Badgers Vs Bournville

Another weekend of wet and blustery weather, but the brave Badgers all arrived on time. We travelled with our strongest and largest squad this week and all 16 of us were ready for the final game before the Christmas break.

This game marks the half-waypoint but unfortunately, the result was our heaviest defeat so far this season. In spite of this, your coach walked off the pitch at the end of the game both proud and happy.

  Proud; as the goal tally steadily increased the team never gave up. Not one of the 14 youth players      dropped their heads and all continued to the final whistle working hard for a deserved goal.

  Happy; the Badgers (again) continued to improve and gelled as a unit.

The game started positively with both sides passing well and making intelligent movement. After about seven minutes Bournville got an early Christmas present, a defensive error gifted the attacking striker a free run at goal, his shot come cross defeated the Yardley keeper but the resulting wide ball was put away but the rapid quick thinking wide player running on to the back post. Shortly afterwards they doubled their lead, with a good run down the right wing, crossing to the back post were the other wide player was again running onto the back post. Two goals scored by having players on the back post. This must be a lesson for our team next year in the second half of the season. Our wingers, even though they’re on opposite sides of the pitch must attack together.

The Badgers then had a strong twenty minutes of play asking questions of the Bournville defenders and in particular their adult, the resulting shots sadly going wide. Yardley Badgers’ pressure in this period resulted in four penalty corners, more than we have won altogether all season.  Lots of good runs in midfield from Aysha, Jordan, Ubaydah and Rahmann were ultimately snuffed out by some good defensive work from Bournville. Bournville then began to exert more pressure and had a run a three penalty corners. We defended them well but then John our defensive adult got injured and  wouldn’t be returning to the game after twisting his knee. Just before half time the home team got a third from a good shot. Stan replaced John as the adult defender in the second half.

The Yardley Badgers started brightly, and continued to have the better chances for a solid twenty five minutes. The positional play and movement of the whole team was a joy to watch. Jordan who was probably the strongest youth player on the pitch was having lots of possession of the ball and was the central focal point of our attacks. The Badger’s keeper gratefully hardly had a touch.

With ten minutes to go Bournville got a fourth goal, a shot defeated the diving Yardley keeper but hit the post but the rebound fell to an advancing striker for a simply tap in. The game was opening up, chances were coming thick and fast for both teams. The closest Yardley came was a shot by Jordan beating the keeper but hitting the post, it rebounded to the far post but there was no Yardley player nearby. The fast pace stretched both teams and breakaways happened frequently. The home teams’ two adults pushed really high into our 23 line trying to increase the lead but once our defence made tackles it gave our midfield free reign to run at goal with just the keeper to beat. Twice their keeper blocked these one on ones, others went wide. The fifth goal for Bournville was also from a breakaway.

A good game of hockey and all the Yardley Badgers should be very proud and happy with their performances, both individually and as a whole. I know I am. Enjoy the festive break, have a well-earned rest and let’s all continue in January with the same vigour.