Following an away victory in their first league game of the season, Bucks CC opened their home account with a comfortable victory against Pond Park Rangers. With the visitors being a new addition to the ADL premier division this season, they were much of an unknown outfit to Bucks, but not one that would be taken lightly.
It was a slow start from the home team, with new players and a new formation still in transition, but half chances were still being created and not too much threat being posed by the visitors. The first home goal of the campaign came after 22 minutes following great link up play between the front 2. Carl Moreton picked up the ball on the left wing, ghosted past the full back and cut the ball back to Ray Long whose shot was blocked before falling to the feet of Vinny Greco to finish with a scuffed effort into the bottom right corner. Bucks suffered a scare a few minutes later after a short back pass from Scott Bannister resulted in the Rangers forward getting through one on one to force a sharp save at his feet from Matt Moran. Bucks then went straight up the other end to double their lead in fine style. Vinny Greco won a free-kick just inside the oppositions half with some quick feet and then delivered the resulting free-kick to the back post. Carl Moreton had peeled off the back of the pack and cushioned a perfect volley back across goal for Ray Long to head home on the line.
With Bucks now in full flow the ball was being moved around well and it was a great 3 man move that lead to the third goal. A triangle passing move on the left wing between Vinny Greco, Troy Bailey-Goss and Carl Moreton progressed the ball up the line before it was played in to Ray Lon who picked out Tony Castielli on the left of the box. Great feet from Castielli, in his first competitive start for Bucks, left 3 Rangers defenders in a spin before he placed the ball perfectly into the top right hand corner to make it 3-0 after 34 mins. A few minutes later and the home side extended their league to 4. A good 1-2 between Creser and Long resulted in the former being clear through on goal where he duly finished with a low outside of the foot pass in to the bottom right corner for his 4th goal in 2 games. Moments before the half-time whistle, the away side did get on the score sheet, somewhat against the run of play. A failed clearance from the Bucks defence resulted in the Rangers striker with the ball at his feet, where he was bundled from behind by the eager Tony Castielli and the penalty was awarded. Despite keeper Matt Moran moving early and guessing the right way, he was unable to prevent the goal and the well struck penalty took the score to 4-1 at the break.
The second half started much like the first and it took Bucks a while to get going again before extending their lead back to 4. Troy Bailey-Goss picked the ball up just inside his own half before releasing Carl Moreton down the left where he beat the defender and surged into the box. From there, the pacey forward lift his head to see the on rushing Mark Swiercynski who was left with the task of finishing low past the helpless keeper. It wasn't long before Bucks were scoring again, this time through Tony Catielli with his 2nd goal of the game. A good ball down the left from Mark Swiercynski was picked up by Lewis Creser who over hit his cross to the back post which was kept alive by Ray Long when it looked like it was running out of play. A great awareness of position was shown by the experienced forward who picked out Tony Castielli with an over the shoulder pass, before the impressive Castielli smashed a left foot volley into the left side of the goal.
With the game now looking more than comfortable for Bucks, manager Dave Green introduced 2 players from the bench who had missed the first league game with Tom Keen replacing defensive stallwart Scott Bannister and Rikki Sinfield replacing Lewis Creser. The substitutions didn't slow the flowing football that Bucks were playing with more chances being created for the home side. Had the Rangers keeper not been in such impressive form, denying Moreton on a number of occasions, the score-line could have been even more impressive. Bucks did however score again in the 82nd minute when a near post corner was flicked on by Swiercynski only for a Rangers defender to deflect the ball goal-wards and out of the reach of the keeper. A fine save late on from Moran in the Bucks goal prevented Rangers getting a second consolation goal after a defensive error from Tom Keen allowed the Ranger forward through on goal, and Bucks will be happy with another fine performance and score-line.
There were a number of impressive performances this week, but the Man Of The Match award went to Vinny Greco for his tireless performance in the middle of the park, where he controlled the game for large periods.
Next week (13/09/2014) Bucks will travel to Singh Sabha Slough for the first round of the Berks & Bucks Intermediate cup before returning to league action against AFC Victoria the following week (20/09/2014).
