Positives for Badgers Despite Defeat

WCFC U15s The Badgers completed their pre-season with an entertaining and competitive friendly against Melksham Town at a muggy, grey and showery Northbrook Stadium today. With new signings Jack P and Joe in the squad, the Badgers kicked off with a 4-4-2 formation, following 2 years of 3 at the back, with Lewis K partnering Jack in central defence. Kicking towards the Club House end, Melksham started the stronger pushing the Badgers back but without threatening to penetrate the Badgers' defence, with skipper Theo at left back and Harvey at right back sweeping around effectively behind the centre halves. The first Badgers attacking intent came when a measured through ball from Sonny released Jack on the left who's shot fizzed across goal narrowly missing the far post. Theo then shot over the bar from a Bailey corner. As the heaven's opened making further report note taking impossible, Toby's through ball played Teddy in who drew a great save from the Melksham keeper. With the Badgers on-top, it was something against the run of play when from a cross from the left, the Melksham striker got to the ball just ahead of William in the Badgers goal to hook the ball into the net and give Melksham the lead. The lead didn't last long: Kacper, now up front, won the ball and played Jack in through the centre who finished expertly low into the corner to make it 1-1 at half time.

In an experiment, the Badgers reverted to a 3-5-2 formation for the second half, bringing Nathan on in the 10 position to try and link up attack and defence more efficiently. The change was partly effective. Joe was now effectively sweeping as CDM to release MotM Toby to push forward more but the final pass was just missing to create a clear cut chance. 3 quick fire goals turned the match in Melksham favour, the pick of them being an effective diagonal ball over the top of the defence for the Melksham striker to sweep the ball past William. 4-1 down, the Badgers showed great determination to keep going and only some great goal keeping from the Melksham keeper prevented the Badger's getting back into the game, saving efforts from Teddy, Bailey and Jack and them making an outstanding save to his left to push a thunderous drive by Ashton around the post. The Badgers finally got some reward when a flowing move between Joe, Toby and Jack released Ashton on the right and his cross was swept into the net by Nathan from cross range to make the final score 2-4. So ended a competitive game which Melksham, being slightly sharper in the final third, probably just deserved to edge but there were plenty of positives for the Badgers to take away in the first game since March, a fixture which has help blow away some cobwebs, experiment with some new ideas and bed in some new players. They can look forward to the new season with optimism.