Newick 1  -  0 Buxted II

Yet again, Buxted were unable to convert a strong team performance into points.  There are still six games left to rescue the season but the team will have to find the telling final ball and a calmness in front of goal that are currently lacking.  But on a slippery sloping pitch in continuous rain the teams contrived an end to end game that could have gone either way.  Neither side could take advantage going down hill, Newick scoring their only goal going up the slope.  From a throw in, the thrower was left unmarked and it was from his cross that the Newick man slipped his marker and volleyed home a well taken score.

The Newicks fast, tricky right flanker was pinning down Buxteds left flank and causing all sorts of problems.  Buxted came to life in the second half when for long periods the Newick half was put under seige.  Chances went begging – Dean Morris twice came close with long range efforts, one just tipped round the top corner from a free-kick. The last 30 minutes saw Ricky Parish push further up the pitch and immediately started to cause problems (And save the Newick front line from any more crunching tackles) and by the end of the match Russell Curd had certainly broken the 100 yards of sliding tackles mark.

Buxted were disrupted during the game by injuries, with three players coming off but nevertheless deserved to have got something out of this performance, stand in Keeper Noodles (carrying a hamstring injury) had played well enough in the first half but in the second half, stand in number two – Gavin Horne pulled off some quite outstanding stops and was declared Man of the Match.  There was a welcome return to Buxted by Mat Garside, who made an effective contribution despite a long layoff through injury and Richard McConnell, a recent signing with Southern Amateur league experience made an assured debut.   

 Regular games (Only two in each of Feb and March) would help to give more cohesion to a squad in which each individual performs so well.