RUSSELL RESCUES BADGERS

Broxbourne were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Crostyx in a scrappy game at Badger Field. It was an error-strewn display from the hosts with the only positive that they fought back from a goal down and won a point when they were well below their best.
The tone was set in the first minute by the usually reliable Phil Bryans who got his sand wedge out and lofted a bouncing pass to Will Fradley which went straight off the pitch. Bryans was perhaps still feeling the after effects of the two pints of Ghost Ship he consumed after last week’s game.

The Badgers should have taken the lead in the 10th minute, Henry House won the ball in the final third creating a three on one with just the goal keeper to beat but the youngster couldn’t pick out any of his team mates and the chance went begging. His brother Toby hid his frustration well.

The home side created several more promising situations but their struggles in front of goal this season continued. A combination of air shots, crosses with nobody on the end of them and turnovers in the D meant they were all squandered. They were becoming increasingly sloppy in general possession and were punished by the visitors in the 27th minute when Crostyx controversially took the lead when play was allowed to continue after a dangerous lifted pass entered the D. The visitors then tapped home following a goal mouth scramble making it 1-0 at half time.

The Badgers upped their intensity in the second half, desperate to protect their unbeaten home record. George Blemkin was at his marauding best down the right-hand side and his driving runs won several short corners. Unfortunately the Badgers season long struggle to convert corners continued with each one breaking down and the score remained 1-0.

With time running down and Broxbourne committing more men forward the visitors had several opportunities on the counter attack to put the game to bed. The Badgers were indebted to man of the match Luke Saunders in particular for several last ditch tackles which snuffed out the danger.

With ten minutes to go and the game seemingly slipping away Broxbourne equalised when Blemkin won another short corner which was finally converted with Russell Gilbert’s low slap finding the bottom corner. Crostyx strongly appealed, arguing the ball had not left the D but the umpires were unmoved.

Both sides had chances to win the game in a frantic, end to end final ten minutes but the score finished 1-1.

Next week the Badgers head north to face Cambridge University 2’s