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Badgers Continue Winning Ways
Sunday 31st October 2010
Not really getting any benefit from the extra hour in bed on Saturday night, Brantham Badgers were up early to make the mandatory stop at MacDonalds before travelling to Leiston High School for an RM3 league fixture against Sizewell Sports and Social.
There had been sightings of a monster on the A12, but it was soon established that this was just how Ashley Bowdler looked first thing in the morning. Greg Ranson had made his way to Leiston on time which meant the Badgers were able to make good use of their versatile squad and lined up in a 4-5-1 formation.
Although mild, it was a dull and drizzly autumn morning. Sizewell got the game underway and retained possession of the ball for the first minute, showing that they were indeed capable of knocking the ball around. Brantham stood off and let Sizewell have the ball in the non dangerous areas of the pitch. When Sizewell eventually probed forwards they were restricted to hopeful long balls which the Badgers’ centre half pairing of Stiff and Mawdsley were more than happy to deal with.
When Sizewell did finally come forward with the ball on the deck, the Badgers back line found themselves too square and a Sizewell striker was played through on goal. Ashley Bowdler was soon off his line to narrow the angle for the striker and the shot was palmed to safety. A big let off for Brantham.
Ross Cracknell with his speed and Craig Clarke with his close control were giving both the opposing full backs a torrid time. It was Craig who played a neat pass between the Sizewell centre backs for top scorer Jamie Carrington to burst onto. One on one with the Sizewell keeper, Jamie hit a lovely shot just out of the keeper’s reach which just squeezed in past the post. Sizewell 0, Brantham 1.
Brantham were beginning to control the game at this point with Ross, Jamie and Craig all going close before the break.
Early in the second half the Badgers had a succession of corners. Craig Clarke was putting in some great deliveries, one of which Terry Percival met with a bullet header only to see the Sizewell defender clear off the line.
Ten minutes into the second half, Glen Bones replaced Terry Percival in the centre of midfield and Sean Kearney replaced Craig Clarke on the left wing. It didn’t take Glen long to work himself a chance on the edge of the Sizewell box but the shot, after hitting a “bobble”, nearly ended up back in Brantham.
Brantham’s back four were well organised and kept Sizewell’s opportunities limited. On the few occasions their strikers did get through Ashley Bowdler was more than equal to any shots he had to face.
As the game wore on, Sizewell pressed harder. Brantham had been coping with the aerial threat from set pieces and corners. However, not managing to find the net up the other end, Glen Bones thought he’d have a go at the Badgers’ goal, whilst defending a corner he sliced a clearance with the ball flying just past Ashley’s far post.
After some good work from Sean Kearney on the left, Glen picked up the ball and again found himself in a shooting position. This time the shot went out for a throw in!
The final few minutes of the match saw Sizewell pushing even harder and they thought they had salvaged a point when a corner was only half cleared with the ball falling to the feet of a Sizewell player whose shot beat Ashley and appeared to be heading for the top corner when some how Darryn Bowdler, right on the line, headed it away to safety.
Final score Sizewell Sports & Social 0, Brantham Badgers 1.
All in all, a good away day for the Badgers, a hard fought three points and a clean sheet which moves them up to third in the table.
<< Darryn >>
