WLC R2 Brockenhurst 3 Blackfield and Langley 1

24 September 2024

When these two sides met in the first round of the Hampshire Senior Cup five weeks ago, they played out one of those goalless draws which fade very quickly from the memory: Brock won on penalties but I can tell you almost nothing else about that game – except that Blackfield wore green jerseys with green numbers, so I couldn’t identify any of the players.  That, unfortunately, hadn’t changed; but otherwise this was a different game in almost every respect.  A few changes for Brock, as you might expect for a midweek cup tie: the welcome return from injury of Jake Adams (at last), Dylan Walker and Rhys Taylor; and starts for Callum Taylor and Noel McCarthy-Gardiner.  Given the number of players unavailable, it looked a pretty decent side.

Something clicked back into place for Brock tonight.  That’s no doubt partly about personnel, but it’s also about discipline and mentality, and tonight they looked like the team who had played so well through much of August.  Positive from the off, with a greater tendency to look forward not back, and trusting that the intelligent probing would be enough to get the job done… and ultimately they ran out pretty comfortable winners.  Early chances were at a premium for both sides – one deep cross from Adams was just too deep for McCarthy-Gardiner at the back post, a Burgess shot was well blocked; coming the other way, the Watersiders had a shot over the bar and another flicked header which went wide (green numbers on green shirts… no idea who, sorry).  Brock looked the more likely, but Rhys Taylor’s shot clipped the bar on its way over and the clock ticked round beyond two hours of football between these two teams without a goal.  And suddenly, like London buses… 34 minutes, a corner was only cleared to the edge of the box, and McCarthy-Gardiner powered his shot through the crowd and beyond the keeper to give the Badgers the lead.  One minute later, a Blackfield attack was cleared to the edge of the box, Callum Taylor fouled the striker, penalty to the visitors converted by Palmier despite Butler’s best efforts.  One minute after that, Callum Taylor hit a sublime pass in behind the Watersiders’ defence, McCarthy-Gardiner reached it and was taken out, penalty to Brock: taken by Adams and saved high to his left by Harwood.  Then it all calmed down again – one Fay shot well saved, but the teams were level at the break.  HT 1-1

In the second half, the Badgers asserted their authority on the game.  Blackfield had an early chance, Butler saving well on the angle at the expense of a corner, but Wellman and Burns generally dealt pretty effectively with everything that was thrown at them, and in midfield Rhys Taylor became increasingly influential; I can’t count the number of times he won the ball back for Brock.  But ultimately, this was the McCarthy-Gardiner show.  He terrorised his left-back and was a constant threat down the right: one cross which Walker couldn’t quite reach, but then on 68 minutes a brilliant cross-field swerving pass into the path of Adams, who controlled and hit a shot which Harwood got a hand to but couldn’t keep out.  A deserved lead, almost increased four minutes later when Adams returned the favour and played in McCarthy-Gardiner, whose shot was well saved at the near post.  And the crowning glory on 82 - McCarthy-Gardiner set free again, bursting past his defender and into the box before lashing a shot into the far corner before the keeper could move.  After that, Brock saw it out pretty comfortably, no more dramas.  FT 3-1

First win inside 90 minutes for Borck since Cowes on 27 August!  I honestly hadn’t seen this difficult run coming, but there have been injuries and bits of bad luck, as well as some decent opposition (best acknowledge that other teams want to win too) and the occasional poor performance thrown in.  But this was a really solid display, lots to build on here. 

Nobody had a poor game.  Callum Taylor, who looked a bit nervy early on, improved through the game and had a good second half.  It's also worth taking a moment to acknowledge the work Corey and Tyler did at the back; and Jake and Dylan bring something different, something a bit more unpredictable, to the forward line – it doesn’t always come off, but they give defences something to think about.  On another day, I would be waxing lyrical about Rhys, who was outstanding in midfield and reminded me how much we miss him when he’s not there.  But tonight was Noel at his dazzling best, two goals and an assist, fouled for the penalty which was saved, and dangerous every time he got the ball.  I don’t think the sponsors (take a bow, James Taylor Roofing) had to think too hard about man of the match!  Let’s hope we can put it all together again against Hythe on Saturday.