50p head strikes back…Inter Blades 2 -2 FC BuxtonFC Buxton returned to the scene of one of their heaviest defeats on Saturday morning, as they made the short trip to Sheffield to face the Sheffield United supporters’ team in a blistering April heat wave.With self-elected Chairman Stuart Corbett the only survivor in Saturday’s squad of the team which suffered the 11-0 mauling at the hands of The Blades in late 2007, it was his job to motivate his fellow team-members and remind them of the importance of an improved performance here. However, his suggestion of a pre-match Haka to psyche out the opponents did not go down too well with the rest of the FC boys.  With Tiff the victim of further thumb-print problems, which will also keep him out of next week’s trip to Whitby, and Drennan at his holiday home on the south-coast, Buxton were left with no option but to draft in some of the up and coming prospects from their centre of excellence, run in liaison with Sheffield Hallam University. Jonny Gilberthorpe, Lewis Talbot and Kris McAdam were the three talents selected from the centre to make the step up to the first team. Local lads Dan Gould and Luke Norton (no relation to midfielder Liam) also made their first appearances in the match day squad.The match also saw a return after 14 months of FC’s overseas’ player Steve Vanstone. Work permit problems have severely hindered his FC career, but some last-minute phone calls and exchange of brown envelopes on Friday evening saw these problems ‘disappear’ in time for Saturday’s game. With Jackhammer Merse on team-selecting duties, the team lined up as follows: Redburn. McAdam. Gould. Moss. Merse. Betts. Vanstone. Bolton. Liam Norton. Gilberthorpe. Talbot. Subs were Chairman Corbett (sensationally dropped from the starting line-up due to concerns over his party lifestyle), Dan Gould and Luke Norton. Sheffield United began the match the better side, and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 9th minute. A long ball over the top saw the nippy centre-forward shrug off the challenge of Moss and finish rather fortunately into the bottom corner, with a bobble aiding his cause. Much of the pre-match talk had centred around whether Redburn’s newly formed facial hair would put off the opposing attackers, but this was not to be the case. 1-0. The goal appeared to shock FC into their game, as they began to play the ball round with more and more confidence as the half progressed. The three new boys were beginning to find their stride in the heat, and an impressive midfield performance from Vanstone and Bolton – in their first game together – was beginning to have an effect on the overall flow of the game. A couple of good chances went begging for the FC Bucks in the closing stages of the half. First, an audacious overhead kick by Vanstone went narrowly wide, before Talbot found himself one-on-one with the keeper, minutes before half time. Despite his cheeky dink sailing over the goalie’s head, the pace of the attempt was a little lacking, and although the ball was cleared off the line, it fell at the feet of fellow debutant McAdam, who blazed the follow-up marginally over the woodwork. HT 1-0. Despite their slow start to the game, FC had been the better side for much of the half, and, having created several openings, the message was positive at half-time, “keep doing what we’re doing and we will get our rewards”. Stand-in gaffer Merse made one change at the break with Corbett replacing the leggy Betts. The dangerous looking McAdam was pushed up to the right of midfield, with Corbett dropping in behind him at right-back.  Buxton started brightly, and their dominance was rewarded when a good through ball sent Talbot clear once more. His initial attempt at a shot was blocked on the edge of the area, before the rebound fell kindly for him to hit an unstoppable right-foot shot into the hosts’ top right hand corner. 1-1. FC were well on top, and they were buoyed further when arguments started to creep in to the home team’s ranks. This was a side that had beaten Buxton comfortably on the two previous meetings between the sides, most recently a 6-3 win at Fairfield in early December, but their clear inferiority in this meeting was proving difficult for them to digest. Time and time again they had to resort to long balls over the top, which were being dealt with comfortably by the impressive Gould and Moss. A succession of corners for the Bucks appeared to be coming to no avail - before a ‘miracle’ happened. From one said corner, the ball was cleared to the edge of the area, where the towering Gould was waiting. Despite miscuing his first attempt at a header (no change there you might say), the ball fell for him to hit a sweet half volley from the edge of the box, which eluded all and nestled in the same corner as Buxton’s first. The look on Gould’s face said it all, and a poignant moment followed as Gould embraced the onrushing Merse (who had heavily criticised Gould in this week’s press) in celebration, before both tumbled to the ground in a playful manner. 2-1.  Despite trying to recover from the shock of a Gould goal, Buxton continued to dominate and came close to extending their lead through McAdam. However, with the searing heat showing no signs of dropping, fitness was always going to be a key factor in the outcome of the game. Inter Blades were regularly able to make several substitutions in order to keep their players fresh. Although Buxton made full use of the three substitutes available to them, the relative inexperience of Dan Gould and Luke Norton made it difficult for them to exert themselves on the game, although Gould did go close when a whipped ball across the box just evaded him, minutes after his introduction up-front.The perfect example of United’s greater freshness came with their equalising goal. The ball was lost in an FC attack and was soon in the Buxton box. As the cross came in there were several players waiting for a crack at goal, and a good finish saw the ball evade Redburn’s advances and put The Blades back on level terms. 2-2. FC had further chances to snatch a victory through some late trickery by McAdam, but this was not to be the day. Despite this, as the final whistle blew, Buxton left the field with a sense of pride restored after holding The Blades to a draw at their own place. The hosts’ disappointment was evident as the two sets of players exchanged handshakes, but looking back on the game they may well see themselves lucky to come away with a point. FT 2-2. Stand-in gaffer’s MOTM: Ben Bolton. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FC must now take this renewed optimism into THIS SATURDAY’S trip to WHITBY. It is hoped there will be A GOOD TURNOUT for this game, following LAST SEASON’S POOR SHOWING OF 10. Following our game, the senior team, BUXTON FC, will take on WHITBY TOWN FC in the Unibond Premier League at Whitby’s Turnbull Ground. A good day is expected all round, and ALL REGULAR SQUAD MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND WITHOUT GOOD REASON. Let’s make a day of it and cheer the real ‘Bucks’ onto victory following our game in the morning. MEET TIME IS THIS SATURDAY AT 7.15AM AT THE CRESCENT, BUXTON. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHETHER YOU WILL BE ATTENDING – EITHER VIA TEXT, VIA THE LINK ON THE FIXTURES SECTION OF THE FC BUXTON FORUM, OR VIA THE EVENT PAGE ON FACEBOOK. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ATTEND. TA. |
 |
 |
 |