Ath Start Season in Style

Mark Carter’s Buckingham Athletic started the season strongly with a fantastic 3-1 win over Broadfields United to go top of the league after the first weekend. The side looked to have been without key players Jack Menday and Neil King with injury but both made it back in time to feature in the impressive victory.

The swans got off to a good start and could have scored a couple of early goals but failed to break the deadlock, but they finally found the net when Neil King found Josh Hooper who gave them a 1-0 lead after just 12 minutes, heading home early on. The visitors did get onto the score sheet before just 5 minutes later to go into the break 1-1 with honours even. The first half was largely uneventful and both sides failed to take total control of the game, however it was clear that ‘The Ath’ had the better of the game.

The second half was different however, despite the heat, ‘The Ath’ took the game by the scruff of the neck as they kept the ball well and gave their opponents little chance to take the lead. The side couldn’t take the lead for the second time until a delightful free-kick from Jack Menday got the light blues back into the lead as they then gave Broadfields no way back into the game, it was intended as a cross but it found its own way in. Carter’s side were not done there, the brother of Jack Menday, Josh, then got onto the tally when he was the one to put the ball away from a corner from his siblings delivery to give his side some breathing space and all but confirm the victory.

There were many positives from the game, as some under 18 players made good accounts of themselves, with Matt Chew, Brad Thurgood making their debuts, along with Robbie Carter and Sam McCarthy also in the squad. The whole defence and midfield were outstanding on the day, and Jack Carter, Jack Menday, and Neil King in the centre of midfield were making the game all Buckingham’s as they were able to take three points in the first league game of the season.

That would be the end of proceedings though, and Stratford Fields had seen a victory in the first game of the season and that should give Buckingham Athletic a lot of confidence going into the next game, next Saturday, with another home game against Codicote. The stand-out performer on the day was Josh Menday who played at left-back but was excellent in the role and even got onto the score sheet. On to Codicote on Saturday.

Josh Menday was the star man in Ath's victory