Velocity Wessex Premier football: Brockenhurst FC were a player down after keeper given red card for his reaction to studs-up challenge

Velocity Wessex Premier

Brockenhurst FC 1

Laverstock & Ford FC 2

AFTER winning four in a row, Brockenhurst have struggled over recent weeks, with a feisty defeat to Laverstock & Ford leaving them with one point from their last three matches.

After eight minutes, the Badgers took the lead through the in-form Silvano Obeng, but a red card for keeper Amad Skrzyniarz for his reaction to a shocking studs-up challenge – with the offender seeing yellow – flipped the match on its head.

With the match still in its infancy, the promotion-chasing Badgers stunned the visitors after an excellent ball through midfield from Toby Bailey found former Bashley man Adam Grange, whose cross allowed Obeng to continue his rich vein of goalscoring form.

With the hosts in the lead, Skrzyniarz bravely rushed out to claim the ball low at Jude Sykes’ feet. The attacker was never likely to win the ball, so his decision to lunge in appeared risky.

However, after the shot-stopper reacted angrily, referee Derek Pratt felt only one player deserved to exit the game, and the were Badgers left a man down.

Seven minutes later, the Bulldogs had taken control, and when an in-swinging cross from the right found the head of Billy Campbell-Smith, whose glancing header found the far corner.

After the break, some dodgy tackles led to a penalty for the visitors. Lewis Wakeford did well to send the keeper the wrong way, but his fierce effort struck the bar and bounced to safety.

Laverstock had multiple chances to grab a second, but they had to wait until the 70th minute to take the lead when Jacob Rawkins’ snap-shot found the far corner after replacement keeper Heath Bartram was left unsighted.

The Badgers battled on, with only heroic defending and excellent goalkeeping setting up a nervy finish, but the visitors held on for the three points.

The Badgers return to league action away against Sherborne Town on Saturday at 3pm.

Brockenhurst: A. Skrzyniarz, R. Drake, R. Moore, B. Channell, T. Wellman, J. Davis, T. Bailey, M. Rossi, S. Obeng, A. Grange, H. Bunce. Subs: H. Bartram, F. Bullard, E. Pearce-Eavis, K. Scoczen, S. Makhloufi.