JEWSON WESTERN LEAGUE

Buckland Athletic 1 Nailsea & Tickenham 1

A DRAW on the final day of the Jewson Western League season confirmed Buckland Athletic’s fifth-place finish and with that, a spot in the playoffs.

It was far from a classic at Homers Heath yesterday but manager Dan Hart was content with what he saw on the day: “It was a good contest with a good crowd and a fair result on the day.”

Well over 300 people were in attendance as Nailsea & Tickenham visited Newton Abbot and the Somerset side would have had to win by 12 or more goals on their travels to snatch the playoff position from their opponents. “It’s a little bit of anti-climax because the odds were quite favourable today with the goal difference swing needed” were the words of Hart and understandably so.

Nailsea certainly took on the initiative though and after going close with a few chances, heading close and also forcing Sam Morcom into a key block, they found their breakthrough. Striker Luke Osgood was on the receiving end of an inviting cross and he nodded it back towards the far post, leaving Adam Seedhouse-Evans rooted to the spot.

“11 more to go” was the comedic shout from one Nailsea player and they weren’t far away from a second just moments later, Seedhouse-Evans making a great stop to deny Miles Hardidge.

There was only really one team in it up to the break with Hart commenting that “The first half was pretty lacklustre with not a lot of quality, certainly from our point of view.” A few speculative efforts from range was all his side did to threaten the Nailsea goal but in his words, “The second half was far better.”

Jack Baxter and Frankie Jones were sent on for the second 45, replacing Morcom and Teigan Rosenquest with things being moved around a bit and it appeared to have the desired effect.

Despite the loud appeals for offside from the Nailsea defence, Owen Stockton went thundering through and poked beyond the oncoming goalkeeper for a Buckland equaliser, perhaps against the run of play.

“Once we’d got an equaliser, we probably should have gone on and created enough chances to win the game,” said Hart, also praising Nailsea, they “Are a really good side, we had a nice, close contest with them up there so we knew today was going to be difficult.”

There were to be no more goals at Homers but the game wasn’t without further intrigue. Luke Forward squandered a two-on-one with the Nailsea keeper, leaving Jared Lewington furious whereas there were two blocks on the line and furious shouts for handball at the other end but to no avail.

Lewington beat the high line once again in the final play of the game but he hit the deck with a shout of agony which could be major cause for concern for Hart and his team’s playoff ambitions.

Talking of the playoffs and Buckland will head to second-placed Clevedon Town on Tuesday night, knowing victory would set them up with a final on the road on Saturday, May 3, visiting either Brixham AFC or Barnstaple Town.

Hart mused: “So far, we’ve achieved our goal. We always strived to be ambitious and the playoffs is the root we’ve got ourselves into.

“We need to attack that game, I know more than most how Alex White sets up that Clevedon side, they’re a strong team, they’re well coached and they’ve been together an awful long time and they’ll pose us lots of problems, especially up there.

“We’re going to need to use every moment that we’ve got between now and Tuesday night to prepare for that game and give it everything we’ve got.

“Try and get ourselves past that hurdle and into a playoff final which would be a special occasion for the club I’m sure.”