"Bucks aiming to stall the Marketmen's progress"

Match Date : September 23rd, 2023 3:00 pm
Competition : Southern League Premier Central
Ground : New Bucks Head
Kick Off : 15:00

Kevin Wilkin’s men will return to action this Saturday, when Needham Market will be the visitors to the New Bucks Head.

The Bucks have had a weekend off due to their early FA Cup exit and have used the break to prepare for surprise high flyers Needham Market. The Marketmen finished last season in 17th but have started the season in fine form, with the Suffolk club currently sitting in 3rd place.

Managed by former Man City man Kevin Horlock, Needham Market fell to a 6-1 defeat at Stratford Town on the opening day but have gone unbeaten since then. And that nine-game stretch included a notable 6-1 success at Coalville and a 1-0 win over Stourbridge.

Horlock took charge at Bloomfields in 2020, and his side began the 2020/21 season in great form before the campaign was cancelled due to Covid. The Marketmen sat 2nd in the table at that stage, but had failed to recapture those highs until now – Horlock’s side finishing 12th before last season’s 17th place.

Perhaps surprisingly, Needham Market’s squad remains largely unchanged from last season. Up front, Callum Page is the Marketmen’s top scorer with three goals so far, while the “Morphew Twins” form the heart of their defence. Keiran and Dan Morphew have formed the club’s centre back partnership 2017, but the pair are unrelated despite sharing a surname. They form part of a defence that is currently the third-best in the division.

It will be the first ever meeting between the two clubs, and the Bucks will be hoping to come out on top and take all three points.

MATCHDAY INFORMATION

Tickets for Saturday’s fixture will remain on sale up until kick-off and are available for purchase online. Please see our ticket guide for more information.