Westcott exacted revenge on Brockham’s drubbing of them in the cup with an emphatic 4-0 victory in the league this Sunday at the Big Field. Brockham dominated possession for large parts of the game but it was Westcott that proved more clinical in front of goal.
The Badgers started brightly enough, keeping the ball well and fashioning one or two chances in the first twenty minutes that suggested they would ultimately edge the game. Simon Vakeva-Baird went close with a header from a Joe Silver corner that flashed just wide of goal, and Silver was himself denied by an excellent reaction save from Eddie Elster in the Westcott goal from close range.
Brockham were racked with injuries and absentees. Both their pacey wingers missing and the influential Lewis Wood in midfield side lined along with the versatile and equally pacey Alex Bevis. So when Sam Kandalaft signalled to come off feeling sick and Silver starting to complain of a tight hamstring it looked like it might be one of those days with only Luke Brightman to bring on from the bench. When Westcott then pounced on a loose ball that had been cleared by Vakeva-Baird from a cross, and nailed it to the back of James Rabbetts net to take the lead, things went from bad to worse.
To their credit Westcott had one or two influential players missing themselves, but galvanised by their goal they now started to press forward in high areas down both flanks. Without Jack Coppin and Jordan Martin to keep the Westcott full-backs quiet they both started to influence the game, particularly on their left where George Gomes was often two on one and struggling to keep up with a rampant Roo Campbell.
Without the width and pace that Martin and Coppin would normally offer Brockham had hoped to use their technical ability to maintain possession and work the ball through the middle more effectively or deliver early balls behind the Westcott back line from channels. Unfortunately, once behind, the Badgers lost a little composure and passes started to be missed and possession surrendered too cheaply.
Brockham gathered themselves again though in the early part of the second half, again opening up two good chances for Michael Cheeseman and the excellent Oscar Cremmen, who along with Sam Lloyd was leading by example. Westcott delivered a succour punch however with a tricky run through the centre that went uncontested by three half-hearted challenges and then a simple delivery behind the Brockham back line to expose Rabbetts one on one with the Westcott striker who finished with ease.
Brockham now started to play with too much haste and panic. The sick Kandalft had to come back on for Silver, whose hamstring had now virtually immobilised him, and when Silver had to re-enter the fray ten minutes later for Brightman who pulled a groin, Brockham were virtually playing with ten men. Needing to chase the game and adjust for injuries the Badgers switched to 4-4-2 but no sooner had they done this than Westcott added another goal to their tally with yet another one on one from a simple through ball behind the back four.
Luc Jhugroo finally added to Brockham’s walking wounded going to ground with a leg injury and finally reducing Brockham to nine and a half. Westcott didn’t need to be told what to do with only three at the back for Brockham, and low and behold another through ball put Charlie Clarke in on goal from where he out-muscled Chris Parsons and placed a powerful shot around the on-rushing Rabbetts from 18 yards out.
Brockham mustered a last hurrah for pride’s sake but nothing led to anything more than the odd half chance. It was Westcott’s day and Brockham’s boys will be glad half term should limit the ribbing in the school yard that would have had to have been endured.
Men of the Match: Sam Lloyd and Oscar Cremmen