Badgers Feel the Force of the Hurricane!

WCFC U13s Badgers 5 match winning streak came to an end when they narrowly lost to the Hurricanes in a highly competitive friendly at a showery autumnal Melksham on Sunday. Against their hosts from the division above, the Badgers made a strong start. A 4-4-2 formation became 4-3-3 going forward, with the tactic of attacking down the channels working well. Louis and William D had already had chances before a training ground move paid off. The ever willing Theo made a devastating burst from left midfield and a precise one-two between Jack and William D left William clear in the centre to slid the ball calmly past the Melksham keeper for a well deserved opener. The Badgers were dominant at this stage, pinning the Hurricanes into their own half through the power of their attacking play. Sonny, playing intelligently down the right, found space and crossed only for the keeper to grab it off Louis's feet. A dangerous deep corner from Bailey, rapidly becoming one of the Badgers most potent attacking weapons, flashed across the box, deserving a finishing touch. Only a combination of excellent goal keeping, long range shots and less than clinical finishing kept the score to 1-0 at the end of the first quarter. Surprisingly, the Badgers made a sluggish start to the 2nd quarter, allowing Melksham to come back into the game. The Hurricanes number 8 in particular was now proving a handful for the Badgers defence with Ashton, Teddy, Bailey and Captain Oli now being under sustained pressure for the first time this season. Two goals in quick succession turned the game around in Melksham's favour: the first when the Badgers lost the ball midway in their half and the second from a through ball over the top. Only a tremendous goal-line clearance from the hard tackling Morgan after William G was beaten kept the score to 2-1 after half time.

A tactical switch to 4-4-2 at half time saw Harvey coming on at right back, releasing Ashton to support Toby in midfield. The switch made the game much more even, allowing Toby, again covering every blade of the pitch, to move forward. An exquisite through ball from Toby released Jack to race clear down the right, only for his piledriver to be superbly saved at the near post. However, with the game now becoming stretched and end to end, it was the Hurricanes who struck next when again a route one ball over the top allowed the Melksham number 8 through to chip over the advancing William G for 3-1. Back came the Badgers, and an excellent cross by the tireless man-of-the-match Ashton was almost turned in at the far post following a desperate lunge from Sonny. The final quarter saw Badgers throw caution to the the wind, going man-for-man at the back to go 3 up top. With Louis holding the ball up well bringing others into the game, Lewis and Toby now controlling midfield and Teddy and Sonny attacking on the flanks, the Badgers responded strongly and almost got back onto parity. Toby had two long range shots narrowly over the bar and William D hit a rasping shot from the left of the box only for the outstanding Melksham keeper to superbly push it onto the bar. Teddy's pace caused havoc down the left with a cross flashing across the box and a strong break from Sonny down the right ended with a fierce shot again saved. All this attacking did leave Badgers exposed on the counter attack and, against the run of play, for once Oli as sweeper couldn't bail them out and another long ball through the centre let Melksham in for their 4th. However, with play as colourful as the double rainbow in the sky above, it was the Badgers who finished the game the strongest, showing excellent fitness and effort. They finally got their deserved reward when a pin point cross from Lewis from the right allowed Jack to tap in from close range at the far post. Overall, despite the defeat it was an excellent workout for the Badgers with many positives to take from what was a close, competitive and entertaining friendly away to an opposition from a division above. Another match which was a credit to both sides and Mid Wilts Youth football.