Final Score Buckland 4 Bristol Manor Farm 0
That was better Buckland, in fact I would go as far as to say what a fantastic display of grit, determination and quality football from the Buckland boys. Captain Danny Gaze led by example and played the captains role as well as I have ever seen anyone play. Adam Castle got his team section spot on and made good sensible substitutions in the second half.
The pitch looked absolutely superb and all the recent rain has sure helped it. Buckland put the price up to £6 for this match and with a programme that came to grand total of £7.50 and worth every penny I can tell you. I could have gone up to Plainmoor today and spent over £20 and not seen a single goal, I wonder how many TUFC fans felt that was another waste of money watching that shower.
Buckland started the first half with real intent and purpose and it did not take them very long to open up the scoring. Fans favourite Simon Revell was played into the left hand side of the box and he looked up and coolly picked his spot giving Ashley Clarke in goal for Manor Farm no chance at all of making a save. It was a very good finish from a player who has always stood out in many of the Buckland games I have watched.
While Buckland were clearly on top they were having some problems dealing with long high balls played over the top of their back four, but thankfully the Manor Farm forwards were not able to take advantage of this. They did come very close to getting an equaliser and Buckland have Liam Drew to thank for a wonderful goal line clearance. The ball had came in and out of the Buckland box and then back in again and from close range Kyle Shallcross hit a shot that had Kenny Griffiths beaten, but Liam stuck out a leg and stopped the ball from hitting the back of the net.
Manor Farms Will Houlstone fancied his chance from 35 yards out and his effort only just cleared the crossbar. Up the other end and a neat ball saw Bucks Gavin Hammon played into the box and he hit a good low shot towards the bottom right hand side of the goal, but Ashley Clarke did very well to block the shot with his legs. Simon Revell then got another good shooting opportunity but this time the keeper was able to pull off a fine save.
So that was it for the first half and Buckland fully deserved their lead and the only question was could they keep it up for the second half when one expected Manor Farm to come out all guns blazing. Well I did not have to wait to long for my answer as Buckland were on top from the start of the second half and remained so for most of it.
Simon Revell took a pot shot from 25 yards out that had Ashley Clarke diving to his right to push the ball around the left hand post. Next came another good shot from about 25 yards out from Bucks Dan Griffiths, he got plenty of power in his shot but had to stand and watched it go just wide of the right hand post.
Adam Castle brought on Ben Carter for the second half and I was pleased as I felt this Bucks terrier was needed to break up any Manor Farm attacks as he gets stuck in and is never afraid to stick his foot in. But he found himself on the end of one or two nasty challenges both out wide on the right and well over the halfway line. The first such challenge saw the ref reach for his pocket and book Manor Farms Jamie Turner. Up stepped captain Danny Gaze to take the free kick and I’m sure all he was trying to do was put a good ball into the Manor Farm box. He hit the ball very sweetly and somehow it missed every single player in the box and bounced once before ending up in the back of the net. I can only assume the keeper was unsighted, or expected one of his defenders to clear the ball away from danger.
Just after this Ben Carter was brought down again in the same spot by Kye Holly who also found his name being taken by the referee. Danny once again took the kick and this time Mike Booth rose up high in the Manor Farm box and was disappointed to see his fine header hit the left hand post.
Buckland were doing very well to break up most of the Manor Farm attacks, but they were happy to see a shot from a tight angle by Manor Farms Pete Sheppard flash across the goal and just wide of the right hand post.
The best chance Manor Farm had of getting back into the game was when Bucks Marc Revell brought down a player in the box hacking him down from behind. The spot kick may well have been a good height for a keeper to make a save, but that should take nothing away from the fine save made by Kenny Griffiths.
As Manor farm looked to try and press higher up the field, it let gaps in their own half. Simon Revell found himself in acres of space out wide on the left and got his head down and ran into the left hand side of the Manor Farm box and hit a powerful shot that went under the body of the keeper.
From a long Kenny Griffiths kick the ball went deep into the Manor Farm out on the right hand side. Liam McAudly raced onto the lose ball and looked up and played an inch perfect pass into the box where Lucas Burgess had ran and he made no mistake as he blasted the ball into the back of the net.
A great game of football but once again we witnessed a very mouthy bunch in the Manor Farm dugout who had to be spoken to be the linesman and then the referee. Well done Buckland and onwards and upwards as they say. So glad and happy I decided to go to Homers Heath today, the home of the best non league club in the Southwest of England.
