Bucks CC 3 – 3 Penn and Tylers  (HT 3-1)

18th Sept 2011

 New season, same opening  fixture, better result?

After having drawn arch rivals Penn and Tylers  as the opening match for the last three seasons, the Bucks boys were looking forward to starting the new 2011 - 12 season with a newish team and  working hard to get a better result than previous years.

And so it was– well almost. With five new players in the starting line up facing a Penn team that also featured a number of new signings, Bucks got in to their stride early and were pleasantly surprised at the time and space afforded them by the visitors and how well the new team members were  fitting in.

Playing just one up front, with players wide left and right, Bucks took full advantage of the space available and it wasn’t long before Bucks were one up and then two. As always in these matches it was a hard fought game with end to end action and plenty of robust challenges .  Bucks had the opportunity to go three up when awarded a penalty for an overly robust one just inside the box, but failed to take advantage. Fortunately they were able to convert a free kick  not long after to redress the miss but went into half time 3-1 up after Penn scored a good break away goal.

Second half team talks brought a change of plan from Penn  and despite some good chances for the Bucks Boys, Penn played a much more creative game and managed to give themselves some heart with 15mins to go with well taken penalty of their own.

Bucks held on and on to lead until 1 minute from the end when a free kick , just outside the Bucks box, was only half cleared back to the Penn centre forward who hit a cracking volley into the Bucks net – visions of the equaliser in last years Cup semi.

Just time to take the restart and full time was blown. Three all was probably a fair result judged over the two halves and both teams should take heart form their performances. With the cups are coming up and it would be nice this year to meet Penn in the final .