BADGERS HANG ON FOR CRUCIAL WIN

Broxbourne ended a three match winless run after they hung on for a crucial 3-2 win at home to Cambridge City 3’s. In truth the scoreline flattered the visitors, the home side should have been out of sight based on chances created.

Buoyed by last week’s dramatic comeback at Cambridge University the Badgers started full of confidence and dominated the opening twenty minutes. The hosts passing game was firing on all cylinders with high ball pace, quick movement and early decision making leaving Cambridge chasing shadows.

Broxbourne thought they had taken the lead in the 10th minute, Ben Scarrott’s drag flick from a short corner hit the inside of the post and rolled agonisingly along the goal line somehow failing to the cross the line. The reprieve for Cambridge was short-lived though when the Badgers took the lead two minutes later, Toby House’s deflected effort left the keeper wrong footed making the score 1-0.

The Badgers momentum was stalled when a Cambridge player suffered a serious looking hand injury forcing play to be halted. The break in play allowed the visitors to regroup and they began to monopolise possession of the ball creating several chances from open play and winning two short corners. Fortunately, the Badger defense and keeper Ryan Thomas held firm and the score remained 1-0 at half time.

The intermission worked in the Badgers favour allowing them time to re-group and they regained the initiative at the start of the second half doubling their lead. Louis Scarrott won the ball just outside the final third and found his brother Ben in the D who ruthlessly buried the ball into the bottom corner with a thunderous reverse stick strike.

The Badgers should have made the game safe three minutes later; Ben Scarrott crossed for Toby House who somehow missed with the open goal gaping. They were made to regret that miss soon after when out of nothing Cambridge were back in the game. Centre back Josh Chapman had been playing a game of Russian Roulette for most of the afternoon with several eye of the needle passes close to being intercepted. His luck finally ran out when an ill-advised pass out of defense was picked off, the resulting shot deflected off Will Fradley and Chapman to give Thomas no chance.

Broxbourne’s heads didn’t drop, and they continued to take the game to their opponents. The two-goal lead was soon restored when the Badgers finally converted a short corner. With the drag flick not working head coach Chris Hopson dug deep into his playbook and called for the wobble. Birthday boy Mitch Chapman, who doesn’t need a second invitation to dribble the ball, stepped up. Chapman duly wobbled past the first man and flicked the ball low into the corner making it 3-1.

In recent weeks the Badgers have not been in the position of leading by two goals with not much time on the clock and it showed with some questionable game management to end the game. The home side kept pushing forward rather than playing out the final few minutes and it cost them with five minutes to go when a Cambridge counter attack won a short corner. The initial effort was repelled but the shot from the rebound deflected off skipper Charlie Frederick to leave Thomas wrong footed.

A nervy final few minutes ensued but the Badgers held on to seal an important win.

Next week the Badgers head to the capital to face Old Southendians.