On a very wet and soggy ground and with the rain pouring down for almost the whole match Dolphins should have really been at home, but in the end it was the Badgers who came out on top and continued their winning league run. Badgers, despite the conditions, were still prepared to play football and they started to knock the ball about and were causing the Dolphins problems with their straight forward runs at goal. It was not long before the Badgers broke the deadlock when a good three man move ended with Jamie Carrington and a defender both hitting the ball and it ended up in the back of the net. Jamie, as you can imagine, is claiming the goal. Ten minutes later Badgers had doubled their lead. A good move started by the impressive Alan Backhouse saw the ball played wide to Craig Clarke who went round his marker and laid on the perfect pass for Jamie Carrington hit home his and the team's second goal. Badgers then had to thank goalkeeper Ash Bowdler who made a superb save to deny Dolpohins a goal. A few minutes later a mud spattered Ash Bowdler could not do anything when a forward was put through and he put a shot high into the roof of the net. Ash then made another top class save tipping a fierce shot over the bar for a corner. With the rain still pouring down both sets of players were still playing some good passing ands fast football. Guy "Big-show" Clubb was having a very good game at the back and along with his fellow central defender, Graham Stiff, they were both putting in some telling tackles. Guy in one desperate lunge at the ball , went over and started to slide torwards the touch line, and I seemed to be rooted to the spot waiting to be taken out, brolly, note-pad and all, but luckily somehow he managed to slide to a halt just in time, despite getting up and going down again!!
Half time- Brantham Badgers 2 Felixstowe Dolphins 1
Dolphins started the second half looking determined to get something out of the game, despite having lost a man with a bad foot injury. Following a free kick they drew level with a well worked goal. That did not last long as within minutes Badgers had regained their lead. The move started deep in the Badgers half and some top class football from Alan Backhouse ended with the ball being fed into the path of Jamie Carrington who slotted home for his hat-trick. Jamie then made it 4 goals for him and his team with a well taken goal into the near corner of the net. Dolphins were still not down and out and they pulled a third goal back after some good approach work. Badgers were still playing some attractive football despite the pitch cutting up and they made it a nap hand of goals when Ross Cracknell, who had a solid game on the right, latched onto a good through ball and with the keeper coming out Ross waited for the right moment to slot it home. Dolphins to their credit were never going to just give up and they hit home a fourth goal to make the latter part of the match interesting. James 'Titch'Lewis had a hard working game and played some good controlled and passing football. Goal scorer Jamie Carrington came off to make way for Terry Percival to come on after spending a lot of the match on the touchline and Terry was soon involved. Craig Clarke started a good move down the flank and put the ball into the Dolphoins area and Terry Percival who had made the run on goal just could not connect. A good game and one well controlled by referee Andy Chapman, who like all the players, did not seem to mind the conditions that much. Well done to both teams, the referee, our linesman Darrryn Bowdler who done a good job in terrible conditions and the two or three hardy supporters.
barry felgate
