"Bucks looking for a third home win in a row"

Match Date : November 4th, 2023 3:00 pm
Competition : Southern League Premier Central
Ground : New Bucks Head
Kick Off : 15:00

After back-to-back away games, the Bucks are back on home soil this weekend, when Long Eaton United will be the visitors.

The Blues finished 4th in the Northern Premier League Division One East last season before overcoming Hebburn Town and Stockton Town, both on penalties, in the playoffs. That secured a second consecutive promotion for the Derbyshire side, after they won the United Counties League Premier Division North in 2021-22.

However, after initially agreeing to stay on at Grange Park, manager Ian Deakin then surprisingly left the club at the start of August, subsequently being appointed manager of Ilkeston Town in September. A number of players have since followed Deakin to the New Manor Ground.

One man going the other way was former Forest forward Nathan Tyson. 41-year-old striker arrived in September to lead the line for the Blues, while left back Cieron Keane returned on loan this week having been one of those to follow Deakin to Ilkeston.

Tyson’s arrival was no doubt in part due to the appointment of another former Forest man Lewis McGugan as part of the Blues’ new management team. McGugan was appointed as joint manager alongside Brad Munn shortly after Deakin’s departure. The duo arrived from Loughborough Dynamo, but they have been unable to generate much of a spark at Grange Park this season. The Blues are currently four points adrift at the bottom of the table and have the league’s worst attack (8) and joint-worst defence (32).

Long Eaton have won just one of their 14 games in all competitions so far this season and have lost their last four in all competitions, conceding 14 goals in those games. One of those defeat was to Stourbridge in the FA Trophy, giving the Glassboys the strange distinction of knocking the Blues out of both the Trophy and the FA Cup this season. Long Eaton sole win came at fellow new boys Berkhamsted in September.

The Bucks, meanwhile, have seen an uptick in form over the last month, with Kevin Wilkin’s men going unbeaten in the league in October. The Bucks have picked up 11 points from the last 15 on offer and have won the last two at home. Wilkin and his men will want to see that good form continue this weekend, as the Bucks look to break into the playoff places.

MATCHDAY INFORMATION

Tickets for Saturday’s fixture will remain on sale up until kick-off and are available for purchase online.