Athletic Out of FA Youth Cup After Thriller

Buckingham Athletic Under 18’s were looking to equal club history by getting to the second qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup when they travelled to Wingate and Finchley. However, it was not to be, when they were beaten after extra time, ending the hopeful story of a great cup run.

The game was well fought and started very balanced as both sides threatened to take the lead in the first 20 minutes of the game. The deadlock was not to be broken until a wonderful team goal from the hosts opened the scoring. The lead did not last long when a set piece was equalled the score, when the ball fell to Rory Busby who turned a volley into the back of the net. With the score level, both sides when into the break with hope of securing a place in the next round.

The start of the second half saw the introduction of Jordan Tavener to Buckingham Athletic, who just as in the preliminary round, scored within five minutes of coming on as a substitute. The score was now in Buckingham’s favour and was for the next 25 minutes or so as they looked to hold on to their lead. Wingate and Finchley found themselves level again when a smart free kick saw them slot it into the bottom corner. The game looked to beheading into extra time when a mistake at the back from Buckingham gifted the hosts a potential winner with three minutes to go. However, the game game was to go to extra time when Robbie Carter got above everyone from a long free-kick to take the game to 3-3 just seconds after conceding.

Extra time followed and the game started to become controlled by the hosts as they looked to find the winner in order to make the next round. Buckingham were struggling to create as much as the increased time of the game took its toll on the players. Wingate and Finchley scored the first of extra time, giving them one step into the second qualifying round, and in the second half of the extended period, they increased their lead to two.

Buckingham Athletic had run out of stamina and ideas and failed to get back into the game andit got worse when Ore Soetan got a second yellow and missed the remaining minutes. The game ended 5-3 and the cup hope came to an end. The focus now turns to the league and county cup where the club will look to make success elsewhere.

Robbie Carter equalled the scoring just before the full time whistle