First Team
Friendly Tue 26 July Meadens Skoda Arena
Brockenhurst
  • Dennett (29')
  • Wilson (38')
  • Medcraff (65')
3
Chichester City
  • Overton (11', 24')
  • Own Goal (32')
3
3-3

A Callum Overton first half brace put Chi 2-0 up before Ollie Dennett pulled one back on the half hour mark. Josh Clack’s delicious delivery then forced a Badgers defender to head past his own keeper with Overton poised to grab a hat-trick before Sam Wilson scored seven minutes or so from the interval and Jaden Medcraff levelled things up on 65 minutes.

There were five changes to the starting XI that lined up against Christchurch in the Steve Bernard Foundation Trophy at Oaklands Park last time out. Tom Dinsmore, Lewis Hyde, Ethan Prichard, Olly Munt and Clack all returned, with Connor Cody switching to right back in place of Ryan Davidson.

The visitors played the ball around nicely in the opening couple of minutes only for Clack to be flagged offside in their first attack.

Munt then lost the ball as Brock probed but Ben Pashley bailed him out.

A super pass from Munt next found Prichard whose shot was too hot to handle. Defenders cleared the loose ball as it popped up in the box though and Cody’s subsequent cross was a little deep.

Next, Clack’s delivery after combining with Overton was steered out for the first corner of the game and sixty seconds later Munt sent Clack through on goal only to somehow miss.

Overton’s determined run down the left-hand flank won Chi a second corner which came to nothing and Prichard struck another low shot on 10 minutes which the hosts’ keeper gathered easily enough.

The opener, which had been coming to be fair, came courtesy of a cracking pass to Overton from Rob Hutchings for the No9 to finish with some aplomb.

Clack then fired a free-kick into the wall following a neat exchange between Cody, Overton, Prichard and Lloyd Rowlatt who was impeded.

Prichard might have played an overlapping Cody in earlier before Rowlatt lifted one of those characteristic balls over the top invitingly to Munt but the home side back four cleared their lines.

Brockenhurst then forged their first genuine opportunity 21 minutes in, however, the shot nicked off an opponent and out for a corner which Kieran Magee claimed comfortably.

Overton found Clack at the other end who should have shot first time and Prichard, leaning back, blazed over the bar in the subsequent move.

Chichester doubled their advantage at the mid-point when Clack and Overton linked up once more – the striker skilfully heading home a measured Clack cross.

Munt and Prichard swapped sides; Prichard forced a throw-in after a burst of pace; and then a precise ball through the middle undid the Chi centre backs and Dennett in acres of space ran on and beat Magee with a crisp finish.

A calf muscle strain put an end to Cody’s evening on 32 minutes with Eric-Georges Dellaud coming on at left back and Hutchings moving across to the other side.

And moments later it was 3-1 when another Clack delivery towards Overton caused chaos in the area and Ronan Moore headed into his own net.

The hosts then caught Chi out again with an almost identical goal to the first one – Wilson collecting a defence-splitting pass and doing the rest to make it 3-2.

Chichester weren’t awarded a single penalty in 51 games in all competitions last season, but have had two in back-to-back friendlies in the past week. Here however, the spot kick was given to the hosts in the 42nd minute when Hutchings was judged to have pushed an opponent in the box. The referee gave him a lengthy explanation, but Dennett’s pen wasn’t a great one to be honest and Magee, whose save in the penalty shoot-out with Christchurch at the weekend won the game, did the same again.

In the last attack before the break Pashley pinged a lovely pass to a marauding Hutchings in a move that finally petered out.

Half a dozen players were introduced at the interval as Chi rejigged, with Hutchings partnering Hyde in the heart of defence – his third position of the match.

Sub Kaleem Haitham was upended as he drove towards the Wessex premier division side’s penalty area but the visitors couldn’t capitalise on the set piece, and Hutchings managed to clear as Brockenhurst threatened following a Magee moment.

The Chi custodian then claimed another corner confidently; his counterpart got out to deny Ryan Pennery; and a slick interchange between Hutchings and Dellaud teed Pennery up for an effort he couldn’t quite keep down.

Joe Clarke then had a hit from some distance deflected for a corner which was played short to Oscar Johnston who found Clarke only to glance a header wide.

Lewis Hyde’s brilliant tackle broke up a counter attack before Pennery nearly profited from clever play by Johnston.

A timely challenge at the other end prevented Haitham getting in after Hutchings and Emmett Dunn hooked up.

Clarke earned the away side a 62nd minute corner following a gutsy run before, despite Chi protests for offside, Medcraff equalised.

Next, Haitham got a decent shot on the turn off; Magee out-jumped everyone at a corner; and was bundled over when Brock sent a free-kick into the box.

Haitham’s 81st minute attempt wouldn’t curl enough and neither team could forge a significant chance in the remaining 10 of a half less dramatic than the first one.

Chi’s last friendly before the home FA Cup extra preliminary round tie with Frimley Green is away against Newport in Ryde on the Isle of Wight on Saturday 30th July (Kick Off 3pm).

Chichester – Magee, Cody, Hutchings, Dinsmore, Hyde, Pashley, Clack, Rowlatt, Overton, Prichard, Munt.