Woodley Town v Buckingham Athletic - Match Report

Town earned a hard fought draw today with a well organised and well drilled step 5 team in Buckingham Athletic. However, debutant Adam Cashin Murray stole the show with a sublime 13 minute second half hat trick.

Town started slowly and fell behind early on well a free kick eluded the defence and although the Buckingham striker looked 2 yards offside he turned the ball home and the goal was allowed.

It was a tough opening 20 minutes as the well organised Buckingham team were winning the midfield battle and attacking at will. It wasn't to be long before Athletic added a second and it came when they were again allowed to get behind the Town defence and drill a shot into the far corner past young keeper Harry Stiff.

The second period saw changes with Ben Gonzalez and Steve Weston coming into the midfield and Doug Groves moving out to the left hand side. Slowly but surely we got a foot in the game but not before conceding a 3rd from close range.

With the game being played in 3 x 30 minutes there was an opportunity to have one last chat with the lads as I demanded the players show some guts and determination and they responded in fantastic fashion.

Time for Cashin-Murray to take centre stage and he did it in unbelievable fashion. First a 60 yard strike from inside our own half to make it 3-1. An unbelievable spot to see the keeper off his line and an execution for the strike David Beckham would be proud of.

From the sidelines you could visibly see the players pick themselves up and the pulled another goal back minutes later. Doug Groves broke down the left handside and his lovely cut back to the penalty spot was slotted into the corner again by Cashin Murray. 3-2.

With Ben Gonzalez and Murray running the midfield and the Town defence looking stronger it was one way traffic and the equaliser came when Cashin-Murray showed his predatory instincts finishing from close range after Sam Barhams shot was parried by the Buckingham keeper.

3-3 and game over.

Although there is still lots and lots to work on the determination to get back into the game against a strong solid team was pleasing to watch and I expect to build on this in Wednesdays game away to Windsor. With several players away and the season drawing near competition for places is strong.

Squad for today: Stiff, Brookling, Fletcher, Douglin, Molloy, Barham, Goddard, Cashin-Murray, Brown, Maycock, Campbell, Groves, Weston, Gonzalez, Mowatt

Also want to wish Lemar Maycock a speedy recovery as he was taken to hospital with concussion after being taken out by the Buckingham keeper.

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