Post by Dave on Mar 10, 2018 12:02:03 GMT
Match Preview
I was starting to believe that as a result of having to change jobs, I would not get to see a game at Homers Heath this season. It has been a long wait from 6am when I got up this morning waiting for any news if this game was on or off.
Buckland did not update their facebook page, but thankfully Bridgwater did and so this meant I could start writing my match preview. A lot has happened since I was last at the Heath, manager Ellis Laight has left the club and until the end of the season at least, has been replaced by Adam Castle.
Of all the news to come out of the Heath this season, the news that Adam was back in charge was the biggest shock and only because he now lives in Ireland. But it is clear that while Adam may live a long way away, Buckland Athletic is still very deep in his heart.
Since his return the bucks have won five of the six games played under him, Adam knows how to get the best of the Buckland players and pick a winning side. I take my hat off to a man who is prepared to fly all the way over from Ireland to help out a club he once former managed.
Other big news was the signing of former Torquay United player Chris McPhee, a player who played 43 games in the 2006/07 season for United. He left Torquay and joined Ebbsfleet United and then went and broke all of the Torquay United fans hearts when he scored the winning goal for Ebbsfleet in the 2007–08 FA Trophy at Wembley Stadium against Torquay United.
Chris rejoined Torquay United in June 2011 on a two years contract but was put on the transfer list halfway through by Martin Ling the then Torquay Manager after only eight starts and 21 substitute appearances. Chris has never a made a secret of his ambitions to coach and manage a club, could he be the next Buckland manager?
Other news is. It is great to see striker Gavin Hammon back in his best form since last year’s knee injury which kept him out until just before Christmas, a player I have always enjoyed watching. Also 17-year-old midfielder James Moxon could make his first team debut after impressing so much in Buckland’s second team. I watched him play in the only game I have been able to cover this season two weeks ago, A Belli Cup game against Kingskerswell & Chelston and he stood out and played well.
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/665/belli-kingskerswell-chelston-buckland-2018
I do not think I have ever seen Bridgwater in action, but in 2012 I was let into their ground on a non match day to take some photos, only had my phone on me that day, but they came out OK.
Report on that day on the link below
http://davesworld.proboards.com/thread/182/bridgwater-town-fc-old-new
The Bridgwater players and their supporters are coming to the Heath in a full 57 seated coach, with Torquay United playing away at Maidstone and most other local football matches being called off, hopfully a big gate to watch the mighty Bucks in action today.
Match Report
Final Score Buckland Athletic 2 Bridgwater Town FC 1
ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT WITH A CAPITAL E
What a game of football that was, what a great team and what a wonderful club Buckland are. Firstly many thanks to all my Buckland friends for making me feel so welcome. Secondly many thanks to everyone who worked on the pitch this morning, without your efforts there would have been no game on at the Heath today.
When Buckland played Bridgwater in the away fixture and were well beaten, the Buck players did not turn up, but they sure did today. They were made to work so hard against a very physical and sometimes dirty side on a boggy pitch.
One thing you know about the Buckland team is that they will never give up and will work their socks off from the kick-off right up to the final whistle. I am still buzzing from all this afternoon’s excitement and drama at the Heath, there surly can be no better advert for the game of football.
The game got off to a very frantic start with Buckland slowing getting on top and looking the better side. Gavin Hammon had the first effort on goal, a low shot with his left foot that the Bridgwater keeper Jake Viney only just managed to block on his line with his body.
Buckland won a corner that was fired to the back post, Chris McPhee swung a boot at the ball but his shot was saved down low by the right hand post by Jake Viney. Buckland were having more of the play and looked the most likely to take the lead, Richard Groves went on a great run and fired a shot away from the edge of the Bridgwater box that went just over the crossbar.
Lloyd Gardner also went on a good run down the left hand side of the pitch and once in the box got a good shot away that was saved by the keeper. Daniel Griffiths was the first name in match referee Tim Burley’s book, yes he committed a foul but I think it was more the case he had a bit to much to say to the referee.
Just before the break Bridgwater’s Josh White also had his name taken for a very nasty foul on Daniel Griffiths, it was the start of a few more nasty tackles from some of the Bridgwater players. The ref blew up for half time with the score still at nil nil.
The second half got underway and almost immediately Buckland took the lead after being awarded a penalty. I did not see which Buckland players was brought down , but Richard Groves took the spot kick that just squeezed inside the left hand post low down with the keeper so nearly getting a hand on it.
A number of Bridgwater players were getting a bit to excited and were told to calm down by their manager after committing a number of nasty fouls. Buckland won another corner with the ball once again being fired to the back post, Chris McPhee was there again and this time his shot hit the side netting.
The game then went through a period where both teams were working hard without really creating and goal scoring opportunities. Gavin Hammon went down holding his leg and was replaced on the pitch by Ryan Bush. I thought Gavin had taken a knock in the first half as for a while after one tackle we was limping rather badly. Bucks Nick Rudge hit a good shot that sailed over the crossbar and shortly after this we saw another very bad foul on a Buckland player, Bridgwater’s Jack Taylor rightly had his name taken for the way he hacked down Chris McPhee.
Bridgwater were now enjoying far more time in the Buckland half as they looked to get back onto level terms. Buckland needlessly gave a free kick away on the edge of their box. Jack Jenkins took the free kick but his effort was high and wide.
Richard Groves went off; he had worked himself into the ground and was replaced by Clifford Walters. Buckland then got themselves into a right mess in defence that looked like it had cost them the lead. The ball could not be cleared and in the middle of it all Bucks keeper Kenny Griffith’s made a wonderful one handed save low down, but the loose ball was fired home. The linesman then put his flag up for offside and the goal was ruled out.
The Bridgwater players were complaining about the time Kenny Griffith’s was taking the get the ball back into play, so he decided to show Kenny a yellow card. Then Bridgwater did get back onto the level terms, but it was an unfortunate attempt to clear the ball from danger that ricochet off a Bridgwater player into the buckland box. The loose ball was fired home by Tom Llewellyn.
As much as that goal hurt, I did feel Bridgwater deserved to score after all the pressure they had put on Buckland in the second half of the match. I am sure some Buckland fans felt that was it with just a minute or two left on the clock, thankfully the Buckland players did not.
Another corner fired to the back post and this time headed down, captain Liam Head swivelling on the edge of the 6 yard box got a low shot away into the corner of the net to send the players and supporters going wild with delight. That sums up Buckland Athletic for you, a team who never knows they are beaten until the fat lady sings.
The game went into what ever extra time the referee had added on, all the players from both sides were in the Buckland half with the Bridgwater keeper in his own half close to the halfway line. The ball ended up at the feet of a Buckland player who played the ball over the halfway line for I think Nick Barker ( it may not have been him) to run onto. He was about to take the ball around the Bridgwater keeper who then dived full length at the Bucks players legs bring him crashing down. Out came the red card and by the time another player pulled on the keepers jersey it was game over and three more points for the mighty Bucks.
Even after all the time it has taken to write this report and sort out all the photos, I am still buzzing. Boy have I missed not being at the Heath.
