Injury stricken Badgers breeze into second after confident display

The Badgers travelled to West Herts expecting a tough match after West Herts' strong start to the season. Kay Finch’s broken collar bone was a blow but this coupled with Lisa Banahan being called in for questioning after a major break in at the Molton Brown store left the Badgers two down. Fortunately Darcy Lowe made her debut for the first team and it’s safe to say that should Banahan receive a lengthy incarceration Broxbourne will be happy to call upon her again.

The Badgers were up for this game right from the start and applied the pressure to the home team straight from the whistle. Becky Scarrott and Alice Brown both made a series of penetrating passes through to the Broxbourne front line of Gemma Wilkinson, Kerri Marshall and Charlotte Skipp. The forwards were able to bother West Herts which led to a bad challenge and the first short corner for Broxbourne. Bob Hoskins made a text book pass out to Wilkinson who played the ball into Scarrott, Scarrott freestyling away from her preferred sweep shot beat the first West Herts runner to slot it straight into the back of the net.

It only took the Badgers a few more minutes before they struck again, a great transfer across the back line from Cat Cattermole saw her find Tor Stacey who made a lovely run up the right wing before crossing the hall to Em ‘bruiser’ Wilkins. Wilkins made no mistakes after beating two West Herts defenders by slotting the ball through the keepers legs.

The start of the second half saw Broxbourne continue to dominate, with West Herts unable to make any impression on the strong Badgers defence. An unfortunate injury to Pippa Professor Pannell saw Broxbourne even more determined to win. It was in fact the Badgers who found the net again when another run from Wilkins saw her shoot at goal, despite the fact that the ball was clearly going in Marshall decided to make sure and nicked the goal on the line.

West Herts made a rare attack with seconds to spare but Freya Green made no mistakes as she saved the ball with a strong right hand glove resulting in a final score of 3-0.

The Badgers came away pleased with their days work and relief came when Dr Wills fresh from her travels diagnosed Pannell’s injury as ‘just a bruise’. Broxbourne host Bromley and Beckenham next week and are keen to earn a further 3 points and consolidate their position at the top end of the league.