1st XI Match Reports
Broomfield win Middlesex/Essex A.F.A. Senior Cup
Broomfield 1 Old Meadonians 0
Broomfield secured one of the most historic trophies still being presented in football competition. First won by Clapton F.C. in the 1890’s and last won by Broomfield some 40 years ago.
In a game of contrasting styles Broomfield were always in the ascendancy. Old Meadonians’ athletic and direct approach was thwarted by Brooms’ attractive passing game, which enabled them to keep possession for long periods, thus preventing any significant pressure on a miserly defence with Alex Benjamin and Danny Nelmes giving outstanding performances at the heart of the defence.
After a cautious start Broomfields’ mid-field took control with James Jacobs and Simon Pope at the heart of most of the action. Brooms’ possession football frustrated Old Meadonians to such an extent that, in their attempts to ‘get stuck in’, it led to one of their mid-field players being sent off for two bookable offences. Brooms took the lead close to half time with a sublime passing movement beginning with keeper Mark Robbins feeding the ball to his defence, the ball then being quickly worked from defence through mid-field in a sweeping passing movement to provide the ever dangerous Neil Hughes space and time to split open Old Meadonians defence with a cut-back pass, allowing Simon Pope to side-foot home what proved to be the winning goal.
The second half was mainly one-way traffic and Broomfield should have won the game by a more convincing score, but failed to put away any of the numerous chances their attractive football created. Brooms had one or two anxious moments to survive in the last 5 minutes including a vociferous penalty appeal from the opposition. However their defence held firm and when the final whistle blew, Brooms had run out well-deserved winners.
Team captain Ian Nelson and acting captain on the day James Jacobs, jointly accepted presentation of the historic cup to mark a joyful and memorable day for the club.
Winchmore Hill 2 - 1 Broomfield 15/01/05
Dear Broomfield football members,
For what it's worth, you've had the better of both our League matches this season. There are occasions (as happened on Saturday) when a side gets every bad call that's going. We've endured our fair share of bad luck against you in recent seasons so we know the feeling.
I noticed on your website in October you described our report (of your 3-2 win) as "patronising." Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm told (by Arthur Bailey) we proposed you for entry to the SAL. If that's true, it's one of our better day's work.
At the risk of sounding patronising (!) you embody everything a sports club should be. You are superbly run by a group of dedicated volunteers.And the people who represent you on the field give 100% and play as hard in the bar afterwards.
I hope you can say the same about us. May our red-blooded rivalry last as long as a ball is kicked. Already hoping we meet in the Middlesex semi! Our matches represent everything good there is about amateur sport.
Mike Bowen
(Chairman WHCC)
The Men in Blue were painlessly relieved of their keeper Mark Robbins (sent off for hitting Jack Newton) three points by virtue of a late Kris Sonne header and second place in the table. A greater injustice has not been perpetrated since Charles was crowned Prince of Wales (nice to see his son Harry taking such a keen interest in his ethnic roots).
However, our brave lads stuck at it, got the rub of the green for once and Broomfield manager Mick Robbins was pretty philosophical about the result. One suspects however that his son Mark the goalkeeper may receive some choice words when he can get hold of him. “I’ve tried to ring him since Saturday,” said Dad. “But he has not been available” Wise boy.
I asked Mick, himself the first choice AFA keeper for ten years and contemporary at the highest amateur level of Geoff Hurst, to give his view of the Hill‘s 2-1 win. It was very revealing.
“We were the better team and I’m very proud of the way we played. Unfortunately Mark’s sending off forced us into a more limited game but we showed good control and attitude. I’ve no argument with the sending off, but it restricted our options.
“As usual Neil Hughes was a handful for the Hill and Floyd Nelson had an excellent match. All in all it was a good local derby and I think we’ll slug it out with you and Old Owens until the very end. It was a must-win match for you. Defeat would have put you five points adrift of us.
“You have a really tough match against Old Owens on Saturday, which could go either way. I fancy a draw, but you never know because both sides leak goals.
“You have some good players. Sonne will always score goals, Neil Hurst is probably the best midfielder in the League and Shane Foley is still an influence, even if he has seen better days. You are solid, fit and well organised but may find Owens difficult, because they move the ball about quicker.
“But in terms of commitment, organisation and fitness you are a match for anyone in the division.”
I instinctively warm to Mick, because he is a Broomfield man through and through and as typically obsessive about his Club and amateur sport in general as I am about the Hill.
“I’m lucky to own my own business in Palmers Green and can nip over to Hazelwood to work on the pitch lunchtimes. I reckon we’ve put together one of the best football sides in our history, so they deserve a decent surface to play on.
“I roll and aerate the pitch every week. It may take a couple of days but it‘s worth it. And I cut the grass three or four times in the winter. I feel a tremendous affection for the ground. I’ve been watching football on that pitch since the fifties and played Cricket for Mayfield there as well.”
But Mick, who stated his goalkeeping career in brown envelope days at Barnet and went on to St Albans before returning to his roots, has finally revealed one closely guarded secret (things will never be the same again, Mick!)
“I played my first football outside Winchmore School in one of the Hill‘s junior teams. You were pathfinders in junior football in the area and I played for the Under 15s and 16s. We used to take on the Club’s first XI once a season and I remember coming up against Arthur Bailey and Glyn Wilson.
“THE BEST HILL PLAYER I SAW WAS MATT FANONI, A LEFT MIDFIELDER WHO HAD PLAYED FOR NEWCASTLE. HE WAS TREMENDOUS. BERT GRANGER HAD SEEN BETTER DAYS, BUT WAS ALSO A VERY TALENTED FOOTBALLER.”
So there you have it…Mick Robbins, Fifth Columnist.
It was a long interview, so here are the remaining salient points:
*Ipswich were members of the SAL and Broomfield beat them 5-0 in their final AFA Senior Cup-tie. Ipswich sent a team to celebrate Broomfield’s 75th anniversary.
*Broomfield played in front of crowds of 2-3,000 during and after the War when Arsenal greats such as Joe Hulme brought along fellow Gunners to play and one match helped raise funds to buy a Spitfire.
*They have a tradition of passionate support (don’t we know it!) with a proliferation of teachers.
*It’s a family Club with four of the current squad sons of previous players.
Mick recognises that Broomfield owe the Hill something of a debt since we seconded their entry to the SAL (Norsemen were proposers). As his old adversary Arthur said on Sunday: “We got them into the League and they’ve been kicking us ever since.”
But that’s what friends are for Arthur…trading bruises on the pitch and beers in the bar.
Broomfield 3-2 Winchmore Hill 09/10/04
IS PATRONISING SNOBBISM ALIVE AND WELL IN NORTH LONDON?
Edited version from “ WINGEMORE Hill’s” web site
Instead I took myself to Palmers Green for the first team’s local derby with Broomfield…a club named after a long-handled sweeping brush dropped by witches flying over Hazelwood Park.
Broomfield’s annual subscription - A MERE £15 -seems like economic suicide until you see their playing facilities, which, to be polite, are very low maintenance. What they lack in style, however, they make up for in substance.
If ever there was an example of the truism: “You have to earn the right to play” it is at Broomfield, where they scrap for every bit of possession like demented terriers (it’s a dog-eat-dog situation). Unfortunately Megan showed more bite than some of our players, hence a 3-2 defeat.
(Obviously there’s more to a the result than that, but I’ll leave Hursty to explain the tactical nuances when he resumes his reporting duties. Come on mate, you have a way with words).
The fact that a victory over the Hill means a great deal to Broomfield became clear at the final whistle, when our hosts reacted as if they’d won the treble of the AFA Cup, the FA Cup and the Palmers Green Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Shield.
Their spectators marched on to the pitch in a line to greet their conquering heroes. Apart from the absence of spears, it was like a scene from Rourke’s Drift. Now I know how Michael Caine felt…not many people know that.
Suddenly there was jostling everywhere as our players belated recovered their fighting spirit (somebody PLEASE return Danny‘s handbag). Just as there was the alarming prospect of a full scale punch-up a voice of reason cried out : “The game‘s over lads; let’s have a beer together.”
WE TOOK OURS WITH A PORTION OF HUMBLE PIE
(UNFORTUNATELY THE HILL AVOIDED OUR CLUB HOUSE TO SHARE THE PIE WITH US, BAD LOOSERS OR WHAT!)