BADGERS MELT UNDER PRESSURE

Broxbourne’s five match unbeaten run under new head coach Chris Hopson came to an end as they lost 6-3 to league leaders East London at a chilly Olympic Park. The build up to the game was dominated by bad news on the injury front to two of the team’s senior citizens. Alex Brown went for a second scan on his injured toe but the results revealed the fracture had yet to heal. Keeper Paul Staples was then ruled out for the rest of season with a ruptured achilles tendon. Staples landed awkwardly at his weekly morris dancing class and has already undergone surgery in a bid to be fit for the start of next season; given his advancing years the veteran faces quite a challenge.

The opening period of the contest was an even affair, the Badgers knew going into the game East London would probably dominate possession and that proved to be the case. The hosts showed why they top the table, extremely fit and well drilled and a team that move the ball at pace. The Badgers equipped themselves well, disciplined marking and an impressive debut by Ryan Taylor in goal kept the hosts at bay.

The deadlock was broken in the 22nd minute when East London caught the Badgers on the counter attack and a forward was left with a simple tap in at the far post. The lead was then doubled five minutes later with a well worked short corner giving Taylor no chance. Broxbourne were reeling slightly and needed to get to half time without conceding any further goals but in the last minute the hosts made it 3-0 in controversial circumstances. Josh Chapman went down in the D with a head injury but the umpires allowed play to continue and following a goal mouth scramble it was 3-0 East London at half time.

The Badgers regrouped at the interval and started the second half with much more purpose with an emphasis placed on higher ball pace. The deficit was reduced in the 41st minute, Chapman found himself in the East London D and his mishit cross found Hopson who calmly finished from 10cm out.

Two minutes later Broxbourne were firmly back in the game, Ben Scarrott smartly found the gap between the keepers’ legs with a drag flick from a short corner making the score 3-2. Any hopes the Badgers had of a miraculous comeback were quickly extinguished though as East London grabbed two quick goals to restore the three-goal lead.

To Broxbourne’s credit their heads did not drop, and the visitors continued to play positive hockey trying to get back in the game. Louis Scarrott’s sling shot through ball found Adam Kitching in the D and the forward showed an incredibly deft touch for a big guy as his first-time deflection flew into the net past a motionless keeper.

Down by two goals with not much time left on the clock the Badgers had to pour men forward and were inevitably vulnerable to the counter attack, in the last minute they were punished again making the final score a slightly flattering 6-3

Despite the loss Broxbourne can take many positives from the second half into next week when they face another tough matchup, second placed Shefford and Sandy at home.