Opening Day Derby Shares Points

A first game of the season can usually give you an idea of how your best eleven performs and how they have gelled from pre-season, but Buckingham Athletic’s Development side starting with a derby against Winslow’s Development Side, it was more important to start strongly.

The game was not the most exciting in the first half as neither side managed to create chances. Both defences looked solid and as if they were not up for losing the first derby game of the season, as they looked to prevent losing. Scott Whitmore managed to put in a fantastic performance at centre-back despite his favoured position being at full-back. However, there was not enough creativity going forward from either side.

The lack of chances prompted manager Larry Woodward to make changes at half time as he looked to try and get in behind slightly more and cause problems for the Winslow defence. The changes were also more lenient as you can now do roll-on, roll-off subs during the game rather than a limit of 3 or 5. The substitutions also made Buckingham start threading ball through and over the top in order to get further up the pitch and there were numerous occasions when Frankie Tarrant completed diagonal balls to Sam Astin on the right.

Buckingham Athletic did go behind from a set piece, when they looked shaky at times during the whole of the second half as they failed to get rid of the ball from the first attempt. As the side trailed 1-0 there was slightly more urgency to get forward and when Tarrant saw the gap to thread through a ball to Jordan Tavener, he weighted the ball expertly in order for the 17 year old to finish beyond the Winslow goalkeeper.

The game became slightly nervous for ‘The Ath’ when goalkeeper, Richard Tiller was forced off through injury, so Tarrant had to play the last 10 minutes in the gloves. However, both sides couldn’t find a winner and the game finished 1-1 and sharing the points. Larry Woodward gave his thoughts of the game, “Was a tricky game to get our season underway. We always felt it would be a blood and thunder affair given it was a local derby.” He also acknowledged that the absences of some players could have effected the game, “We lost Mark O'Dell just before the game and keeper Richard Tiller with 10 mins left on the clock so overall we can't be too displeased with a 1-1 draw.”

Man of the match for Buckingham Athletic was Frankie Tarrant for his composure and his ball play in the game, he brilliantly assisted the goal and managed to cover well in the defensive midfield role. Next up for them is the visit of St. Margaretsbury on the 27th of August.

Frankie Tarrant was man of the match for a brilliant performance in midfield and even a late save in goal