BROCKENHURST chairman Brian Small couldn't make Tuesday's scheduled Russell Cotes tie against Hamble ASSC because he was away with the youth team at Lewes.

So he left the players a note on the dressing room door in advance of tomorrow's big FA Cup third qualifying round tie at home to Bath City.

It read: "To Graham and the team, wishing you all the best for the game. Do not let yourselves down. You can only do your best. Enjoy the whole day - it's a one-off. Go for it!"

As it turned out, the Hamble game was postponed after heavy rain, but Small's gesture underlined the spirit of togetherness at the New Forest club.

He may only have been chairman since February last year, but no one could be prouder of the Badgers' cracking Cup run, which has so far claimed the scalps of Broadbridge Heath, Burgess Hill, VCD Athletic and Conference South outfit Lewes - all away from home.

A builder by trade, 58-year-old Small has lived in the New Forest village since the age of three and used to play for Brock's third team.

When he returned as chairman 20 months ago, the Badgers were beset with problems, but slowly and surely there has been a dramatic turnaround.

Under the guidance of inspirational player/manager Graham Kemp, the Badgers clawed their way back from the brink of disaster to finish a highly respectable ninth in the Sydenhams Wessex League last season and, despite a Cup-interrupted start, have every hope of climbing higher this term.

What makes Small especially proud is that, apart from Kemp and veteran striker Jason Lovell, Brock's Cup adventure has been achieved with a mix of youth team graduates and players who weren't getting regular Wessex action last season.

Small said: "We put a concrete base of youth down with our youth/reserve manager Keith Williams and already we've got three young players - Dan Marks, Dominic Bryan and Dan Mills - playing for the county and four or five in and out of the first team.

"Graham is great with the youngsters. His motivation and enthusiasm spreads right through the team and brings the best out of them.

"The 17 and 18-year-olds sit quietly together on the coach but when they hear the banter between Kempy and Shoves (Lovell), they really enjoy the crack.

"Graham keeps telling us this is his last season as a player and maybe it is, but he's had the chance to learn his trade as a manager here.

"We're a small club and nothing's expected of him, only to bring the youth players through. There's no pressure on him. We haven't told him he's got to finish top-six and we don't want big headlines in the paper.

"I believe that if you go up slowly, you've got a far better chance of staying there."

With the area's other Cup survivors all hitting the road, Brock hope to draw a 300-400 crowd to cheer them on against Southern Premier outfit Bath City, 2-0 conquerors of Havant in the last round.

Small reported: "This match has generated a lot of enthusiasm, even from people who don't like football. We're a social club too and lots of the villagers are coming in to help, be it on the gate, in the tea bar, making burgers or as stewards. I'm the only Brock boy on the committee and I used to play for the club years ago.

"It's nice to be able to put something back."