Les Phillip Cup Buckland V Street 18th Oct 2014

[Dave]

Toolstation Western League Les Phillips Cup Preliminary Round

Buckland V Street Saturday 18th October kick-off 3pm

Venue Homers Heath. Referee Andrew Quinn

Final Score Buckland 3 Street 2

To all those who choose to knock Buckland Athletic, I have just one thing to say to you. Get a life and instead of knocking this very fine club, go along and support them and you won't be disappointed with what’s on show. Today I walked out of Homers Heath feeling very proud of Buckland and so glad I made the right decision to go to the Heath today.

Street are a strong and very physical side, a bit too physical at times, but the Bucks boy made sure they were as strong as they needed to be and worked so hard for each other. This Buckland side wear their shirt with pride; they play for their manager Adam Castle and for their club. What a great bunch of lads they are and what a great avert for the Western League Buckland are.

Yes they went on a poor run losing five games on the trot, but they did not panic and Adam Castle got them back to winning ways, but in saying that some feel my presence at the Hallen game was the turning point. That fact was pointed out to me before the kick-off and when Bucks went a goal behind so early in the match, I started wondering if I was now about to bring some bad luck to them.

There was not a great deal of goal mouth action in the first half, there were plenty of hard tackles and battles that needed to be won all over the pitch. The first real effort came after the ten minute mark when Streets Harry Baker hit a shot from just outside the Buckland box that just went wide of the left hand post.

Five minutes later Street took a very early lead and as the ball came across the Buckland Box to the far right hand post, Mark Salter was able to get the ball over the goal line. While I would not say it was a goal against the run of play, I did feel Buckland were slightly on top at that point.

Bucks were a bit guilty of hitting the ball a bit too long on occasions and also failing to get the final ball right into the Street box Poor Gavin Hammon was starting to get slightly frustrated after making so many good runs and not seeing his team mates find him. But one thing you know about Gavin is he will keep making those runs and if and when the ball does find him, he knows where the back of the net is.

Simon Revell played and inch perfect ball into the Street box and Gavin took the ball down and hit the sweetest right foot shot that curled past Dan Jakson and into the net it was a class finish from a class player.


Up the other end and Streets Mark Salter was played clean in on goal but ended up a bit wide of it. But he hit a good hard and low shot across Tom Buckler towards the far left hand post and Tom made a great save low down getting the ball behind for a corner.

That was the best of the first half action and Buckland came out for the second half all guns blazing. They must be wondering why they did not score at last another six goals, as that is how they completely dominated the second half.

They did not have to wait too long to take the lead for the first time in the match, but just what was the ref up too? There was a clear hand ball in the Street box by one of their players. Every single Bucks fans shouted out “PENALTY” along with every single Buckland player, but the ref said play on. It seemed ages before he was willing to go and talk with one of his linesman, but when he did he changed his mind and pointed to the spot.

Simon Revell took the spot kick sending the keeper the wrong way and placing his shot just inside the left hand post. So two one too Buckland who were now creating to many good chances. As Street pushed up high looking to get back into the match, it left so much room for the Buckland forwards to run into.

Danny Gaze was very badly fouled and clearly hurt and had to go off, but he soon limped back onto the pitch and just showed how much this game meant to him. Bucks won a free kick some thirty yards from goal out wide on the left hand side of the pitch. Simon Revell hit a wonder strike goal wards that the Street keeper Dan Jackson just managed to push over his crossbar.

Bucks Liam Head came close to getting on the score sheet but was denied by a very good save by Dan Jackson. Gavin Hammon came close to getting his second goal after a good low cross was played towards the far left hand post by Shane Gill, sadly Gavin was only able to steer the ball just wide of the post.

Gavin did play a big part in Bucks third goal, he went on a fine run from just inside the Street half and as he got into the box played the ball to the every willing and running Danny Gaze. The angle was tight but Danny fired the ball home and the goal was a just reward for him for all the hard work he put into this game.

It was all Buckland now and they came so close to goal number four when the ball came to Jordan Havlin in the Street box, but he was only able to scoop the ball up onto the crossbar and behind for a goal kick.

The Buckland defence had been brilliant through out the match, but somehow let Mark Salter get in behind and them and head the ball over Tom Buckler into the back of the net. But Buckland did not let any alarm bells to start ringing and anyway it would have been very harsh on them if Street had scored again.

The ref blew up for the end of the game and Adam Castle was the first onto the pitch to go and congratulate his players. This was a fine win that was fully deserved, onward and upwards the yellows of Newton Abbot.



Match pictures rather a lot and not all in the right order due to camera switching off at half time and giving some photos the same number