Mens 2nd Team win away at Sonning

Buzzard made the long (late night) trip to Sonning hoping to get the show back on track after the last two games ended in disappointment. When they eventually got together (after some confusion around the pitch location) Leighton started strongly, moving the ball well around with Sonning making some last ditch tackles to keep the ball out. Buzzard knew that if they continued to press the opportunities would come. Eventually the deadlock was broken when Tim Bellamy found Martin Bailey with a piercing ball into the D who slipped it to Stephen Fuller. Fuller's shot was well saved by the keeper and Matt Nash was on hand to finish the rebound.

The rest of the first half was spent in the opposition half with Buzzard pressing hard and transferring the ball well, especially between debutant Callum Leary, David Wavish, Liam Wavish, David Canty and Tom Billington. The wing backs were driving the channels well and getting a lot of joy. Tom O'Reilly, Billington and Leary put in a number of crosses that on another day would have doubled Buzzard's lead.

Half time came with Buzzard maintaining their goal advantage. Coach Pete Gale and skipper Bellamy talked about keeping their heads as they knew the opposition would come out hard right from the start of the second half. Come out hard they did with Sonning's striker attempting to halt the galloping O'Reilly with a blatant stick tackle. Green card followed but the Sonning player reacted and it was subsequently upgraded to a yellow. He was soon joined by another Sonning player and so with the opposition down to nine men Buzzard played keep ball. Sonning were stretched and only a sliding tackle from their midfielder stopped Bailey in his track after a wonderful through ball from Dave Hooker after linking well with Man of the Match Fraser Retford. Try as they might Buzzard couldn't add to their goal advantage and back to eleven Sonning were right in the game, but their optimism was dealt a blow when the returning forward was sent back to the sin bin for a sliding tackle on Hooker.

Leighton continued to press and almost got second goal when Nash skipped past a number a defenders, drew the keeper and slipped the ball to Fuller, only for him to miss an open goal from a yard. This sent jitters through Buzzard as memories of previous weeks' games against South Berkshire and Phoenix & Ranelagh were at the forefront of everyone's minds. Leighton managed the game well with Sonning's own real sight of Stu McDonald's goals coming from a handful of short corners. With the final whistle, Buzzard knew it was a vital win and means they are only three points off the promotion places with a home game to prepare for against Ramgarhia next week.