Llandaff Athletic 1–2 Brixton AFC: Vermeulen-Brand hits five

Opinion

Raphael Vermeulen-Brand has scored five goals for the season. It is a milestone that suggests some consistency, provided one does not look too closely at the timing. Llandaff Athletic did not manage to win the match on Sunday 30 August, losing 2-1 to Brixton AFC, but the record books will now show that the man has reached a half-dozen minus one.

There is something quietly optimistic about a player reaching five. It is a tally that moves him beyond the category of a fluke goalscorer (a space occupied by many a hardworking center-back) and into the realm of a genuine threat. To be fair, Llandaff are not exactly orbiting the top of the table. They are far enough away from the likes of Marlborough United to ensure that the pressure of a title race remains an abstract concept.

The goal was a bright spot in a defeat that felt largely expected. He possesses a touch that is, allegedly, refined. In a side that often struggles to keep a ball for more than three passes, his ability to find the net is one for the future.

There is little time to reset. Brixton will be celebrating their victory, while Llandaff must prepare for tomorrow. Whether Vermeulen-Brand can turn a personal milestone into a collective result is the question. For now, five goals is a respectable return. He might even go for six before the season manages to exhaust us all. We go again.