Match report: On-fire Christchurch FC clinch 3-1 Wessex League Premier Division derby victory over Brockenhurst FC
CHRISTCHURCH kept up their remarkable recent form with a 3-1 victory over local rivals Brockenhurst after a rapid start that left them three goals up in 27 minutes on Saturday.
The early one-way traffic started with 15 minutes played, thanks to a delightful chip from Jack Dove, with Addwell Chipangura and Joe Freak making it 3-0 before Lyle Simpson pulled one back for Brockenhurst.
Christchurch have been on an incredible run of form since the tail-end of December, winning six of their seven games while scoring 29 and registering six goals on three occasions.
Hosts Christchurch made a terrific start, pinning Brockenhurst back for almost the entire 45 minutes, leaving Brockenhurst looking shell-shocked.
Christchurch should have scored with 10 minutes left, Fin Toghill delivered a quality cross, but striker Joe Freak arrived slightly too late, slicing his effort wide.
However, the hosts would not lament the miss for long, with full-back Jack Dove breaking forward five minutes later and catching out keeper Jordi Valero, who raced towards his near post, dinking the ball into the far side-netting.
With 25 minutes played, Brockenhurst looked to string together an attack, but the typically reliable skipper, Brandon Channell lost the ball in the middle of the pitch. Freak burst away before unselfishly squaring the ball to Chipangura, who had the simple task of tapping home.
Moments later, the visitors conceded after a calamitous coming together, which left two Badgers players prone, with Luke Sheehy passing to Freak to make it 3-0.
The half closed out without any further goals, but not for want of trying from Christchurch, who had an effort cleared off the line and two missed efforts from Freak.
At the break, Brockenhurst manager Danny Ackland switched systems to play three at the back while introducing Dylan Walker, who made a huge difference.
Despite Brockenhurst’s marked improvement, Christchurch came closest to scoring in the early exchanges, with Toghill rattling the woodwork with a long-range effort, but Brockenhurst found the next goal.
With 65 minutes played, the referee pointed to the spot after Lewis Freak’s arm was adjudged to have been in an unnatural position when a cross hit his arm, with Simpson sending Rodwell the wrong way.
Late on, Chipangura raced through and went over in the box when his trailing leg was clipped from behind, but the referee was uninterested.
Nassim Meddah came off the bench midway through the half and almost grabbed a fourth goal for his side with an excellent effort that clipped the top of the crossbar with Jordi Valero well-beaten.
Christchurch plays at home tomorrow (Tuesday) against Sherborne Town at 7.45pm before hosting AFC Portchester on Saturday at 3pm, while Brockenhurst welcomes Andover New Street to the Meadens Skoda Arena on Saturday at 3pm.
Brockenhurst: J. Valero, J. Torniainen, R. Drake, B. Channell, J. Francis, C. Burns, R. Taylor, L. Gray, L. Simpson, J. Webber, J. Adams. Subs: J. Burgess, D. Walker, A. Batura, G. Marmon, Z. Komatomi.
Christchurch: B. Rodwell, J. Dove, L. Freak, R. Watkins, J. Fu, J. Hall, L. Sheehy, D. Neild, J. Freak, A. Chipangura, F. Toghill. Subs: T. Fu, C. Hockton, B. Manuel, F. Richardson, N. Meddah.
