Wednesday 27th February Brocton v Brereton Social

This game began at a furious pace, perhaps in an attempt to ward off the cold. It meant that possession was far from comfortable for either side and passes inevitably went astray. The game switched from end to end remarkably quickly and no sooner had one side snatched an attempt at goal than the other was pressing in return.

James Dyke took the eye in midfield for Brocton, with determined closing down and tackling, but also with the first real chance of the game. A Richard Reeves throw was only half cleared from Brereton’s box and Dyke was on to the loose ball, unleashing a fierce volley, which Adam Braddock did well to parry. Dyke won the ball in midfield moments later and set Gary Fife free to his left. Lee Northwood steamed past Fife down the left touchline and Fife used his run to find room inside. His cross found Lee Scott at the right hand edge of the box and Scott volleyed over.

Brereton immediately struck back with a defence turning ball over the Brocton back line and Richard Jones got in a saving tackle, only to see a snap shot from deep, which had to be watched carefully over the bar by Mike Shelper.

A long ball from the back saw Gary Fife race clear on the left and jink his way to the bye line, before crossing to the back post, where a powerful header brought a fine save from Braddock. Once again the response was swift, with mike Shelper having to field the result of a free header in his own box seconds later. The deadlock was broken just before half time when Fife once again broke through the back line. This time the loose ball was met by Fife and Braddock just outside the box and the ball broke kindly for the Brocton player from the tackle. He had to go wide left to chase it, but despite arriving defenders on the line, made no mistake with a cool left foot finish.

There was little change to the ebb and flow of the match in the second period and it was the second of two consecutive free kicks from James Dyke which helped to make the game safe. The first to the far post had Richard Reeves head back across goal and was well defended under pressure and the second was just slipped a yard to his right, from where Lee Scott struck Brocton’s second of the night.

Youngster Lee Northwood, making a comeback from injury and deputising at left back for one of Brocton’s most reliable players, Matt Skinner, was having a fine match already, but then produced a mini series of sharp tackles and pressure. The efforts were matched by his team mates and time and again Brereton attacks were turned and forced away from goal without there being a threat. A typical bout of this defensive pressure gave Richard Miller a chance late in the second half. He did all the hard work in maintaining his control of the ball together with his advantage in speed over the recovering defence, but went for power over placement and hit his shot wide of the target.

Kieran Newey came on for Social as a late substitute and his fresh legs lifted his team as the final whistle beckoned. He produced almost the last meaningful action of the game with a lifted shot causing Mike Shelper to back track and touch the ball over the bar.

Brocton 2 v 0 Brereton Social

Brocton keeper Mike Shelper then punted a long ball down the middle, Andy Harrison headed on and Lee Scott outpaced Jamie Fulford and headed over the advancing Steve Johnson to give the Badgers a 7^th minute lead.

In the 11^th minute a needless handball by Danny Hollywood gave James Dyke the chance to deliver a perfectly flighted free kick and Richard Reeves glanced it past the helpless Johnson to make it 2-0.

On 13 minutes Lee Scott lobbed the ball high over Johnson and looked set to make it 3-0 but the ball took too long to come down and was cleared for corner.

After 19 minutes Brocton lost Andy Harrison with damaged ankle ligaments and the attack looked less balanced without the big target man.

Substitute Richie Miller was soon in the thick of the action though and won the ball in midfield and fed James Dyke who played it forward to Lee Scott to run on to. Scott’s pace took him clear of the defence and with the equally quick Miller getting into box to support a goal looked likely until Johnson thwarted Scott with a fine block.

Dyke tried to engineer an opening early in the second half but Miller dragged his shot wide. Brocton had a scare on 63 minutes when Andy McMath was allowed a free header but Shelper brilliantly parried it away from point blank range. The windy conditions and the bumpy pitch took their toll and neither side looked like adding to score in the final quarter as the Badgers ran out comfortable 2-0 winners.

In the end this was a routine victory for Highgate and one in which, certainly for the first half, they did not need to be any where near the sort of form which must have taken them 12 points clear at the top of the division before this game. Brocton were doing the early probing and had chances on goal, which the home side seemed simply to ignore, such is their evident confidence. The best of the chances came down the left flank and a Steve Bennett cross eluded the Highgate keeper before also passing over both Andy Harrison’s and Gary Fife’s heads and safely clear.

That was the culmination of 10 minutes pressure, but Highgate broke out and moved the ball quickly up field to the right flank, from where a speculative cross caught Mike Shelper a little out of position, but still looking favourite to simply touch it over the bar. He got a hand to it, but the ball fell invitingly almost onto his goal line and was touched home by Tom Thacker.

The game continued in the same vein with Brocton probing and Highgate seemingly content to watch them do so. Andy Hume found Ben Harrison and Ben moved the ball on to the feet of brother Andy, who took on the shot, hitting it just wide. Then Steve Bennett looked to have jinked into the clear only to be caught by a stray foot and James Dyke found an unmarked Dave Langston beyond the far post. Langston low half volley found a well positioned keeper. Bennett repeated the dose, dribbling even nearer before being tripped and this time Gary Fife went directly for goal, but hit over.

Langston was then in action deep in his own half, winning the ball at the back before setting Gary Fife off on the right. Fife found Bennett and Bennett shot again over the bar.

Then a long clearance from Highgate and high bounce took the ball into Brocton’s area. A moments indecision between Shelper and Langston and this time it was Neil Kitching of the home side who gratefully accepted the gift. There was almost a repeat on 35 minutes as once again a lob into the box threatened to cause problems, but although an advancing Shelper was pipped to the ball, he managed to reach high and tip it over the bar for a corner. The corner though took a deflection as it reached the box and it flew all across the goal and the touch at the far post could only put it wide of the net.

The bets move of the game came from the home side just as half time approached and a sweeping move culminated in a fine strike from the right edge of the box by Liam O’Shea, putting the home side out of sight.

Strangely Highgate only really began to show their evident quality in the second half, already three goals to the good and it took some good defending and all round team work by Brocton to keep the score to that level. But on the hour mark, just as Brocton seemed to have weathered that period, a corner went once again high into the box and under pressure, Mike Shelper’s attempted punch could once again only drop the ball in the box where this time Adam Rogers was on hand to tap it home.

Brocton never capitulated, but Highgate always appeared to get plenty of bodies around any attempt at an attack, until finally almost on full time Richard Miller kept excellent composure in the box, beat the Highgate keeper’s attempted dive at his feet and gave the visitors a consolation.

Highgate United 4 v 1 Brocton

With a low sun directly behind one goal, it looked as though Continental Star’s fortune with a toss of a coin could be crucial as they chose to start with the sun at their backs. They began the better of the two sides and a free kick taken quickly on just 7 minutes was allowed to go across goal where Wesley Gray collected the ball and picked his spot.

Lee Scott manufactured an overhead kick in Star’s box minutes later when a corner was allowed to bounce in the box, but the effort found the well positioned Chris Sparrow in Star’s goal. Long throws by Richard Reece caused some concern at the heart of the visitor’s defence, but two in quick succession were scrambled away and Star struck back with a huge kick from their keeper. The sun played its part as Kirk Maragh got enough on the ball from an Andy Chandler attempted clearance to guide into the net for Continental Star’s second on 23 minutes.

The visitors had to defend deep at times, but did so in numbers and looked to have seen off Brocton’s pressure until another long throw found Andy Harrison in the box. Shielding the ball well, he was pulled down and the referee signalled for a penalty. Sparrow did his best to unnerve Lee Scott, but Scott put the ball low to his left and in for Brocton’s first on 37 minutes.

Scott was on hand again almost on the half time whistle as this time Dave Langston headed on a long throw and Scott turned it in to send the home side in on level terms.

By the beginning of the second half the sun was lower and perhaps even more difficult as no cap could keep out the glare. Brocton started with great purpose and firstly a fine passing move had James Dyke sweep the ball out to Lee Scott on the right edge of the box and his swift low cross was met and converted by Gary Fife. That was quickly followed with a similar move started this time by Steve Bennett. He found Dyke and this time Dyke’s pass to Scott was lofted over an advancing keeper and in off the far post to give Brocton a cushion.

Gary Fife made the last goal with a surging run from the half way line evading attempted tackles before slipping the ball right to Scott, who once again hit the ball across the keeper and in off the far post.

Continental star rallied in the last quarter of the match, but the Badgers defended in numbers and kept their three goal cushion to the end of an entertaining match.

Brocton 5 v 2 Continental Star