BROWNER'S BOYS BEGIN BOLDY

Match report by David Forsyth

A brand new season, a brand new 3’s. With old faces now deemed worthy of a starting slot in the 3’s following a few years of practice in the 2’s and fresh faced youngsters straight out of the BOE development factory, this team has bags of potential. But who could lead this bunch? The Labour party went for Corbyn we went for Browner. Immediately taking control of the squad he led us in a classic car park warm up, including some fruity language, and a tribute to the absent Tom Cleall with the whole team “shooing the Chickens” beautifully!

We new this would be a tough game from the off, Gore Court having narrowly lost to our 2’s just last season. And so it proved early in the first half as Gore Court broke the new look backline of James Goldsmith Jnr, Mike Earnshaw, Dom Lester and Rhys Edwards, sneaking one past the usually unflappable Jason Loveless.

The rest of the first half was a tight affair with chances at both ends, the Midfield of David Forsyth, Gurpreet Purewal, David Broughton and Lewys Taylor linking up well with our elderly forward line of Chris Brown and Archibald. The pressure grew and before long BOE had a golden chance in the oppo D. Having been denied by a teammates bum last week, this time Browner was denied by an oppo foot on the line! Surely a Flick! All eyes on the Ump, who had practiced signalling for a flick 4 times at the other end already, only to be overruled by Dave Golbey. But it was not to be, he had seen it hit a stick before it hit the foot and gave a short, along with a stern warning not to question him again!

BOE pressure eventually paid off and it was late in the 1st half that BOE would equalise, a flowing move finished by our new thespian Lewys Taylor on what was an impressive debut. What could he achieve under the direction of AWARD winning Director Wilde! (well done Matt!).
A half-time team talk from Captain Browner that, a bit like Jeremy Corbyn, he had borrowed parts of, apparently from when he first joined the club back in the 1920’s or something. And what an effect it had with BOE racing out of the blocks and Archie beating the keeper in a scrappy goalmouth scramble to push us 2-1 ahead. With the relative youth of Will Powell and Joe Allen bolstering the side from the bench things were looking good! As the BOE legs tired Forsyth fell foul of the Ump, and of the new 2 minute Green Card sin bin rule, for questioning whether he was serious about giving a foul against what looked like a lovely clean challenge.

In the end it wasn’t to be, an equaliser for Gore Court shattering hopes of an opening victory under our dear leader. In truth it could have gone either way as we squandered some decent chances while Jason Loveless kept us in it with some fine saves to collect the MotM award.

All in all a good start to the season against a very good side.