Athletic Hit Thatcham for Six Again

Buckingham Athletic’s Under 18’s completed an emphatic double over Thatcham Town on Monday night after they beat them 6-0 on the road having already beaten them 6-0 at home earlier in the season. The win extends their lead at the top of the league to six points with them firmly in the driving seat for the title.

The game was started excellent by Buckingham as they took the lead in the first couple of minutes. The usual centre back, Robbie Carter, was deployed up front for this game as he has been the top scorer for the first team this season, and it was him that opened the scoring. A ball over the top from Jordan Tavener was latched onto and Carter won his dual against the defender to get a shooting opportunity from just inside the box, which he took.

Athletic were in complete control in the first half, but without too much to show for it. They failed to open up a gap too large for their hosts to come back, but due to their defensive solidity, they always looked comfortable at the back. Buckingham tried on several occasions to double their lead and had several chances to do so from efforts from Carter and Sam Olawale. They finally found the second when they won their individual duals with Rory Busby claiming a flick on that would be played to Ben Acquaye who drove into the box well and finished.

They continued to look for more, and constantly threatened with balls over the top, with Tavener, Carter, Olawale and Geraint Minney all finding the gaps to try and create chances. The score somehow only stayed at 2-0 going into half time, with numerous chances not being taking and the game still not over.

As they came out for the second half, Athletic started strongly again as Minney scored only a couple of minutes into the second half to take a 3-0 lead and kill the game off as Busby’s ball through met him to leave him with a simple finish. The fourth came from another ball through the middle when Tavener went one on one with the keeper, but squared it to Busby as he got on the scoresheet with a simple finish into the empty net. The fifth came shortly after as Busby got his second and fourth in two games from midfield as his volley looped over the keeper giving him no chance.

Nathan Tshikuna came off the bench to round off the scoring with a free-kick into the bottom corner which left the keeper scrambling across the goal helplessly. The impressive 6-0 win takes Buckingham to top of the league by six points going into the final couple of months of the season, and taking their goal tally to 15 in the last two games. They host Highmoor Ibis on the 2nd of March, hoping to secure another win to take them closer to the league title.