With just one defeat from their previous six league games, Buckingham hosted Letchworth Garden City Eagles. The home side were looking to capitalise on their good form and plunge Letchworth further into a relegation battle.
The first real opportunity of the game fell to this week’s captain for Buckingham, Mitch Clayson. Buckingham won the ball near the halfway line and Clayson was played through for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. His finish, though, was straight at the keeper who managed to turn it round the post for a corner.
Just before the half hour mark, the deadlock was finally broken. The ball comes out from the box and Jack Clarkson fires it back in. Clayson received the ball with his back to goal and with a clever drop of the shoulder, creates just enough space to fire the ball across goal and beat the keeper. A well-taken goal.
Buckingham looked to be the better side and were definitely on top and searching for another way through.
It wouldn’t come until early in the second half. A long ball from Buckingham and a calamitous error from Letchworth’s goalkeeper gave Mitch Clayson the luxury of rolling the ball into an open net from 15 yards, to double the lead and his own goal tally.
The visitors pulled one back against the run of play after a poor pass from Jamie Adim gifted Letchworth an open goal and half the deficit with little over half an hour of play left.
Less than 10 minutes later, Letchworth equalised. An inswinging corner was met with the head of Letchworth’s centre-half, who directed it into the side netting, leaving Adim with no chance whatsoever.
With the game poised nicely at 2-2, it was anyone’s game.
The equaliser opened the game up and Buckingham take a quick free-kick. The ball is crossed in, poorly defended by Letchworth and Louie Howarth was there to pounce, sliding the ball under the keeper to put Buckingham back in the driver’s seat.
Buckingham sealed a satisfying victory as Ed Odley curled a magnificent shot from the corner of the box into the far corner, leaving the goalkeeper rooted to the stop.
A game that had a bit of everything, couldn’t resist the temptation of a red card and Juma Omar dragged down Letchworth’s forward who was through on goal, leaving the referee with no option but to brandish the red card.
Full Time Buckingham 4-2 Letchworth Garden City.
