SSC R2 Brockenhurst 1 Braishfield 0

30 September 2025

So then, second round of the Southampton Senior Cup, and a second match for Brockenhurst against a team from the Southampton Saturday League.  Braishfield have played three league games so far this season and have secured seven points, which isn’t a bad start by anyone’s standards, but the Badgers will have been hoping for a comfortable win to maintain recent momentum, despite a number of changes from the weekend’s starting line-up. 

That they didn’t get it – or anything like it – was no doubt partly due to those personnel changes, partly to what appeared to be a lack of intensity especially in the first half, and partly down to Braishfield who harried, chased, tackled and gave a very decent account of themselves.  The Badgers’ cause wasn’t helped when Walker limped off on 16 minutes – precautionary after twisting a knee – but it was the visitors who won the first corner on 19 (Brock following on 29).  It was also the visitors who created the best chances – Grant ghosted past a static Komoromi but shot just wide, and then Jack Harris, outstanding player of the first half, found himself clean through: keeper Puleo just managed to get enough on his shot and was able to turn and grab the ball before it crossed the line.  Gray gifted the ball to Shergold in the final third, but his shot went wide – and then right on half-time Phrachai’s shot from close range was deflected wide by Puleo, the resultant corner headed marginally wide by Ben Beddoes.  In reply, Brock had flattered occasionally but hadn’t created anything of note.  HT 0-0

Manager Devlin had to earn his corn at half-time, then, and to be fair Brock were much more positive and energetic in the second half, with Braishfield noticeably tiring.  Dwyer found the side-netting with a speculative shot; Brooks won a tackle on the edge of the box and was in on goal, but Meyland-Stevenson did well to block with his legs.  And finally, on 63 minutes, the breakthrough – a ball half cleared, returned through the crowd with interest by Jack Torniainen from 20 yards.  Two minutes later, the move of the match: Torniainen again with a great run, a pass inside to Barry Mason, laid back off to Torniainen whose curling shot hit the bar.  That would have been a goal worth the entrance fee.  For a period, it looked as though Brock would settle things, but the second goal never did arrive, and Braish did have their chances – one careless pass and Phrachai was released on his own in the Brock half.  He took so long deciding what to do that Steel got back to challenge but it was a golden chance.  Then Solloway went clean through the back of Rossi, straight red card, and that should have been that – but while Brock dominated possession they never really looked like scoring again, and four minutes into overtime presented a final chance to the visitors, but the shot went across goal and wide, and that was that.  FT 1-0

Not going to dwell on this one, really.  A clean sheet, OK.  Ben probably won’t need to wash his kit this evening.  The first half was an exceptionally tough watch; the second was better, but this was nowhere near the level of the last couple of games.  I know, squad rotation, completely understood… Jack was made man of the match, and he did have a sparkling 20 minutes at the start of the second half, but overall it was pretty ordinary fare.  But Brock are in the hat and, in the end, that’s all that matters.  See you at Test Park on Saturday!