Tavener Double Not Enough

Adderbury Park had won 18 out of 18 games last season and had also won two cups last season so the game was never going to be easy for Buckingham Athletic’s Development side when they travelled to this away tie, especially with the amount of players missing that Larry Woodward would have liked to have had. The game had not been a bad test of fitness and character however as they go into their league campaign next week.

The game was even in the first 20 minutes of the game where neither side could provide a lead, until two quick goals from Adderbury made them the better side and the problem of sloppy defending was again questioned and that needs to be sorted before the start of the competitive season. An unfamiliar face popped up for ‘The Ath’ when Luke McAndrew scored with a great half volley to half the deficit going into the break, where there was still room for them to get back into the game and get something from the friendly.

Woodward was happy with the sides character in the second half, “We were well on top in the second half and two Luke Tavener strikes completed a great comeback.” Forward, Luke Tavener, who has been the development sides top scorer in pre-season, scored the goal of the day when he fired past the Adderbury keeper from 25 yards, but it was not good enough to push the side onto a second win in a row.

The hosts were able to pounce on more poor defending from the light blues as they went on to score a couple of goals to take the lead and eventually go on to win the game 4-3. There were parts of the game when they played well and were the better side but on too many occasions the poor defending lets them down. Woodward was observant of this when he added, “we should have gone on to win once we had our heads in front but individual errors and soft defending have hurt us again.

But after a hot day playing 90 minutes it was key that the fitness levels of the side were being tested and that was the main positive to take away from the game, along with some good performances, but when things improve at training, the negatives will flow out.

Luke Tavener was on target again for Buckingham Athletic