"Bucks looking to bridge the gap to the top three against Stamford"

Match Date : March 16th, 2024 3:00 pm
Competition : Southern League Premier Central
Ground : New Bucks Head
Kick Off : 15:00

After defeat at Sudbury, the Bucks will be looking to get back to winning ways this weekend against playoff-chasing Stamford.

The Daniels stormed to the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands title last year, finishing nine points clear of 2nd-placed Halesowen. The Lincolnshire club have continued that momentum this season, and they could still end up grabbing a playoff place. Stamford are currently 7th, seven points off 5th-place Stratford, but they have two games in hand on the Bards and could easily close the gap.

Postponements and Nuneaton-shaped gap in the calendar mean that the Daniels haven’t played since 24 February. Stamford have played only once since facing the Bucks, in fact, but that was a comprehensive 4-0 hammering of Barwell.

The man in charge at the Zeeco Stadium is Graham Drury, who is currently in his third spell in charge of the club. Drury first took the reins in Lincolnshire back in 2005 but left in 2008, spending four years in charge of Corby. Drury then briefly returned to the Daniels in 2012 before an even briefer spell in charge of Boston United followed. Drury finally returned to the Zeeco in November 2015.

Drury has kept the bulk of his title-winning squad together, although 33-goal top scorer Jonny Margetts left to join Matlock Town. But notable summer additions include seasoned goalgetters Ricky Miller, who is in his fifth spell with the club, and Lee Shaw. Shaw is among Stamford’s top scorers, finding the net ten times, but it’s Jack Duffy who leads the way with 15 goals in all competitions.

Saturday’s fixture will complete a peculiar run of four games for the Bucks, during which Kevin Wilkin’s men will have played against only two sides: Stamford and Sudbury – having not played either team prior to 20 February.

Montel Gibson’s opportunist goal gave the Bucks a 1-0 win when the sides met three weeks ago, and the Bucks will be looking for another valuable three points this weekend.

MATCHDAY INFORMATION

Tickets for Saturday’s fixture will remain on sale up until kick-off and are available for purchase online in advance. See our ticketing page for further details.