BADGERS LET IT SLIP

Broxbourne wasted a golden opportunity to move closer to the summit of division one after they fell to a 5-3 defeat at league leaders Shefford and Sandy. The most frustrating part was that the visitors played some of their best hockey of the season so far but had nothing to show for it.

Having played Shefford in pre season and been on the wrong end of a 6-2 defeat the Badgers knew what to expect; very little time on the ball and a team that were ruthless on the counter attack. Broxbourne started well, the ball was moved quickly and their high press was working effectively with the home side struggling to move the ball out from the back.

The Badgers took a deserved lead in the 12th minute, birthday boy Tony House got his second goal in two games with a confidently taken reverse stick strike.

The lead didn't last long, Shefford's short corner routine which caused Broxbourne all sorts of trouble in pre season struck again when keeper Paul Staples was given no chance following a slick routine.

The Badgers didn't let their heads drop and soon re-took the lead. Top scorer Ben Scarrott made no mistake from a short corner with his low drag flick finding the bottom corner to make it 2-1 at half time.

Broxbourne knew the leaders would respond in the second half and Shefford came out with much more intensity allowing the Badgers no time on the ball. They were soon level when having committed players forward in attack Broxbourne crucially turned the ball over. With the defense outnumbered the Shefford forward had a simple tap in levelling the scores once more.

The game was beginning to get spicy with heavy challenges flying in and verbal exchanges all over the pitch. The main instigator was a hobbit like creature playing up front for Shefford, clearly suffering from short/bald man syndrome the little fella was even swearing at his own teammates and seemed like he could get into an argument in a room on his own. Man of the match Louis Scarrott seemed particularly agitated with his renowned fiery temper bubbling to the surface.

Despite the tense atmosphere Broxbourne again retook the lead with another unstoppable Scarrott drag flick. Then the game turned on a questionable umpiring decision. Josh Chapman was adjudged to have intentionally held a forward's stick with a penalty flick awarded, Mr Frodo stepped up and found the roof of the net making it 3-3.

The decision clearly affected the visitors because the intensity and discipline they had played with momentarily disappeared and when you are playing against the leaders those sort of lapses are punished. Shefford took their first lead of the game from another short corner to leave the Badgers shell shocked.

Head Coach Tyler Sundeen had seen enough and pulled off Staples with two minutes to go with Chapman going in as kicking back in a last ditch attempt to salvage a draw. The gamble didn't pay off as Shefford won another short corner in the last minute which was easily converted giving the final score a flattering look at 5-3.

Next week Broxbourne host Cambridge Nomads looking for a similar level of performance but a better result.