Saturday 28th October

Midland Combination Premier Division

Castle Vale 2 Brocton 0

Despite an improved performance Brocton still ended up without a point from their trip to Castle Vale after a cruel twist of fate in the closing minutes.

Both sides had early chances but it was Vale who went ahead in the 7th minute when Richard Reeves clearing header only found Nicky Ellis on the edge of the box and he cracked the ball past Adam Lane.

Castle Vale threatened to run riot in the next few minutes and Gary Tinkler was shown a yellow card after Aaron Smith went down as he threatened to go clear on goal. The resultant free kick came to nothing as Lane saved comfortably.

At the other end Darren Gardiner won a corner after a fine run. Andy Hume’s flag kick was headed just over the bar by Richard Reeves.

Then Vale attacked again and Rueben Wilson set up a great chance for Shane Benjamin but Adam Lane pulled off a great save at the expense of a corner. Slack marking after the corner saw the ball end up at the feet of Kieran King unmarked 8 yards from goal but once again Lane managed a parry to keep the score at 1-0 however ball went to Shane Benjamin whose shot beat Lane but came back off the post.

Brocton too had their moments and on 40 minutes Andy Harrison won a corner. Andy Hume’s in-swinger was met by Ben Harrison on the near post but his header was saved by Pete Macguire.

Castle Vale must have been disappointed to be only one goal to the good at half time but the second half was much more evenly balanced and as it wore on the Badgers began to carry the fight to Vale and James Dyke hit a free kick into the defensive wall.

Then on 79 minutes Dyke broke through the home defence and shot towards the corner of the net only to see Pete Macguire go full length to tip the ball around the post. Andy Hume’s corner was met by Richard Reeves’ downward header but it bounced over the bar for a goal kick.

Football can be a cruel game and the Badgers having twice within a minute missed chances to equalise were to see the the match put beyond them in the closing minutes. Vale almost went two up in the 81st minute but as the ball was lobbed over Lane Andy Chandler got back to clear off the line. The second goal eventually arrived 3 minutes from time when the impressive Danny Watson received a pass from Shane Benjamin and cut into the box to beat Lane with a left foot shot.

Midland Combination Premier Division
Saturday 21st October

Brocton 2 Pershore Town 3

With Brocton having conceded 13 goals in their last three games and Pershore at the bottom of the league both sidea are suffering something of a crisis of confidence so the last thing anyone would have expected was a srart with 3 goals scored in the first 10 minutes.

The Badgers began like a whirlwind and were ahead on six minutes having already seen Andy Harrison shoot wide after only 2 minutes. The goal came from a flowing move with Ben Harrison setting Richard Reeves free on the right and Reeves got the ball in early to Andy Harrison’s feet. Harrison simply nudged the ball forward into the box as he was being tackled and James Dyke, steaming past, found it perfectly in his stride and slotted home.

Pershore though are used to early setbacks and from the kick off forced a corner which was beaten out. The Badgers failed to clear their lines and a powerful low cross into a crowded box was met by the in form Dez Cox and Pershore had drawn level.

Immediately from Brocton’s kick off, Andy Harrison was wide left chasing the ball and keeping it in play. He held it for a moment and then spotted Steve Bennett moving to the box. He played the ball into his path and Bennett jinked to his right and gave keeper Dave Edwards no chance as he restored Brocton’s lead.

Basement side Pershore seemed to be there for the taking at this point but a combination of missed chances and some breathtaking saves from Edwards, including one on 32 minutes when Andy Harrison worked the ball on to his right and smashed what looked a certain goal, only to see the keeper fling himself to his left and beat it out for a corner, meant Brocton were only 2-1 up at the break.

A frenzied start from both sides in the second period made it clear that both knew that they needed more goals to secure the match and 5 minutes into the half Richard Reeves produced a diving header from a flighted free kick into the Pershore area only to see the ball pass wide of the post. Two minutes later and Pershore had drawn level. Cox had drifted left of the goal area and the ball deflected to him from a midfield tackle. He was alert though and had slipped the ball to Robbie Plant’s left and into the net before he could ready himself for a shot on goal.

A few minutes later Andy Harrison beat the offside trap and found himself clear of the defence with the ball at his feet. He held his nerve as defenders charged back at him and waited for support in the form of Andy Hume. Harrison’s cross just beat a desperate attempt at a clearing header and landed at Hume’s feet. He coolly picked his spot and could not believe it as the ball just beat the far post. On 59 minutes it was Ben Harrison and substitute Chris Baker who combined to set Harrison wide and his low effort into the box had only to be turned into the net, but the unfortunate Baker hit the ball onto his standing leg and it squirmed wide again.
Chasing the winner, second substitute Neil Rolston broke through the back line and with bodies crowding the box as his strike came in; it rebounded, went back in, rebounded again and would not be forced over the line. The sucker punch came on 78 minutes as that man Cox once again got himself free centrally and struck an early shot which hit Brocton’s post and spun into the net to give the visitors the points.