Match report: Brockenhurst FC 1-3 Millbrook FC, Jake Adams wondergoal reignites belief before Millbrook sealed the Wessex League Premier Division win

Brockenhurst made a decent start, but Millbrook deserved the three Wessex League Premier Division points after a 3-1 win on Saturday.

After a challenging run for extended periods of the season, the Badgers came into the match full of confidence from picking up back-to-back league wins for the first time all season. However, Millbrook had other ideas.

After a hotly-contested and even start, Brockenhurst fashioned the best early chance after minutes. Former Eastleigh FC academy player Lyle Simpson found himself in space, but a lackadaisical approach allowed keeper Amad Skrzyniarz to manoeuvre himself into making a simple save.

Eventually, the visitors became more dominant while Brockenhurst surrendered possession far too quickly.

As the half drew to a close, Badgers’ keeper Jordi Valero became the last-man resistance on multiple occasions, and the shot-stopper performed admirably to take his side into the break still level.

A succession of saves within a minute of the restart showed the half-time break would not bring about a less involved 45 minutes for Valero.

The game’s opening goal eventually came when Christos Papakonstaninou fired the ball at the goal. Finn Lawton was well-placed on the line, but he could not stop the ball from glancing off of him and into the net.

The damn had burst, and Millbrook quickly doubled their lead two minutes after the restart. A fizzing ball into the box came to nothing, but a lucky bounce took the ball to Mikey O’Connell eight yards out, and the midfielder made no mistake.

Brockenhurst manager Danny Ackland had seen enough, and he brought on the pacey Ben Atiako-Hall. He immediately won a corner, shifting the game’s momentum.

Moments later, Atiako-Hall won a free-kick 25 yards out, which the silky technician Jake Adams looped over the wall and into the back of the net.

The Badgers looked odds on to score, with chances coming and going, but with five minutes left, Millbrook hammered the nail in the coffin when Brandon Chebby raced clear and finished calmly.

The Badgers take on second-placed Hamble Club away from home on Saturday at 3pm.

Brockenhurst: J. Valero, J. Burgess, R. Drake, J. Tornianen, T. Wellman, F. Lawton, D. Walker, L. Gray, L. Simpson, J. Adams, J. Webber. Subs: B. Atiako-Hall, C. Burns, J. Taylor, T. Moreno.