Athletic Hold St Margaretsbury for Point

After a 4-1 defeat last week, Buckingham Athletic's Development team were underdogs going into a tie against second in the league, St Margaretsbury’s Development team, where they were chasing the title. With just twelve players to take it looked as if Buckingham would be travelling to come to an eventual defeat, but with huge commitment and discipline, managed to grind out a well earned point and could have even nicked it at the end.

After conceding four the week before, Buckingham looked like they would concede more but managed a first clean sheet of the season as they prevented their hosts from having many chances after they were up against it for the majority of the game. With usual goalkeeper unavailable, second choice goalkeeper, but usual midfielder Frankey Tarrant stepped in and managed to keep the sides first clean sheet of the season, although the blank was largely down to the efforts of the men in front with Adam Judd, Kieran Cozens producing a solid centre back pairing.

The full backs held strong throughout the game as Matt Brock and Luke McAndrew kept their defensive discipline, with the midfield having to defend more than attack as well, with a make-shift central midfield with James Blundell and Jordan Tavener joining Alex Kennard in there. The roles of the wide men were essentially to help the full backs but push when they can as Jamie Carter and Luke Tavener both covered at the back, but attempted to offer something going forward as well but the sides final ball wasn't always good enough.

Captain for the game, Tom Kennard, was leading the line and had to help out defensively as well on occasions and was also isolated up top with most of the efforts in the side coming at the back. With the energy that Buckingham had in midfield they managed to not tire as they allowed their opponents to have the majority of the ball and stopped them from creating anything. Rory Busby was used effectively from the bench as the role-on-roll-off rule allowed him to come on as fresh legs in midfield and aided the defensive and offensive side of the team.

In the second half there was more opportunities for them as they threatened from set pieces and also on the break when St Margaretsbury were committing more men forward to force a goal. There was penalty shouts for both sides in the closing stages as Busby was taken down with contact, but the referee didn't see enough in it to point to the spot and then McAndrew shielded his man off for a goal kick down the other end, with a potential clash of legs giving the referee a decision to make but again he denied the spot kick.

Buckingham managed to frustrate St Margaretsbury for the whole game and got a well earned point as a reward for their long travel as they look go build some momentum again going into the final few months of the season.