Beard brace as Bash beat Brock

Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Bashley FC 2

Brockenhurst FC 0

BASHLEY won the latest New Forest derby beating Brockenhurst 2-0 after a brace from Cameron Beard in front of 276 fans at the Glen Max Stadium on Tuesday.

After a frenetic start, the match settled down with Bashley setting up camp in the Badgers half. They fashioned chance after chance, but the few attempts which did not go wide were repelled superbly by keeper James Mayo.

Brockenhurst’s best chances of the half came from speculative long-range efforts: first James Shorey went close, before the goalkeeping skills of Sam Thompson thwarted a swerving free-kick.

The second-half began with Bashley’s Jack Smith forced off with an injury, replaced by Ollie Bradley. As the home side looked to reorganise, Brockenhurst’s Eder Batista almost capitalised with a fierce shot which fizzed past the upright.

With half an hour left, the introduction of Beard swung the pendulum back in favour of the hosts.

The breakthrough came from a jaw-dropping 30-yard headed pass from captain Brad Morris who found McGrath on the wing; a bullish Beard hooked in his cross.

This heralded a Bashley onslaught, but Beard somehow managed to lift his shot over the bar from two yards out. However, nothing could stop him with four minutes left when he finished well after a mazy run-and-cross by Harry Morgan.

The referee drew criticism from both sides due to the number of cards, mostly for honest, robust tackles. Brockenhurst’s Ronan Moore was most affected after receiving a second yellow in the dying moments.