I’d guess closer to 300 than 200?) – for which there was wholly inadequate parking provision!  Enough of the whinges.  Brock still have a few players missing with injury, but the starting XI for the new season is beginning to take shape.  Tonight wasn’t exactly ‘finishing touches’, but another good workout ahead of next week.

This was an open, enjoyable game between two sides who wanted to play football the right way, and both took a positive approach.  The home side started with plenty of possession, as you might expect, but the Badgers were disciplined and not afraid to take the game to their opponents when the opportunity arose.  Ah, but so shot-shy!  Players in good forward positions either trying to create even more space for the shot, or to find a team-mate in a better position – both worthy ambitions but not resulting in any efforts on target.  The first of those came on 18 minutes when Blair – lively down the left for Totton and their regular out-ball – didn’t connect well enough and the effort was comfortably taken by Butler.  But the second counted: super ball into the box, Rew beat the offside trap and took the ball down, appeared to be taken out by Trialist Jesse but the ball rolled to Nixon who smashed it home.   The Stags were on top for the remainder of the first half without being completely dominant: one outstanding defensive tackle from Moore, arriving from nowhere in the nick of time to prevent a shot, a powerful shot from Blair well saved by Butler.  But the home defence being kept honest too, Trialist Jesse hit a weak shot (on target, yes, 28 minutes!) which was easily gathered, and several more episodes of the Shot-Shy Kids, one of which led to an audible groan from the small band of Badgers fans…  HT 1-0

Totton made changes at half-time.  Brock made one also (Pearce-Eavis on) but it was immediately evident that the home team were adding something to their game.  One of those additions was Lutumba on the left, who was a constant menace throughout the second half and within two minutes had set up the second goal, a great run and cross, Trialist C didn’t connect inside the box but the ball broke to Leo Taylor 20 yards out and he shot into the roof of the net.  That might have led to an onslaught but no, the Badgers stayed calm, and might have got back into the game on 50 minutes when Burgess latched onto a weak back-pass and created space for a powerful shot, excellently saved by Trojanowski.  Butler made a fine save at the other end from Trialist C who looked certain to score… the game remained surprisingly open, and on 67 minutes Brock were back in it, a deep cross not dealt with by the home defence and the ball rebounding perfectly to Burns – what was he doing up there?! – who placed his shot beyond the keeper into the corner.  Game back on!  Sub Pelham flicked a shot over the bar (chance made by Lutumba again), Atiako-Hall with a great chance for Brock on the break, made by Trialist Tiago, excellently saved by Trojanowski – but ten minutes from time the game was done, Lutumba (again!) breaking down the left, cutting inside and hitting the bar with a powerful shot, but Brock couldn’t clear their lines and Pelham tucked it home from a couple of yards.  He should have added another in the closing stages but didn’t connect with a decent chance; but the Badgers didn’t seriously threaten a reply, and the Stags saw it through.  FT 3-1

Promising signs, though.  Totton were quick, skilful and organised – and quite fun to watch.  Against that, Brock were disciplined, good off the ball, and quick on the break.  Message to the forward line: if you don’t shoot, you won’t score.  Trialist Tiago was lively and kept his full-back honest.  Ronan was excellent at the back, of course; but my shoutout today goes to Rhys Taylor because I haven’t mentioned him in the report but he was excellent, tackling everything but also intelligent positional play to help win the ball back countless times.  I even compared him to Toby; and as you will realise if you read my reports last season, that’s pretty high praise.  One more practice, then, lunchtime on Saturday, see you there…