Mens 1st Team
Matches
Sat 26 Jan 2019
Wisbech Town
1
2
Broxbourne Hockey Club
Mens 1st Team
THOMAS SAVES THE DAY FOR BATTLING BADGERS

THOMAS SAVES THE DAY FOR BATTLING BADGERS

Will Fradley27 Jan 2019 - 17:25
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WISBECH TOWN 1 BROXBOURNE 2

Broxbourne made it six wins in a row with a hard fought 2-1 win at Wisbech Town. With Sudbury and Wapping dropping points Broxbourne are now joint top with Upminster and Old Southendian in a real log jam at the summit of Division One.

Following last week’s 5-2 home win against Sudbury the Badgers were on a high but faced a very different test of their championship mettle. Could they win on the road on a cold afternoon in January against a very physical team on a pitch that looked like it was laid in the 1950’s. The opening minutes suggested the answer was no. The Badgers were half asleep from the first whistle and looked like they wished they were still on the warm bus with driver Jamaal.

Wisbech took the lead in the first minute when they were allowed to slice through the Broxbourne midfield and defense with ease and their pacey forward found the bottom corner with a reverse stick strike. The goal continued a trend of slow starts by the visitors making it the 4th match running they had fallen behind.

Broxbourne gradually recovered from the shock of conceding so early and started to get a foothold in the game and were level in the 15th minute. Louis Scarrott fizzed a pass through to his brother Ben on the base line who then crossed for Mitch Chapman. The midfielder calmly rounded the keeper and slotted home making it 1-1.

The rest of the half was an even affair with both sides winning a number of short corners but neither could convert meaning the scores were level at the half time interval.

The Badgers used the break to calm themselves with Mitch Chapman wisely calling for the team to pass the ball earlier and reduce the dribbling. Chapman unfortunately didn’t heed his own advice and promptly took the opening second half push back and tried to dribble through the whole Wisbech team.

The Badgers started to get some control of the game and took the lead in the 50th minute from a short corner. Ben Scarrott beat the first runner and fired a reverse stick shot past the motionless Wisbech keeper making it 2-1.

Wisbech then had a golden chance to equalise when George Blemkin conceded a penalty stroke. Keeper Ryan Thomas was sent the wrong way but fortunately the flick was weakly pushed down the middle and was blocked by Thomas’ trailing leg.

The Badgers then had to survive a sustained period of Wisbech pressure and were indebted to centre back Josh Chapman for some miraculous last ditch tackles and Thomas for an incredible save one on one with a Wisbech forward for preserving the one goal lead.

The home side were becoming increasingly more physical with Blemkin on the end of a tackle that looked like it belonged on a football or rugby field rather than a hockey pitch. The Badgers held firm and were relieved to hear the final whistle sealing an important 2-1 win.

Next week the Badgers face old rivals and fellow title chasers Wapping 3’s in crucial showdown at Badger Field.

Match details

Match date

Sat 26 Jan 2019

Kickoff

13:00
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