Post by Dave on Nov 5, 2022 9:35:22 GMT
Match Officials Ryan Cornelius, Mark Dobrijevic, Terry Rogers
Final Score Buckland Athletic 1 Shepton Mallet 0
Attendance 161
Match Preview
You can try and stay away if you want, but the Heath will always win in the end and pull you back again. It has been a while since I covered a Buckland game and I am really looking forward to it.
I spent a day in Shepton Mallet last August, a self guided tour in Shepton Mallet Prison and then a walk around the town. When I put the report and photos up on Davesworld I instantly thought of Big Roy. He loved the posts of places he had gone to watch Buckland play at. He once posted that he only ever watched the games, had a few pints and never really saw what the towns looked like. He would have loved my report on Shepton Mallet and its prison.
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/891/shepton-mallet-prison-17th-august
Back to the football, Buckland has been playing well this season but have lacked the consistency to make a serious title challenge so far, but that can change. Buckland enjoyed a fine four nil home will against Helston on the 8th October. Josh Webber was awarded the man of the match award; Josh is in his absolute prime and is a real class act and a player who is a joy to watch.
Since then they have played four more league games, on the 15th October they were away to Mousehole and lost the game by one nil. Next up was another away trip to Cadbury Heath, two injury time goals by Josh Webber brought the points home.
A third away game on the trot for Buckland and so close to taking all three points, But Millbrook scored in the 88th minute so the points were shared.
I have not read any reports on the Bucks away game played on Tuesday 1st November against Street. Buckland were one nil down at halftime, but let in a further three goals in the second half without reply.
Buckland faced Shepton Mallet away on the 23rd August and lost the game by three goals to nil, so they will be looking to make sure it is them that claim all the points today.
Buckland are currently in fifth place in the league table, one place below Shepton Mallet, but they have played two more games. The teams are separated by just four points, so this is a real six pointer game.
Shepton Mallet started the season very well and was unbeaten in the early part, winning their first eight games on the trot. But then lost their way slightly. They do come into today’s game on the back on a four goals to three win home win on Tuesday evening against Wellington. Shepton were pleased to see the back of October having collected just two points from the fifteen that were available.
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Match Report
A very wet and damp afternoon at the Heath and the sort of conditions photographers really don’t like. A brilliant win by Buckland, but why was it brilliant? Not in the sense it was a high quality game as far as wonderful flowing moves go or high quality goals.
It was a brilliant win because Buckland fought all over the pitch, won all the battles and even going down to ten very early in the second half, the you won’t get passed us mentality won the day.
I will not say too much about the match referee, he knew there was an assessor in the ground. Did that affect him? I lost count of the yellow cards he issued and also a red card, in a game that was far from a dirty one.
While Shepton did not look like a side that won their first eight league games on the trot, they started well and looked dangerous early on. They had a really good chance to take a very early lead in the match. Fin Haines was played clean into the left hand side of the Buckland box. He looked certain to score but Andy Collings did well to narrow the angle and block the shot.
Within seconds Buckland took the lead, Ryan Bush burst through the middle of the pitch and played the ball out to Finn Roberts the right hand side of the pitch. He advance on goal and took a shot, the keeper went down to make a save but the ball bounced in front of him and then over him into the back of the net.
Buckland went looking for a second goal; Cieran Bridge hit a powerful shot from just inside the Shepton box. Tom Easterbrook in goal for Shepton did very well to tip the ball over his crossbar. Shepton were guilty of giving the ball away cheaply which helped Buckland mount a number of other attacks.
Shepton’s Nick Hewlett who was wearing the captains armband, hit a really good shot at the Buckland goal from twenty yards out. Andy Collings beat the ball away with both hands.
Bucks Cieran Bridger standing on the edge of the Shepton box and the ball rolled back to him, he hit a good shot at goal but sadly for him it cleared the crossbar.
Ryan Bush was the first player to have his name taken, he kicked the ball away after the referee had blown his whistle. Sam Morcom soon followed him for a late challenge. This was the start of many more bookings to come.
Shepton’s Callum Gould was played into a good position on the edge of the Buckland box. But his effort on goal lacked any real power and was never going to beat the Bucks keeper.
They did come very close to getting back onto level terms when a good low ball was played into the box from the right hand side of the pitch. Jack Ball was very close to the goal line and only needed a good contact to get the ball over the goal line. But his attempt ended up going wide of the left hand post.
That was it for the first half, Buckland were worth their halftime lead for all the hard work they had put into it.
The second half got underway and was only minutes old when the referee reached in his pocket for a red card. He showed it to Bucks Nick Milton and I do not think anyone in the ground knew why. I over heard the linesman later telling someone it was for a hand in a Shepton players face.
Now down to ten men with virtually the whole of the second half still to play, Buckland had to fight even harder. They did all the ugly things well, won the tackles and all the headers in their own box.
As you might expect Buckland struggled to get out of their own half as Shepton looked to take the advantage of having an extra man on the pitch.
Nick Hewlett hit another good shot from the edge of the Buckland box, but this time it well wide of the right hand post. Jack Ball took a shot from inside the Bucks box, but it went over the crossbar.
Nick Hewlett was on the edge of the Buckland box when the ball came back out to him. He stooped and got a powerful header at goal that only just went wide.
Buckland did manage to get the ball in the Shepton half a few times during the half, but Josh Webber often found himself alone with two Shepton defenders on him. He may not have scored today, but he played a big part in his team’s victory.
The match referee blew up for the end of the match, a brilliant fighting display by Buckland and a fully deserved victory. Finn Roberts was the sponsors man of the match.
Many thanks for the very warm welcome from my Buckland family, will see you all again soon.
