A new iteration of Badgers began a new season with an enterprising but ultimately fruitless 5-a-side friendly against Strugglin’ on. A lengthy 50-minute match in lovely October sunshine produced an end-to-end game with 13 goals shared 8-5 in favour of Strugglin’ on.
A quiet summer on the recruitment front saw the return of Cameron Stuart, after a spell in North Carolina attempting to expand the Badgers franchise to the United States, Daniel Roberts, after completing a season-long loan in Bristol, and Jack Lloyd, who featured in one game during the Autumn 2012 season. An attempt to secure more high profile signings was hindered by a lack of funds due to the absence of Chairman Ben Wheatland.
Anyway on to the match. The friendly match, organized by manager George Tomlin due to the delay to the start of the new league season, saw the debut of Nick Waugh self-styled as a super budget Dirk Kuyt and the return of the aforementioned Stuart, Roberts and Lloyd. Due to a lack of opposition players Carl Atkins was drafted into the Strugglin’ on side to allow for a 5-a-side game to take place. The game started positively for this new era of Badgers, with nice positive passing football leading to the first chance of the game, which fell to Waugh who finished confidently from the edge of the box for a debut goal to give the Badgers the lead and send the capacity crowd into rapturous applause.
Following this the defence of the Reservoir Badgers parted like the red sea and the principle egotist of the Strugglin’ on side strolled through to score two quick goals past keeper Ed Torrance, to send the Badgers into the break 2-1 down.
A good positive performance from the Badgers gave no indication for the madness, which was to follow after the break as the game took on a frantic end-to-end nature. After a poor piece of goalkeeping saw the Badgers fall further behind, but then miracles happened after 30 matches, almost two years, tens of terrible shots and multiple wasted one-on-one opportunities I scored a goal, an actually goal. I would love to say it was a wondrous 30-yard volley but in reality it was a toe-poked finish as a long clearance bounced over the head of the hapless Strugglin’ on defender. After the elation of scoring, I’ve forgotten the sequence of goals but despite conceding five further goals, mazy runs from Cameron Stuart brought about a quick-fire brace and a goal from Dan Roberts impressing on his return from Bristol saw the Badgers score more than 4 goals for only the second (possibly third) time in club history.
Albeit only a friendly this encouraging performance brings hope for the new season the thirteenth (I believe) which commences on Friday against distastefully named side Chodes n Buckets.
