BUCKLAND Athletic scored late on at the Western Counties Roofing Ground to deny Western League rivals Bovey Tracey AFC the bragging rights from their South Devon derby clash last night (Tuesday 28).

In front of a superb 400+ crowd, Bovey took the lead on home turf after 28 minutes through Alex Cherry, the centre-half converting from Jadore Lawson’s long throw.

It looked for all the while as if they would hold on to claim a huge three points but the Bucks had other ideas. Jamie Simmonds made a good block before firing the ball long into the path of Ryan Bush who head on for substitute Josiah McKayle to hammer home.

Bovey boss Ben Gerring mused: “1-1 is probably a fair result, I don’t think either team can grumble at that.”

Conversely, Buckland manager Matt Cusack said: “We’ll take a point in the end. I said to the boys that if you can’t win a game you’ve got to make sure you don’t lose it and that was very much the case last night.”

Buckland keeper Mike Searle stretches for the ball
Buckland keeper Mike Searle stretches for the ball (Alan Craig)

Both teams and coaches had positives and lessons that they could take away from the fixture.

In Gerring’s words: “The overall feeling this morning is a sore one, to concede as late as we did.

“From our perspective, it’s the game management, I think we should have shut up shop and that’s something we’ve got to definitely learn from.”

On following their opening day victory over Wellington AFC up with this: “four points from two games, we’re over the moon about that, it’s a great return.”

Bovey Tracey AFC vs Wellington AFC match photography

Gerring added that “It was a great day for the club”, pointing to another brilliant attendance in what is Bovey Tracey’s first ever season at step five.

They will now use the late heartbreak as “fuel for the next one”, which sees them visit Newquay AFC at Mount Wise Stadium on Wednesday, August 5 (there are 19 teams in the league and it is Bovey’s turn to have the weekend off).

Looking at last night’s game through the yellow-tinted glasses of Buckland now and for Cusack, “It was just that final bit of quality coming into the box” that was lacking.

He continued, “At half-time, it wasn’t about panic stations, it was about more of the same from us, just adding that little bit of quality that we were missing, having shots on target and then we felt we could get ourselves back into the game.

“Unfortunately, the start of the second half brought much of the same from the first half, we were in the ascendancy but again, not hitting the target, which then forced us into a change.”

First Cusack changed personnel and then it was time to shift the formation as Buckland went in search of a first goal of the new campaign.

Simmonds “came on and allowed us to get a real foothold in the game” whilst McKayle had one golden opportunity kept out expertly by Andy Collings, but couldn’t be denied when another chance came his way.

Buckland's Josiah McKayle competing for the ball
Buckland's Josiah McKayle competing for the ball (Jamie Rooke)

“Bovey will be a difficult place for most teams to go” in the eyes of the Buckland boss who also noted that “The pitch wasn’t easy for either side to deal with.”

It doesn’t get any simpler for the Yellows who welcome promotion rivals Torpoint Athletic to The VX3 Stadium on Saturday (August 1).

“Where we need to improve is to not be chasing games.

“We’re going to ask for and demand more of our attacking players and once we get it right, we’ll start seeing goals coming in thick and fast,” summarised Cusack.

The reverse fixture between these two at Homers Heath is scheduled for Saturday, December 19, when we’ll know far more about them and how their respective seasons are going to shape up.