Risborough Rangers match report: 0-1 Buckingham Town

Coming off the back of an emphatic 4-0 over Hatfield at the weekend, The Rangers were looking to add to another win, to build up steam in the opening weeks. Unfortunately, Buckingham Town saw off the constant pressure from Risborough to hold off for a 1-0 win away from home.

Rain started to come down just before kickoff much to the annoyance of those in attendance wearing shorts and tank top look but the players sure didn’t mind, at least a chance of the pitch finally getting some much-needed attention.

Risborough took the game to Buckingham, controlling most of the possession but couldn’t find a real breakthrough until the Robins’ keeper gave the ball to Corey Flynn but he failed to gain control and it was hammered away. A corner was whipped in finding the head of Gibbons, who scored 2 in the previous match, but his header sailed wide. This signaled a change in the tempo from Buckingham as they upped the pace and started taking the game to Risborough, numerous balls were being played in behind the backline of Risborough towards their mouthy number 9 who didn’t shy away from any verbal confrontation but he met his match with Captain, Joel Read. Speaking of the man, an audacious effort from the half-way line looked like it could cause the keeper a problem but much to the disappointment of on-looking supporters, it ceased to trouble him. Risborough found an outlet through the full-backs who looked to play it long and find the quick Don Fundira running in behind but the Buckingham defenders saw out these attempts. The first real chance for Buckingham came near the end of the half when number 10 turned sharply to create room for the shot but he dragged it wide. That brought an end to a lackluster first half from both sides.

At the start of the second half a loose ball was played in behind and Symonds made a poor effort of keeping the ball from going out and could only send it outside the box where number 11 whipped a cross to the far post where ‘loudmouth’ finally did something rather than talking and headed it back across goal where Symonds failed to keep it out, punching it into his own net! In response to the goal, Risborough made their first change bringing on Hatt for Fundira and they seemed to pick up the pace from this change, as a ball was played down the right-hand side to the overlapping full-back but his cross was blocked, positive signs though from Risborough!

The long throw was a big threat for Risborough that they aimed to utilize, clearly a training ground masterstroke from Rayner, Young

and Daly. This tactic worked as the Rory Delap-esque throw was guided onto Read’s head but he couldn’t keep it down and it stroked the top of the bar. Another chance from the long-throw but this time the keeper got down well to see off Read’s header. Once last chance for the Rangers occurred as Stack picked up the ball inside his own half surging towards Buckingham’s backline, he did really well to keep the ball and switch it to the far side where a cross came in but 16, not knowing of Stack’s run towards the area, headed wayward.

That was the last chance of the game for Risborough, who would fairly feel hard done by as they controlled most of the possession and created more of the chances but failed to capitalize. However, with about four or five key players missing from this evening’s fixture, the coaching staff can look back on a good performance which they can surely only build on.

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