With just one point between these two teams, this promised to be a close fought encounter and so it proved. Cadbury had the better of the early play with good movement off the ball and an ability and willingness to use the full width of the pitch as they probed for an opening. The Badgers matched the home side for pace however and whilst the back four looked as solid as usual, it was the midfield which stood out for their defensive work.

Andy Harrison was fouled just inside the Cadbury half on 17 minutes and Gary Fife showed how penetrative he can be from free kicks. It was hit across the box and although the keeper was tempted to come, it was too far away. Richard Reeves arrived and timed his jump to perfection as he thumped his header down and home.

Neil Rolston got in a telling cross on 23 minutes, cut out by a defender at full stretch, but the resulting corner was met again by Reeves’ head. The keeper was well placed and his legs prevented a repeat of the earlier result. Just two minutes later with Brocton now in full flow, another Gary Fife free kick, this time just inside the near post, had Andy Harrison a whisker away from glancing it in.

Cadbury were never out of the action for long and it was Mike Shelper who next needed his legs to keep out a shot on goal after a well worked overlap on the right. Shelper then found Steve Bennett with a mighty kick and Bennett controlled and found Ben Harrison almost in one move. Harrison got in a shot on goal and the Cadbury keeper blocked well at his near post.

The home side got their reward just before the break from a huge clearance when Williams allowed it to strike his foot just before the ball bounced and as the ball rose invitingly spun and shot in a single movement fully thirty yards from goal. Shelper scrambled across, having seen the danger of the looping shot late, but was unable to keep it out.

Brocton picked up the gauntlet in the second period and it took the woodwork to deny Andy Harrison from the first meaningful action of the half. A fine acrobatic save from Cadbury’s keeper then kept him out once again on 55 minutes when Harrison’s turn and shot was well directed inside the post, but just scuffed enough to give the home keeper a chance.

On 17 minutes it was Matt Skinner who set things in motion along the left touch line, finding Gary Fife in midfield, who quickly put the ball into the run of Neil Rolston. His shot bringing another excellent full length save form the keeper, although he could only fend it away and Rolston himself had a second bite but found the top of the net above the bar with all the visiting crowd willing it to be in.

The visitors continued to find scoring opportunities and thought that they had earned a penalty but a well placed referee waved away appeals. Jonathan Wylde then fell awkwardly and despite making a brief return to the field after treatment to his shoulder, had to come off; his replacement, Rich Miller, showing Brocton’s attacking intent.

Cadbury’s own attacking movement and intent played a full part in a high quality game and the home side had a glorious opportunity to pitch all the points late in the second half, when a move down the right produced a low shot come cross which had Mike Shelper save full length, but Brocton were able to clear. Then almost at full time, Brocton’s team spirit was epitomised by Andy Harrison, when he popped up in the left back position to help ensure that the Badgers kept at least their hard won point.

Cadbury Athletic 1 v 1 Brocton

As early as the 3rd minute of this game saw Brocton’s second real chance at goal. A corner was allowed to bounce in the box and Andy Harrison was first to react with excellent control of a high bouncing ball with a volley into the net.

A James Dyke free kick on 10 minutes had Richard Miller throwing his head at it and, though bound for goal and downwards, it lacked the pace to go in on its own. Richard Reeves pounced to force it in, but was given off side.

Lee Scott made up for that on 17 minutes when he pinched the ball after harassing the left full back and strode into the right side of the area before unleashing a powerful low shot inside the near post.

Southam, with neat and effective approach play, spreading the ball wide and frequently switching the point of attack, looked menacing but were unable to penetrate Brocton’s back line, who looked compact and ready to make good use of the ball whenever it was won back. A corner for the home side on 27 minutes was just too high for Richard Jones to get a solid head on it at the near post and he elected to duck the flight of the ball. Matt Skinner, immediately behind him, was unsighted and when it hit his head it went straight into the net, giving Mike Shelper no time to react.

Southam had never been out of the game and this bit of good fortune helped them to believe that it was far from lost. They pressed hard for an equaliser, but the Badgers held out until half time.

Early into the second period Brocton suffered a series of injuries with Matt Skinner being replaced at left back by Tom Kent and then he too having to be replaced by Gary Fife. Between those changes, Richard Miller gave way to Andre Campbell, who came on and made an almost immediate impact. The ball was won deep in defence and quickly given to a deep lying James Dyke. Dyke sped through the heart of midfield, ball at his feet and put in a tempting lob ahead of Lee Scott. Southam’s keeper saw the danger and advanced to sweep up, but the ball ran loose as keeper and Scott met and Andre Campbell passed into an empty net.

As the game drew to a close, Brocton were in full flow and Campbell collected the ball just inside Southam’s half only to be shepherded infield and on to his left side. His defender must have felt that he had done his job, until Campbell accelerated into the left hand side of the box and passed back across an advancing keeper for his second and Brocton’s fourth.

The goal action was still not quite over as a James Dyke free kick was hit beyond everyone crowding Southam’s box only to be headed back into the danger are where Andy Harrison pounced to grab his second and an amazing fifth for the Badgers.

Southam United 1 v 5 Brocton

The badger which escaped beneath president graham William’s car on the way to the match could have brought the team good luck but, on the evidence of what followed, none was needed. This was the irresistible performance which The Badgers have threatened since the start of the season.

It was Neil Rolston who started the ball rolling on just 8 minutes when he darted into the box and converted Gary Fife’s low cross from the left with a sharp right foot shot. Meir then played an equal part in an entertaining end to end game full of chances on a slippery surface made for attacking play.

The action around the half hour typified the first half as Meir worked an overlap on the left and a low cross come shot fizzed all across Brocton’s box with no one able to tap it in. The ball was collected by Matt Skinner beyond the box and quickly fed up field setting off a counter attack which ended with Steve Bennett sending in a low hard shot at the from right of Meir’s goal area was saved at the near post. The ball was thrown out and in no time Andy Chandler, at the heart of Brocton’s defence, seemed to be all that was standing between three rampaging Meir forward players and the Badgers’ goal. He got a tackle in, found Neil Rolston and suddenly it was Meir back pedalling.

It was determined pressure by Tom Kent forcing an error, as the half drew to a close and Neil Rolston benefitted as the ball ran loose. He quickly found Lee Scott who lobbed the advancing keeper to give Brocton a cushion at the break.

The Badgers were more relaxed in the second period despite successive injuries which caused all three substitutes into action within fifteen minutes of the restart and several moments of worry as other players succumbed to knocks or cramp during the remainder of the game.

It was James Dyke’s turn to battle against the odds and come out with the ball, which began the move that made the game safe. He strode forward and then put the ball perfectly into Steve Bennett’s path on the right edge of Meir’s penalty area. Bennett struck an unstoppable shot and Meir’s commendable resistance was finally over.

Mike Shelper still had time to set Matt Skinner off with a throw and Skinner advanced before putting the ball into Neil Rolston on the edge of the box. Rolston side stepped to his left and struck firmly for his second and Brocton’s fourth.

Meir KA 0 v 4 Brocton

Saturday 15th September

Whilst both teams began positively enough, equally both defences were alert to any dangers and the first 15 minutes of the game consisted mostly of probing midfield movement which promptly died at either end when the defences took charge.

Just on the quarter hour a long throw by Richard Reeves found Andy Harrison, back to goal, on the edge of the Southam box. He managed a half turn to the right and got off a sharp shot on goal, but, tightly marked, he could get no power in the shot. It rebounded back to him though and a half turn in the other direction gave a glimpse of goal, but this time the keeper gathered.

A throw on 25 minutes was taken short and Matt Skinner advanced on the left to hook an effort over the bar before James Dyke picked up the loose ball in midfield and tried a speculative effort wide of the goal from 40 yards.

Southam had not looked troubled at the back and had shown good movement in attack, but with little themselves in the final third. An attack on 27 minutes soon changed all that. The ball reached the Brocton penalty area and Matt Skinner, under pressure, could not clear the ball. Richard Reeves came in to head clear as the ball rose to head height, but was adjudged to have used his elbow as he got a firm head on the ball. Penalty to Southam. Mike Shelper was given no chance by Claridge and Southam were in the lead.

A free kick taken by Reeves on 35 minutes almost led to an equaliser as Andy Harrison latched on to the ball and shot into the side netting and Harrison was involved once again as the half drew to a close. He had to battle for possession, but managed to feed Gary Fife as he race into the box. Fife had two defenders in close attendance, but still got off a powerful shot, which the Southam keeper punched away at full stretch.

The second half seemed to be a Brocton revival and almost all of the meaningful pressure came from the home side. Gary Fife was first to benefit from the increasing space which the greater attacking movement created, but could not get in a penetrating cross and the chance went. Then Andy Harrison chased a lost cause right into the right corner flag, but did manage to get in a cross for Richard miller to meet and prod home, only to discover that the ball had swung out of play on its way in.

Inevitably Southam, having successfully held Brocton at bay, began to create penetrative moves of their own and on 70 minutes perhaps the best move of the match saw the ball swept from right to left flanks and only a Richard Jones outstretched leg deflected the ball wide for a corner.

Brocton finally got the goal which their pressure had earned them when James Dyke tapped home after a flurry of shots in and around the box. Richard Jones had got the ball in to the danger area and it was Gary Fife’s shot which was blocked and ran to Dyke.

Ben Harrison hit the bar moments later and Steve Bennett found space just outside the box for a volley, but that was well over the bar.

Brocton 1 v 1 Southam United

Saturday 8th September Brocton v Clipstone Welfare

F.A. Carlsberg Vase 1st Qualifying Round

Brocton began the match looking a little jittery, which was to be expected having suffered a reverse against Feckenham in mid week. However, they soon found their feet and only a smart save from visiting keeper Jason Johnson kept out Gary Fife after a corner was pulled back into his path. It was clearly threatening to be the story of the match as Johnson immediately denied Lee Scott on 12 minutes with another fine save.

Scott came close again minutes later with a header from a Gary Fife free kick, but the keeper did not have to work so hard at this one and saved comfortably. It was Scott again on 27 minutes who went down under pressure in the box when he looked set to score. Referee and linesman checked with each other and were happy that the challenge was a fair one.

It took a long throw by Richard Reeves to break the deadlock as Scott latched on to the ball and as his shot was once again brilliantly beaten away by Johnson, Richard Miller followed up and smacked it in from the narrowest of angles.

Clipstone roared back and with Brocton defending stoutly enough the ball was cleared to the edge of the box, where Callum MacDonald shot at goal with no clear sight of his target. The ball took a wicked deflection and Mike Shelper could do nothing as it rolled cheekily to his left and into the net. Clipstone pressed and good work down the right flank followed by an early cross could have paid dividends but for a diving Richard Reeves header for a corner. Indeed no nonsense simple defending by the Reeves—Chandler central defensive partnership looked solid all match.

The lead had lasted barely two minutes, but this Brocton side know they can create more chances and today just ten minutes later a big clearance, the pace of which was killed instantly by Scott, gave him the chance to weave his way into the box. Another great save looked set to deny the home side, with another reflex save of the follow up from Andy Harrison, but Gary Fife was on hand for the second rebound and tucked the ball away. It was hard on keeper Johnson but no less than Brocton deserved.

Gary Fife looked to have mad e the game safe early in the second half when Scott got to the bye line and pulled the ball back, but the bar kept the ball out and Clipstone seemed buoyed by their good fortune as they never gave up and sheer exuberance and pace threatened to pull them back into the match. It was a pity that Johnson’s one error on the day, misjudging the bounce of a ball just on the edge of his box, gave Richard Miller the easiest of chances and he took it gratefully.

From then on the pressure on the visitors seemed relentless and Neil Rolston put the game to bed when fellow substitute Andre Campbell simply left all defenders in his wake before pulling back the ball from the bye line and leaving Rolston, who was probably the only other player who could keep up, to pop it home.

Brocton 4 v 1 Clipstone Welfare