Saturday 28th September
Midland Football League Premier Division
Brocton 5 Dudley Town 0
Brocton welcomed back Tom Vaughan, Connor Haddaway and Charlie King to the starting line-up as they returned to league action following two cup defeats in the past week. Visitors Dudley Town have been widely tipped to be amongst the challengers this season and came into the game on the back of a big win in the FA Vase over Stone Old Alleynians.
Brocton made the prefect start taking the lead inside the fourth minute. Reg Smith picked up the ball on the left, cut inside and hit a fierce drive past Alex Graham and into the far corner of the net. Dudley came back and a cross from Connor Archer was blocked for a corner. In the 11th minute, Connor Haddaway conceded a free kick on the edge of the area, but Callum Gillies was well off target with his effort. A minute later, a shot from Jordan Davies was deflected for a corner by Tom Vaughan. Brocton went close to number two in the 14th minute. Christian Blanchette rolled the ball into the path of Will Whieldon and his shot was superbly saved by Graham. The ball came out to Smith and his first time volley hit the post and bounced back into the arms of the grateful Graham. Ben Haddaway had to make a strong challenge to thwart Ethan Muckley before Brocton doubled their lead in the 20th minute. A ball over the top of the defence saw Connor Haddaway get there before the keeper and full back to lift the ball into the penalty area. Smith was on hand to nod the ball into the empty net with Connor Haddaway prone on the ground following the challenge from the keeper. Brocton had the ball in the net again in the 24th minute when a low cross from Connor Haddaway was turned in by Blanchette but the Brocton skipper had strayed offside. Brocton were not to be denied, and they increased their lead in the 27th minute. A poor clearance from Graham was collected by Blanchette. He controlled the ball and laid into the path of Smith, and the league’s leading scorer did the rest with a clinical finish for his hat-trick. Brocton were now rampant and playing the sort of football for which they are known. A great move involving Whieldon and Smith ended with Blanchette forcing a decent save from Graham. In the 35th minute, Smith, with his back to goal, played a great ball into the path of Blanchette and his chip was inches wide. In the 45th minute, Brocton made it four. Smith chased down a supposedly lost cause, beat the defender to the ball and crossed to the far post where Blanchette headed home with the deftest of touches. Two minutes into stoppage time, Smith again went close. A free kick was played into the striker, who turned his defender, and his shot was inches wide.
Half-Time: Brocton 4 Dudley Town 0
Dudley made a double substitution at half-time, but it was the home side that started the brighter. Josh Simcox skipped past a defender, found himself in space and forced a fine save from Graham. Smith then saw a shot blocked as Brocton streamed forward. Four minutes into the half, Brocton were awarded a free kick in a good position. Smith’s drive was blocked, the ball falling to Whieldon who put the loose ball past the post. Smith was giving the Dudley defence a torrid afternoon, and when he got to the by-line his cross was well cut out by Graham. In the 52nd minute, Blanchette picked out Smith in the box and his shot hit the outside of the post. Blanchette brought down a long ball from Vaughan before firing just wide. All the chances were falling to the home side and another vicious shot from Smith rebounded to safety off Graham. In the 62nd minute, Charlie King won the ball with a strong challenge but misplaced his pass with Blanchette in acres of space. It should have been five in the 69th minute, Smith raced through one-on-one with Graham, but the Dudley keeper was equal to the effort saving well. Brocton did make it five, a couple of minutes later, and what a goal it was. Whieldon picked up the ball some 35 yards from goal and lobbed the ball over Graham and into the net. Todd Sherwood shot wide for Dudley following a goalmouth scramble, but it was a rare foray forward for the visitors. In the 82nd minute, a volley from Smith hit the back of Jude King, the reaction from Smith indicating that the shot was certainly goal bound. The final chance of the game was created by Smith, who laid the ball into the path of Lucas Green-Birch. Unfortunately, the shot was screwed wide, a minor blip in an outstanding Brocton performance.
Full-Time; Brocton 5 Dudley Town 0 Attendance:150
Brocton: Tony Allsopp, Adam Weldon (Dan Evans 63), Josh Simcox (Charlie Marshall 80), Ben Haddaway, Tom Vaughan (Kenny Devoir 72), Charlie King, Will Whieldon, Jake Thomas, reg Smith, Connor Haddaway (Lucas Green-Birch 55), Christian Blanchette (Jude King 77)
Dudley Town: Alex Graham, Callum Gillies (Dan Jones 45), Jake Danan (Lewis Mitchell 59), Joe Colley (Todd Sherwood 45), Lewis Riley-Stewart, Bekir Halil, Connor Archer, Connor Armstrong (Owen Massey 84), Ethan Muckley, Jordan Davies (Chandler Pegg 59), Brad Mansell
Yellow Cards: Whieldon (Brocton); Halil (Dudley Town)
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