FC SAFELY THROUGH FIRST TEST...

FC Buxton 5 – 0 Health and Safety Labs

The highly anticipated pre-season friendly against the Health and Safety Labs works’ team took place on Thursday night, with an extra sense of excitement in the air for FC’s prospects in the coming IFA League season.

After adding to their squad with summer signings Daymo Sheppard, Robbie Keane (who is set to become more famous than his name-sake this season), Stewart Davies and Karl Menz, and with rumours that there are still funds available for gaffer Chris ‘Tiff’ Hill to add to his squad, the season holds much promise for the FC Bucks. But as we all know, the key indicators of improvement will come on those cold winter mornings when a trip to Whitby is on the cards... here’s hoping things are still as rosy by then.

The first squad of the season saw all of the new signings on show, much to the delight of the crowds who had gathered outside Fairfield Centre to catch a glimpse of their heroes. The return of Martin ‘The Cat’ Turner to the FC ranks following a long battle with ‘old-age’ further boosted the optimism within the squad. The only absentee of the FC regulars was flying winger Will Drennan, who had been given permission to travel to NYC in an audacious attempt to lure shamed former French international Thierry Henry back to the continent to line up for the mighty FC. The latest on this is that he won’t be joining the squad – he has a Saturday job.

The first starting XI of the season read as follows: Redburn. Keane. A Gould. Moss. Taylor. Betts. Norton. Corbett. D Gould. Sheppard. Hollins. Subs for FC were player-manager Hill, N Bainbridge, Turner (who lined up in net for HSL in the first half), and new signings Davies and Menz.

The first 20 minutes of the match were a somewhat dire spectacle, with FC clearly struggling to find their rhythm after a summer of eating, drinking and despairing at England’s feeble attempts to win the World Cup. Corbett was looking typically sluggish in what was his second game in three days, and himself and Norton were struggling to get to grips with a HSL team who had set their team up to outplay FC in midfield.

Despite finding himself in un-manned territory on a couple of occasions, Sheppard’s attempts to get his FC Buxton career off the mark had been hindered by the linesman’s flag. Several perfect in-swingers (as one spectator described them)  from Merson corners went by without any danger for ‘The Cat’ in between the sticks for HSL, as first Norton and then Hollins failed to connect with free-headers.

A goal was what was needed. A bullet is what arrived. A bullet from the head of vice-captain Andrew Gould midway through the half. The centre-half, much maligned last season for his heading ability in front of the opposition goal - despite his prowess at the back - rose highest to power an inch-perfect Betts corner from the left past Turner and into the HSL net. FC breathed a collective sigh of relief and the early-season rust was well and truly shaken off. 1-0.

FC had finally found their flow and more goals were to follow before half-time. Sheppard found himself in space again, the flag stayed down, and he was able to finish with aplomb on two occasions, the second a particularly powerful finish from close range. 3-0 and cruising.

HT 3-0.

The interval arrived and gaffer Tiff declared his pleasure with his side’s first half efforts. He decided to freshen things up with the introduction of Nick Bainbridge on the left in place of Dan Gould, whilst also bringing himself into the fray at the expense of last season’s Players’ Player of the Year Stuart Corbett, who had grown into the game as the half had progressed. Goalkeepers Redburn and Turner swapped allegiances for the second half (the beauty of pre-season friendlies), with Turner returning to FC goalkeeping duties for the first time since early 2010.

The second period had more of a training session feel to it for FC, with the full-backs able to push on as the HSL attackers became stranded from the rest of their team-mates. Soon after the restart, a crisp through ball found Sheppard who held off the challenge of the HSL defender to slot past Redburn and seal the hat-trick on his debut. Tiff looked on in disgust as his pockets began to lighten... 4-0.

Substitutions galore towards the end of the game led to the match becoming a little disjointed, and despite FC’s dominance, they were unable to add to the scoreline until the final few minutes. Excellent work by the marauding Menz down the Buxton right saw him beat two men and square the ball for fellow debutant Davies, who couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to get himself off the mark for his new team. He didn’t disappoint, side-footing into the net with Redburn stranded. 5-0.

FT 5-0.

The match had proved to be a good workout for FC Buxton, and, whilst sterner tests will follow, the squad is looking in good shape for the season opener at home to Barnsley on 4^th September.

Ratings: Redburn 7, Keane 8, A Gould 8, Moss 8, Merse 8, Betts 9, Norton 7, Corbett 7, D Gould 8, Sheppard 10, Hollins 8. Subs: Hill 7, Bainbridge 8, Davies 7, Menz 7, Turner 8.

Merse’s MOTM: Daymo Sheppard – you can’t ask for much more from a striker than a hat-trick on his debut.