BUCKLAND Athletic 1st XI manager Matt Cusack has reaffirmed that the push for his team is “playoffs at a minimum.”

At the time of writing, Buckland sit fifth in the Western League (link) and in a playoff position, ahead of sixth-placed Paulton Rovers via goal difference.

Cusack offered the same sentiment when he took the job in the summer and that remains the case.

“We expect this group of players to make the playoffs at a minimum and hopefully we want to make the assault to get out of this league,” he said after his team overcame Millbrook FC in the second round of the FA Vase, after a dramatic penalty shootout.

“That is the objective, that has been the objective since day one and that does not change.”

Last season, under the stewardship of Dan Hart, the Bucks finished fifth on 65 points, losing to Clevedon Town in the playoff semi-finals.

The Somerset-based side, along with the likes of Torpoint Athletic and Sidmouth Town, are amongst those who will stand in the way of Buckland going one step further this time around.

Cusack announced that a few days prior to our conversation, the team “had a mid-season review of our own in the clubhouse.”

Their bottom line is that “For the second half of the season now, we want to go and attack it, that’s going to be important for us, one game at a time.”

As one of just two Western League sides still flying the flag in the FA Vase, that knockout competition offers a great deal of promise for the club.

“We’re only still in one cup competition which is why it was so important that we came through today’s game [against Millbrook].”

In the third round, Buckland have been drawn against the other side in their league, Barnstaple Town. The game will take place at The VX3 Stadium, Homers Heath, on Saturday, December 12,

The pair have met twice already this season, Buckland winning the clash at Mill Road in late July and the spoils being shared in Newton Abbot last month.

Their FA Cup journey was short-lived with Exmouth Town of the Southern League beating them 2-1, whilst local rivals Bovey Tracey AFC, who play at step six, knocked the Yellows out of the St Luke’s Bowl via a penalty shootout.

In the league, back-to-back victories over Saltash United and Clevedon represent perhaps the highest of highs to date. Ben Carter scored the only goal of the game late on away at Clevedon and then, just days later, Ryan Bush netted twice alongside a Sean Thomson strike in a strong 3-0 home win over the Ashes.

Assessing the wider league landscape, Cusack gave his best wishes to Nailsea & Tickenham following their unfortunate withdrawal.

This “isn’t good and our thoughts go out to everyone at the football club, we know how much time and effort goes into running a club.”

He continued, “On the flipside of that outcome and their decision to drop out of the league, I think that’s helped us a little bit.

“It’s brought teams above us closer to us points-wise and it’s also had an impact on several team’s goal difference so it’s benefited us in a more selfish way, not that we’d want it to happen this way though of course.”

One individual who can help Cusack and co drive towards this goal is recent arrival Isaac McCue.

The talented technician was “keen” to make the move to Buckland and “He knows one or two of our boys from the past which always helps. He’s going to feel at home here which is great.”

An assist and two successfully converted penalties in a shootout makes for a very memorable debut and with Ryan Bush as such a reliable number nine, the more service given to him the better. McCue joins names such as Phil Mendonca, Luke Forward, Jack Baxter and captain Ben Carter that can put the ball on a plate for Bush.

As per the full-time website, Bush, an experienced forward, has scored 20 times in 22 games, in all competitions. Goals are the most valuable currency in football and Bush shows no signs of letting up in that department.

At the other end of the pitch, the loss of goalkeeper Jordan Duffey was a major blow for the Bucks at the time. He was a huge asset for Ivybridge Town last year and carried that form into his time in yellow.

Andrew Sowden-Bird, who has signed on from Willand Rovers, has filled Duffey’s shoes and done so very well. He saved three penalties in both of the Vase victories, over Bishops Lydeard and Millbrook.

As long as Buckland’s injury list doesn’t grow any further, with Sammy Stayt, Jared Lewington and Ruben Kane all sidelined for considerable periods of time, then there is no reason why they can’t stay on track and secure a top-five finish in the Western League.