RYAN Bush netted twice in the first half to inspire Buckland Athletic to a huge victory over the Western League leaders Brixham AFC.

The striker opened the scoring from the penalty spot after a Brixham handball and then doubled his tally after, in the words of the manager Dan Hart, his side “pressed really well.”

Reece Shanley could easily have cost his team the win though as a moment of madness led to his dismissal. On this incident, Hart commented, “I back Reece all day, it’s a bit of a wild moment but it’s his first red card and it is a clear red card.”

The Buckland number two saw red on the brink of half-time after clearly punching out and on another day, they would have been down to nine men. Adam Hill, already with a yellow card to his name, tangled with former Buck James Moxon on the edge of the penalty area and the Brixham players and staff were incensed with the referee for not brandishing the red.

In spite of Brixham’s man advantage, the away team were unable to breach Adam Seedhouse-Evan’s goal with Hart peeling back the curtain on his game plan. “The most important thing for me at half-time was for us to be brave, not sit too deep and defend with a little bit more clarity.”

His side had to “try to keep them out and keep them at bay for as long as we could in the second half.”

Hart continued, “From a really low point last Saturday for us at St Blazey, it’s about as good as it can get if you are backs to the wall against a team like Brixham and come away with three points.”

It is certainly not a result that should be overlooked given that the visitors to Homers Heath on this occasion were top of the table. Buckland inflicted just a third loss of the season for Brixham and the latter now drop to second, with Clevedon Town jumping ahead of them, whilst Buckland make the leap from seventh up to fourth in a hugely competitive division.

Bush continues to score goals for fun and next up for Hart’s men is a clash with the new leaders, at Homers, on November 9.