A fine win away

Brocton bag four on their travels'

Thursday 19th April 2018
Bolehall Swifts 0 Brocton 4

Brocton began with the advantage of the slope. It took a while for either side to get into a settled pattern with the now hard surface making flowing football difficult and neither goal was seriously threatened.

Brocton defended well and Bolehall found it hard to get past the Badgers’ back four of Mark Cooper, Ben Douglas, Kenny Devoir and Jamie Evans and when they di find a way past, Conor Alderman dealt comfortably with anything that came his way.

At the other end Joe Hartshorne and Jack Edwards were a constant threat to the home goal, the former playing in Lee Osborne who cut in and had his shot well saved by Lee Paintain.
Minutes later Paintain was equal to a similar effort from Hartshorne himself.

The Swifts did their fair share of pressing Alderman who had to be on his toes to thwart Adam Brown. A quick succession of free kicks just outside the box could have spelt trouble. The first two went high and wide, but the third from Leadan Dunleavy narrowly missed the far post.

As the game progressed Matt Baker, Harry Phillips and Robbie Thelwell started to win the midfield battle and Brocton began to get control of the game, taking the lead on 39 minutes when Douglas hit a fine ball to Edwards on the left and he cut in and fired past Paintain into the far corner.

Brocton started the second half more confidently and almost increased their lead when Edwards capitalised on slack defending, but Paintain made a good save and Edwards could only find the side netting from the rebound. The second goal came shortly after Lee Osborne came off with an injury and had to be replaced by Matt Skinner. It was Skinner who chipped the ball down the line for Hartshorne who raced in and smashed the ball in from a tight angle. Hartshorne made his personal tally two when he stroked home a penalty, having been brought down himself moments before in the box.

Alderman was still needed to take high balls into the box, mostly from corners and Skinner twice went close for the Badgers, one effort clipping the post and a second, a header, finding the keeper. But Phillips wrapped it up near the finish with a calm finish from ten yards.

Brocton: Conor Alderman, Mark Cooper, Jamie Evans, Kenny Devoir, Ben Douglas,Harry Phillips, Jack Edwards, Matt Baker, Lee Osborne, Robbie Thelwell, Joe Hartshorne.

Used Sub: Matt Skinner.