A CHANGE of kit at half-time did not distract Brockham Badgers U16As from beating Stoneleigh at the weekend.
The home side were forced to play with orange bibs in the first period, with the visitors also wearing black and white, until the away kit arrived at the break.
Brockham dominated possession from the off and should have had a two-goal lead within the first 15 minutes, but instead went a goal behind for the first time this season.
To be fair, the goal had to be applauded. Advancing down the left flank the Stoneleigh number ten was well marshalled inside by George Gomes. However, Brockham discovered the bright striker was equally adept on his right as he was his left.
Running across goal from the corner of the 18-yard box he let fly with his right and placed the ball perfectly between upright and crossbar, giving James Rabbetts no chance.
The response from Brockham was superb, equalising within five minutes with an excellent move.
Gomes won the ball at right-back and scampered forward before playing a pass into space for Joe Silver to run onto. Silver used all his pace and guile to beat the Stoneleigh left-back and deliver a brilliant ball across goal that Michael Cheeseman met with a fierce left footed strike.
A tactical change switched Jordan Martin in front of Gomes to thwart any further luck and Jack Coppin came onto the left to starting using the opposite channel that had been largely unexploited by Brockham.
The impact was immediate. Sam Kandalft found a yard with his neat footwork and with great awareness put the ball between full-back and centre-half on Brockham's right.
Martin picked the ball up and delivered an awkward ball that Coppin scooped in from close range in a goalmouth scramble.
Two minutes later another short range goal was finished off by Chris Parsons.
Chris Bevis replaced the excellent Gomes and Simon Vakeva-Baird slotted into midfield for Kandalft at half-time and both were immediately involved in Brockham's next goal.
Bevis played a ball into the right hand channel from his defensive position which Vakeva-Baird ran onto and applied enough pressure for the Badgers to win a corner.
The set-piece was cleared but it dropped on the edge of the box where Martin thumped a powerful right-footed shot goalwards which went in via a deflection.
Brockham's fifth was arguably their best
Oscar Cremmen fed Coppin on the left who chipped the ball into an advanced left channel position for Cheeseman to chase down.
Cheeseman was herded to the touchline but managed to wriggle past his marker and dart towards goal.
He pinged an incredible ball across goal which Martin flew through the air to meet at pace and volleyed home.
