Steel. And. Shorts.

No one relishes the early morning away game, especially when your experienced skipper inexplicably decides to estimate your journey time based on what I can only imagine is using the main navigable waterways of the UK and travelling by horse drawn barge. This resulted in the majority of team, who having arrived well before the facilities were open, unsuccessfully trying to occupy themselves on a bleak RAF camp in Oxfordshire. Both of these certainly being cited as contributing factors to what can only be described as nightmare of a first half.

It actually started rather well with a number of chances for the ‘Angry Badgers’ and a handful of early short corners even though they were struggling to retain possession. The set piece providing the most success with the old fashioned straight strike from the first corner parried by the opposition keeper straight to the lurking Jules who finished with ease into an empty net. The right back is in fine scoring from this season and took his tally to 6 so far with 5 of those coming from well worked short corners. The chant ‘Jules scores, we win’ erupting from the travelling supporters reinforcing Broxbourne’s 100% start and his instrumental role in the team. Minutes later the away team came close again with another short corner which was thundered against the post by an AJ Crawley drag flick.
Cue a massive shift in momentum. The home side preferred to play a very direct style of hockey which caused problems for Broxbourne’s more modern and fluid set up. A few key turnovers, missed defensive duties and some big crash balls by the hosts saw them score three goals in rapid succession. Having only conceded 1 goal this season previously the visitors looked in disarray and were clearly glad to hear the half time whistle and get off the pitch just 3-1 down.

The ageless half time show of ‘Good Cop, Bad Cop’, performed by captain AJ and senior defender Fresh respectively, seemed well rehearsed and clearly had the desired effect on the squad as they started the second half at full tilt.

A measured tactical approach from Broxbourne to counter the route one style of the home side seemed to be paying dividends with Berkhamsted struggling to clear their lines and the away team now dominating possession. Even so clear chances in open play were hard to come by as the home side defended deeper and deeper. However the relentless pressure caused by the Badger’s tenacious high press, epitomised by young Toby House, created numerous turnovers short corners. With the youth to thank for their energy and work rate in creating the opportunities it was time to turn to a battle hardened campaigner to steady the ship. Captain Crawley taking his many years of experience and the short corner responsibilities slotted two drag flicks, five minutes apart, to make it all square mid-way through the second half.

With the game now balanced on a knife edge Broxbourne never took a step backwards possibly inspired by the location and their inhabitants famous motto ‘Who Dares Wins’. The defensive unit restricting the hosts to one circle penetration and one short corner for the entire second half gave the forward line the platform to continue terrorising the oppositions 23. Another short corner with just over 10 minutes left on the clock proved to be the defining point of the game. Captain Crawley, who was recently made redundant had subbed himself of in fear of the fiscal penalty of having to buy a hat-trick jug as well as an almost definite DoD jug(he later denied this in the de-brief saying his legs simply needed a rest and somehow avoided DoD!), left the ‘drag flick’ role to young gun Dan Ball. Recently barbered but sporting new rugged facial hair he did not disappoint. A flick that was so well judged it even took into account the certainty of a deflection from the on rushing defenders shin to leave the opposition goalkeeper flailing at thin air. 3-4 Broxbourne.
The remainder of the game played out in similar but unremarkable fashion. It was a testing game for the visitors but the blend of wily veterans and exuberant youth seems to be clicking and their 100% record this season still stands.

MoM – Julian Cogdell, class.

DoD – Lewis Green, who by his own omission was not only late but didn’t do one thing right all game.

Bluehearts up next at the Badger Field 13:30 push back this coming Saturday.