RCC Final: Brockenhurst 4 Hamble Club 4 (Brock won 5-3 on penalties)

This was the third meeting of these two teams this season. Given the curious scheduling of this game, Hamble hadn’t played for 17 days, and Brockenhurst for 24 – readers can decide whether this meant that players were refreshed, or whether it felt like a bit of an afterthought after a long season. The previous two games had resulted in one win apiece – the Monks won 4-0 at the Meadens Skoda Arena in September with four identikit breakaway goals, and 8 weeks later the Badgers won 1-0 at the Abbey courtesy of a penalty converted in the 99th minute. Neither of those games had been classics… third time lucky?

Hamble started much the stronger, indeed in the opening minutes it looked as though the Brock players had forgotten one another during 24-day break. The Monks had the first decent chance of the evening on 11 minutes with a shot driven wide from the edge of the box after the Brock left-back was caught out of position, not for the only time on the night. But six minutes later, Brockenhurst star Christie Ward made an excellent run down the left and cut the ball back from by byline for Silvano OBENG to tap in for the opener. The advantage was almost handed back shortly after when the Badgers, as ever trying to play out from defence, gave the ball away and a Hamble shot found the side-netting. But on 27 minutes Brockenhurst doubled their lead after Obeng was fouled following a corner, and Mitchell SPEECHLEY-PRICE calmly hammered the penalty into the corner. The scoreline was harsh on Hamble, and on 38 mins they reduced the arrears with another move down their right which resulted in Lewis NAGLE cutting inside and scoring from the edge of the box with a fine low shot. Three minutes later, the Monks were level – they had a penalty shout turned down and a free kick awarded right on the edge of the box, which Jamie OVINGTON smashed past the wall with too much power for Mayo to stop. There was one final chance of the first half when Speechley-Price flashed the ball across the face of the Hamble goal, missed by everyone… but half-time, 2-2.

In truth, despite the scoreline, it hadn’t been the best game – the very dry pitch gave both teams some trouble reading the bounce of the ball, and there was more endeavour – especially from Hamble – than quality. The Monks started the second half with purpose, and created the first chance on 48 minutes with a shot wide when through on goal. Occasionally, some football did break out – a stellar pass from Magookin, taken down brilliantly by O’Donnell in the box and a fine Downs save from the resulting shot; then a decent Hamble move with the ball played around neatly, finally reaching a player on the edge of the box and requiring an excellent interception from Ward to prevent him getting his shot away. On 65, some quality paid off – a fantastic, lung-bursting run down the right from full-back Connor Ings, a cutback from the byline and another tap-in for OBENG to put the Badgers back in front. Two minutes later, a very late, rough challenge from Ovington saw him given a straight red – personal view was that it was orange, seen worse this season but it wasn’t great. In the ensuring melee, Joe Chamberlain was arguably lucky to get away with a yellow for his reaction, racing from his centre-back position to get involved. To be fair, referee Martin Bloor had a decent game and maybe he judged this correctly. Within four minutes, Brock had restored their two goal advantage after Kieran O’DONNELL smashed the ball home from inside the box; and against ten men, that should have been enough. Fair play to the ten men of Hamble, they weren’t lying down. Brock missed two outstanding chances to put the game beyond reach – Chipangura with a shot which is probably still on its way to the moon, and a glaring miss from Speechley-Price who waltzed through the Monks’ defence, rounded the keeper, and saw his shot blocked on the line. 6 to go, and Hamble scored the goal of the game. Kelvin ROBINSON was sent free down the left, in a lot of space but a long way from goal, and he lifted the ball from what must have been 30 yards – up, over the keeper, just below the bar and in off the far post in one of the best finishes seen at the Meadens Skoda Arena this season. Game back on, and Brock decided to play out the final minutes, including the 5 of injury time, defending their own box – always dangerous, and it backfired in the last minute of injury time as yet another cross wasn’t cleared properly and Charlie WAGSTAFF turned and found enough space to place the ball in the far corner beyond Mayo’s despairing dive. 4-4. Cue pitch invasion from Hamble subs and support team – and you couldn’t really blame them.

So, penalties to decide it. Speechley-Price, Sheedy and Mayo scored for Brock; Robinson and Gange for Hamble. But James Mayo then made an excellent low save down to his left to keep out Wilkins’ shot, and it was advantage Brock. Both sides then scored again, making it 4-3, leaving Obeng to calmly score the decisive kick and win the Cup for the Badgers.

Christie Ward was the sponsors’ man of the match – no argument from anyone who’s watched Brockenhurst this season but in truth several players had a case this evening, no individual really stood out as head and shoulders above the rest in a very even contest.