A PAIR of teenagers netted late on to boost the scoreline in Buckland Athletic’s FA Vase victory over Ilfracombe Town.

Harvey Roche and Toby Hard, neither of whom had been on the pitch for long, struck the fourth and five Buckland goals at Homers Heath to add the shine to the afternoon.

Manager Matt Cusack spoke of being “delighted” with their contributions, Igor Piewiszko playing the full 90 minutes in defence and Will Hughes also coming off the bench to see out the game.

Cusack continued, “We finished the game with four U19s on the pitch which is a credit to the pathway we’ve got here.”

These late goals do a disservice to SW Peninsula League side Ilfracombe though, the Bluebirds causing Buckland early problems and even taking the lead in Newton Abbot, their number 11 converting the first real chance of the fixture.

A superb driving run from the visiting number nine nearly resulted in a second. He ran from the halfway line into the box and his effort beat goalkeeper Jordan Duffey only for Rafael Beadman to clear the danger.

After a half hour of little to no quality for the Bucks, captain Ben Carter grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck. His incisive through ball sent Jake Lane down the left flank and the fullback’s delivery was swept home, first time, by Luke Forward for the equaliser.

The two teams went into the break with a goal apiece and Cusack admitted to having “some choice words” for his players, adding: “We didn’t feel like we were hitting our usual standards, maybe we were a little bit laboured in how he performed.”

Whatever was said had the desired effect with Buckland taking the lead in the early stages of the second 45.

Just as this reporter’s camera went on the blink, a fierce Sean Thomson attempt struck an Ilfracombe hand and the referee did not hesitate to point to the spot. Ryan Bush stepped up and slotted home, taking his tally for the campaign to 12 already.

“Go again” was now the shout from Cusack’s assistant Dan Harrison with the Yellows fashioning but then squandering a few chances. Their persistence did eventually pay off in the form of a third goal, giving them something of a buffer.

Phil Mendonca worked it well down the wing and after Jack Baxter’s first shot was well blocked, he took his time, showing good feet to gain a yard of space and then firing home emphatically.

This aforementioned buffer allowed Cusack to turn to his bench with Harvey Roche and Toby Hard amongst those to enter the fray.

It took mere seconds for Roche to get involved but for the wrong reasons, following Lane and Carter into the book for the home side.

His eventful cameo took a turn for the better moments later though as the youngster put the game to bed. He plucked Carter’s quick free-kick out of the sky with great finesse before striking home his first goal in the yellow of Buckland.

Cusack joked that “Harvey really maximised his minutes”, following up a yellow and a goal with an unconventional assist. He was fouled in the 18-yard box and despite the fact that Hard had the ball in the back of the net, the whistle had already gone for a second penalty of the game.

Hard remained undeterred, scoring the spot-kick and sharing the spotlight with Roche as a result.

On this, Cusack said: “I’d like to have seen the referee allow us to play on as we scored in that phase and he’s brought it back for a penalty but then that gave the opportunity for young Toby to dispatch the penalty.”

The final whistle secure Buckland a place in the hat with Cusack remarking that “The main aim in cup competitions is to always find a way to win and that’s what we did today.”

Adding that “It was important that we got back on the saddle at the first time of asking”, his side having lost at home for the first time on Wednesday, September 17, falling by three goals to nil at the hands of Sidmouth Town.

This success sees the Bucks through to the first round proper, that stage of games currently scheduled for mid-October. Stay tuned for news on the draw.

There is more knockout football to come as Buckland make the short trip to Bovey Tracey AFC on Wednesday 24, for a St Luke’s Challenge Cup clash, before then returning to league action away at Bridgwater United on the Saturday.

Ben Gerring’s Bovey beat Torpoint Athletic 5-0 on their travels in the Vase in what is another statement result for the Peninsula League leaders, so it won’t be easy for Buckland at Mill Marsh Park.

Finally, Cusack said again that “We are still on the hunt for one or two to come in, all the youngsters can do is maximise their opportunities like they’ve done and give us a bit of a headache.”