BADGERS CONTINUE FLYING START

Broxbourne continued their perfect start to the season with a convincing 3-1 win over Shefford and Sandy at a raucous Badger Field on Sunday.
Following their win on Saturday the Badgers squad was boosted for the second leg of the weekend double header with the addition of Louis Scarrott, Jamie O'Sullivan and veteran Tom Hughes.

The Badgers picked up right where they left off from the win over Cambridge Uni and dominated the early goings. They took a deserved lead on nine minutes from an unexpected source; centre back Josh Chapman. The ball was patiently worked down the left hand side and Stan Mason's cross was met by Chapman who took a touch then blasted the ball into the bottom corner. Chapman is reaping the rewards of an off season training program which helped him to shed some of the excess pounds.

Broxbourne thought they had doubled the lead five minutes later, George Blemkin reacted quickest to the rebound from a short corner flick but the effort was ruled out by the umpires. There were relatively few chances created in the rest of the half by either team and the score remained 1-0 at half time.

The Badgers started the second half in positive fashion and dominated possession. They went close to doubling the lead on 45 minutes when Blemkin hit the bar with a rasping shot. The second goal soon arrived after good work down the left from Dan Ellis and Russell Gilbert won a short corner. Mitch Chapman beat the first runner with ease then slipped the ball left to Scarrott who had the simple task of slapping the ball home.

Shefford were getting increasingly frustrated with their rather obnoxious short number eight complaining to the umpires and then even his own teammates incessantly. His anger only worsened when after a series of short corners the Badgers got a third goal to make the game safe. Scarrott bagged his second with a drag flick into the top corner.

With five minutes left Shefford finally got on the scoresheet. A rare error by the usually unflappable Phil Bryans gifted the visitors a three on one counter attack which they ruthlessly converted. It proved to be no more than a consolation though as the full time whistle soon went meaning the Badgers came away from their first double header of the season with the maximum six points.

Next week the Badgers head north to face Bourne Deeping.