Match report and photograph by Dave Roach

For full preview and match report, please visit Dave’s World website.

Buckland Ladies dominated this game from the very first whistle until the final one and I struggle to understand how they could have lost their opening league game so heavily. But if they play the way they did today, I can’t see them losing many more game this season.

The match referee Robin Connelly got the game underway and Buckland went straight into attacking mode and came close to taking an early first half lead. The ball was played into the Brislington box from the right hand side and close in by the post; Adele Rogers stabbed the ball just wide.

Buckland camped themselves in the Brislington half and one very good passing move played Abi Meyers into the box but she blasted her shot high and wide of the target. But Buckland soon took the lead when a great pass played in Sarah Stacey who coolly looked up and slotted the ball past Vicky Powell who was in goal for Brislington.

It was not a case of would Buckland score again, it was how many and they soon made it two goals to nil. The ball came into the near post from the right hand side and the Brislington ‘keeper made a bit of a hash of dealing with the ball and only managed to knock it towards the goal line. Bucks Sarah Stacey reacted the quickest and got to the ball a fraction before the defender could to poke it over the goal line.

Brislington were slack at the back and allowed Natalie Warman an easy passage into their box; Natalie got the ball under control and fired off a good shot that was well saved one-handed by the Brislington ‘keeper.

The referee blew up for half time and Buckland could have gone in winning by a higher margin.

The game restarted with a rare and meaningful attack by Brislington but it came to nothing and Buckland very soon regained full control of the match.

From a corner, Bucks Courtney Butt fired over the crossbar very close to the goal line. From another Buckland corner the ball was flicked up on to the crossbar and stayed in play but was eventually cleared.

Yet another Buckland corner and this time they made it count; the ball was fired towards the back post from the right hand side, headed back towards the middle of the goal and then headed home powerfully by Courtney Butt.

Despite all the strong tackling in the game, only one player went into the referee’s notebook; Bucks’ Jodie Chubb made a rather reckless challenge, but I thought the booking was a bit harsh given the spirit in which the game was played.

A big well done to the Buckland Ladies you were superb today and fully deserved your victory.