03/31/07

In the corresponding away fixture Halsford Lions had inflicted on Buxted their 2^nd worse margin of defeat this season and it was clear from the off that they had lost none of their spark since. The fact that the score-line today was a replica of that 7-2 didn’t reflect the improvement the Bucks have made in the interim. Until the last quarter of the game Buxted held a solid chance of a point and had there been more than Jorn and Bob on the bench they may have been able to at least shore things up a little more effectively.

The manager called for a concentrated start but before the defence had really decided who was marking who the Lions got their first when given too much space along the 18-yard line. Buxted however hit back almost immediately with a similar goal from the edge of the Halsford box. A good move from the right found Pat with a glimpse of goal and he wasted no time smacking a sweet shot away with the outside of his right boot on 7 minutes. The next twenty minutes saw both sides getting themselves straight and although it was Halsford who had the lion’s share of the possession in attack, Buxted began to find their feet in midfield and broke up the play fairly well while not creating too much at the other end. Lee was having a similar tussle as he had the previous week with a particularly efficient right-back and his tackling looked as though it might get him in trouble when the referee gave him a stern word mid-way through the half. He was finally issued his second booking in as many weeks; though ironically for throwing the ball away after a throw-in decision went against him. This didn’t really calm him down much but he managed to keep the late tackling to a minimum for the rest of the half.

This reporter missed the Lions’ second goal on about 25 minutes as he was concerned with the condition of Jnr. Houkes who was on his haunches in the centre circle. He was only winded thankfully but when Martin went down heavily and lay rubbing his head it looked as though an early substitution would definitely be needed. Martin also rose after a moment or two and seemed well enough so no changes were made this half. There was another goal in it however. From a bit of a scramble in the road-end goalmouth/mud-bath the Lions got a tap-in, which was a bit of a shame as Buxted came close at the other end with Craig, Ricky and Mark combining well to see Mark’s effort whiz just wide. Fridge also nearly got on the score-sheet when his volley from a Lee Turner corner went just over the bar.   

When Buxted had a penalty appeal {hand-ball} turned down early in the second half and an open goal was missed a split-second later it looked as though things just weren’t going to drop for us but after 55 minutes Mark picked up the ball from a throw-in and made a trade-mark run into the opposition penalty area. He rounded the shadowing defender and put in a super low cross that Pat made no mistake with from the 6-yard line. He was tracked but he hit it first-time and Buxted took some heart from being back within a goal of Halsford.

Unfortunately this only really served to wake Halsford up a bit and, as they had three more super-fit young subs to use, the fitness issue began to tell on Buxted. The midfield began to look tired and gaps were appearing through which the Lions got their 4^th after 66 minutes. Craig had taken a bit of a battering in this half and was replaced by Jorn at this point. Jorn’s work going forward on the right was terrific and he linked up well with Pat and Ricky on a number of occasions. With Nigel and Pat tiring further though the Lions found far too much space on the edge of the Buxted penalty area and it was from here that Andy Harper was beaten twice with fairly long-range efforts. The Lions’ 5^th on 75 minutes was almost unstoppable but Andy would have been perhaps a little disappointed with the 6^th, 10 minutes later, as he was caught a little too far off his line and lobbed from about 25 yards. Buxted had time for one last effort which Ricky pulled just wide before Halsford put their finishing touch on this twilight-zone result with some twisty play through the back-four after the ball had been given away cheaply twice in midfield. 

No shame on anyone here though as, with this performance, Buxted would surely have got a result today against most other teams in the league. If they maintain this level of commitment and effort against their next two opponents – Lindfield[A] and Franklands[H] – Buxted should be confident of taking all three points on both occasions. The fact that both sides have already beaten us this season should not faze us as neither are anywhere near the force of Halsford, Cowden or West Hoathly, against all of whom we have acquitted ourselves well enough, given that all of them should clearly be competing in a higher division.

It’s a shame that we shouldn’t have been fielding Ricky Parrish today (he should have been with the first team, apparently) as he and Jnr. looked pretty good together up front. Solid games from the back-four, and thanks to Nigel for doing what was asked of him in front of them!

Man-of-the-Match has to go to Pat West who {even with his shorts tied up with sock-tape} made the most of his two opportunities to score from midfield and had a great game all round.

Lance Ingram

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