2nd XI

Second team football is looking fantastic with a devastating young side, ages from 16 to 23 (With a sprinkle of experience!), and under Andy Matthews great things are expected of this team...ie SILVERWARE!!

A tough battle of a game saw the exciting Buxted 2nds trot out worthy winners in a match where the home side should have buried Hartfield in a land slide! Both Scott Richards and Tom Jarrett were constant threats down both flanks, and with the strong Matt Harding up front the Bucks looked to hot to handle. to the credit of Hartfield, they battled well and put the Buxted backline under some physical pressure. Matt Scott was flatted mid way through the second half, but after treatment to a back injury soldiered on like a good captain should to lead his backline to a well deserved clean sheet. Man of the match was the impressive Tom Jarrett, who calmly slipped away a tidy penalty to take all three points!

A much sterner test for Buxted saw the impressive Wayne Bristow dictate play from a defensive midfield role, with his strong tackling seemingly scaring the young Copthorne side in to making mistakes. This display earnt him Man of the Match, with Matt Harding pushing him hard, setting up the only goal of the game, off the shin of a Copthorne defender.

A much weakened Buxted side took to the field in possibly the hardest league game they will face this season. Despite this the side competed hard and were unluck to go in 2 goals down. Early in the second half Josh Delmon crept up to fired home a goal to take the Bucks to within one goal again, but Copthorne made the most of a wandering midfield and added a further 3 to their tally during the second half. A deserved win, but how will they cope when the full strength Bucks return the fixture?

Buxted started sharply, with very high hopes of taking all three points away with them, but after Scott Richards opened with a nicely taken goal from a Dean Morris knock down the side failed to get going. With the game being held up at every opportunity, Buxted were unable to ease into their usual flowing football, and conceded two before half time, one to a defensive mix up, and the seocnd to a flighted cross, pushed into the net by the unlucky Chris Beeney.

Second half Buxted flew at the home team with a bit more grit, Wayne Bristow looped the ball into the goal from a goal mouth scramble, and directly form the restart Matt Harding ran the length of the pitch to put the away team 3-2 up. This was not enough however, as Buxted seemed totally unable to hold a lead, with the back line looking shaky a needless penalty was awarded to Bolney care of a Buxted sandwich! To ensure balance, the ref duely awarded Buxted a penalty at the other end, after Matt Harding was unfairly challenged in the box.

Toby Arnold, Penalty king, duely dispatched his second penalty with suitable aplomb, and Buxted has a 4-3 lead into injury time, but to round it off, and decide a share of the points was a fair result, Bolney caught Buxted on the counter to finish the match 4-4. Man of the Match for Buxted was Scott Richards.

Playing their third different Copthorn side in the month, Buxted were unconvincing for long periods and consequently went in at half time two set piece goals down and under pressure. Buxted were battling hard but could find little cohesion, passes frequently going astray. Three enforced substitutions due to injury did not help though a consolation was netted in the last fifteen minuited when the hosts perked up a little to work the Copthorn defence harder. Overall a poor performance against strong opposition, albeit from Division Eight, who will do well in this competition. Wayne Bristow was the star player for Buxted courtesy of a typical battling performance.

A game that on paper should have been a push over was taken very seriously by both players and manager (Tom Jarrett) after a couple of shaky displays over recent weeks. The team showed great spirit both before and after the match, and on the pitch dominated the game from start to finish. Scott Richards Dazzled the Hartfield defence into submission in the first 10 minutes scoring the current goal of the season after turning at least 6 players inside out before firing home. The pressure continued, and Matt Scott won a penalty that was duely dispatched by Richards for his second of the game. The back line did well, soaking up some pressure after the introduction of the impressive number 14 from Hartfield, and it was a move started by Ross Delmon at the back that worked it's way up the right hand side before Toby Arnold deftly lobbed the keeper to put Bucks up 3 - 0 after the first half.

Second half saw more of the same, with Scott Richards Rounding up a tidy hatrick within 3 minutes of the restart. Second half sub Russell Curd was dropped into the back line for his pace and bite, and helped to keep Hartfeild under control when they did manage to escape into the Offensive third. Sloppy play in the middle of the park saw a ball flighted in for the Hartfield 14 to deservedly beat Keeper Chris Beeney with a well placed header to set the score to 4 - 1. This aberration kicked Buxted back into action and the introduction of Will Extence saw more joy down the right wing against a tiring Hartfield Backline. Will finished the match netting late on to give Buxted a comfortable 5 - 1 win, with Scott richards collecting the Man of the Match award for the away side.

Buxted II 1 Ardingly II 2

This game was a harsh lesson learned by Buxted's young guns, in a side excuding talent but beaten narrowly by an experienced Ardingly team playing two divisions higher. The hosts started brightly and with more luck might have found the net when a fine header by Matt Scott narrowly missed the top corner, and should have taken the break ahead. Instead they found themselves becoming more and more frustrated at a lack of cutting edge up front and a ragged back line. Buxted's temperament did not improve in the second period and it was this that ultimately cost them the game. Having conceded what looked from the touchline to be an offside goal, Buxted levelled with two minuted to go when Scott Richards pounced on a neat throughball by Dean Morris to net his sixth goal in six games. Anticipating extra time, Buxted's concentration wavered and from the re-start a defensive blunder allowed the visitors in to hit the winner. Buxted's shining light was Ross Delmon who managed to keep his head whilst those around were losing theirs.

Division 6 20th Oct 07

Ashurst Wood II 2 Buxted II 1

A game so winable on paper again proved a step too far on grass!. Whilst Buxted dominated the majority of the play, pinning Ashurst into its penalty area for long spells, the final flourish did not materialise, with complication favoured ahead of a strike in the right direction. Buxted conceded a sloppy goal when a throughball eluded the back line to be firmly dispatched pass valient but stranded 'keeper Chris Beeney. Ten minutes into the second half and Ashurst again broke out of jail to fire home through the middle of the back line. Shortly after, skipper Matt Scott left the field having taken several heavy challenges. With time running out Buxted reverted to a more direct approach and the impressive Matt Harding, Buxted's star player on the day, thumped home from 18 yards off the post. But all too late and Buxted, despite the undoubted talent in the side still have to learn from its mistakes.

Buxted 2nds finally showed a little of the carnage they are capable of by taking Willingdon to peices from start to finish. An experienced back line was left to tidy up the occassional breakaway by the home team, whilst most of the play was spent in the Willingdon half. The pace and movement of Scott Richards and Toby Arnold up front saw the Willingdon defence cut to ribbons at will, and on another day this tally could have hit double figures. Andy Cobb opened the scoring with a solid header from a corner, and Arnold then doubled the lead with a fine low drive from distance. Buxted then went 3 up when Arnold dispatched his third penalty of the season, after Mark Jamieson was taken down in the box. Within 5 mins of establishing this 3 goal lead, Willingdon broke free to spring the offside trap and claw one back dispite the protests of the Bucks back line. Just as Willingdon seemed lifted, Richards tore down the left flank to the touchline and dragged the ball all the way across the pitch to the on rushing Arnold to complete a first half hatrick from 3 yards out, Breath taking stuff! The halftime team talk by temporary manager Derek McDougall focused on keeping discipline, the achilles heel of the Buxted side over the last few weeks, and with this said the team went out for the second half intent only on taking three points and nothing else. The half started poorly, with Richard Turner unluckily defelcting a shot low into the bottom corner, beating the outstretched hand of the buxted keeper. this set back barely registered with the players who continued their fast paced attack, with Matt Harding looking superb in Centre Midfield. Buxted completed the job without much fuss, with two further goals coming from Mark Jamieson and Will Extence, ably assisted by Richards. Man of the match went to hatrick hero Toby Arnold.

Mid-Sussex League 3rd Nov 07

Stratford Cup Buxted 2nds 0 Maresfield 3rds 1

In a very competitive but sporting cup clash, Buxted conceded the winning goal in the 85th minute against a cup holders Maresfield side bolstered by the assured presence of central defender Todd Sherwood, a League Representative player. The host's pacey and skillful attack rarely found a way through the visitor's defence, marshalled by Sherwood and with very few telling crosses emerging from either flank chances were restricted. The best opportunities, one in each half, fell to Andy Cobb and Mat Harding and both were miscued. Maresfield wasted a number of openings, especially in the first half when the new Buxted central defensive pairing of Trevor Slaughter and Joern Kroeger (on his 2nd team debut) was finding its feet. Extra time was looking the most likely outcome and both sides were saving substitutes to bring on after the whistle. But it was not to be. Slaughter and Kroeger seemed to impede each other and the visitor's striker pounced on the loose ball to fire home in the dying moments. Buxted, despite the defeat emerged from a tough game with great credit, every player playing his part but it would be remiss not to pick out Mat Harding, who gamely played almost 90 minutes with a badly damaged leg, and Wayne Bristow, the hosts non-stop man of the match. It will not be often that this promising Buxted team will come up against a lower division side lead so ably from the back.

Short of most of the players who had taken the team up two second in the table, Buxted did suprisingly well against close promotion hopefuls, Copthorne Rovers, taking the lead after just 5 minutes and going in level at the break. Matt Harding, Scott Richards and Will Extence combined will to give Lee Turner his chance which he fired home from close range. Chances came and went for both sides, until Copthorne drove in off the post from 20 yds to level. Another shot from distance 5 mins from the restart put Copthorne ahead, which the re-inforced with two late goals against tiring Buxted legs that were chasing the game.

Despite a commendable all round effort, the enforced changes proved just too much for the visitors. Yet another new central defensive paring of Jorn Kroeger and Andy Cobb stuck gamely to its task until Cobb was forced to retire at halftime with hamstring problems, and skipper Dean Morris played well for ninety minutes although unwell. Matt Harding shone in Midfield, but it was keeper Chris Beeney, with both shoulders strapped who was Buxteds star man, toping off a sound game with two breathe-taking saves late in the game.

A significantly under strength Buxted side took a pasting from a significantly over strength Jarvis Brook II side! End of...

Div 6 Copthorne 10 Buxted 2nds 2 24th Nov 2007

Buxted, once more with a weakened squad, travelled to runaway table toppers Copthorne fearing the worst but anxious to redeem itself after last Saturday's 10 - 0 debacle. Despite the final outcome, some pride was restored. The reshuffled squad, playing five at the back confined the hosts to two scores, both good long range efforts, for most of the first period and created chances of its own. A goalmouth scramble increased the Copthorne lead but just before the whistle left mid-fielder Lee Turner suffered a damaged leg (later confirmed as a fracture) going for a 50-50 ball with the 'keeper and an ambulance was called. Sub Dean Morris, himself with a groin strain came on, the side was further shuffled and seven goals went in during the unsuing disruption in the half hour after the re-start. However, Buxted never gave up, settled down again and their MOM, youngster Will Extence, a striker playing at left back, capped a mature display with the goal of the match, a thirty yard screamer and then laid on a second with a super through ball which Wayne Bristow run onto and Morris made sure on the goal line. A disappointing result obviously but there were much improved individual performances through the team and some football played that was good enough to trouble the hosts from time to time.

01/29/08