MATCH REPORT SAT 21 MARCH 2026
SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIV 1
LETCHWORTH GC EAGLES 1 LONG BUCKBY 2
The visitors started strongly and after only 3 minutes gained a corner which George Coomes punched clear. The ball reached a Long Buckby player a few yards outside the penalty area, whose shot skimmed the Eagles cross bar. A few minutes later they had a good shooting opportunity but the low shot was pulled wide of goal from the edge of the penalty area.
Eagles countered with a shot from inside the penalty area which was straight at the keeper at his near post. Play swung to the other end and Eagles went 1-0 down after 23 minutes. A long Buckley forward ran through a weak Eagles defence and although Coomes blocked his shot the ball ran to an unmarked forward a few yards from goal who slotted the ball into an empty net.
A few minutes later Rory Gillham blazed high and wide from a good position from just outside the penalty area and then Eagles missed a great chance to equalise. Long Buckby defence was caught upfield as the ball was played to an unmarked Eagles forward just outside the penalty area. With only the keeper to beat he shot wide of goal.
Eagles then lost Ryan Morgan to a red card following a high tackle Just before half time Gillham chased a long ball downfield but his shot from the edge of the penalty area was deflected wide of goal by a defender. A shot from the resulting corner from well outside the penalty area went wide of goal.
Early in the second half Eagles scored a fine equalising goal. An Eagles free kick was punched out of his penalty area by the keeper. When the ball reached Danny Charles he sent a high curling shot over the keeper and into the top far corner of the net. Long Buckley responded and Coomes had to save a low shot at full stretch near the foot of his post. A minute later the ball was blocked by defenders on the goal line before Coomes could drop on the ball. Long Buckley then missed an open goal after gaining possession in mid field. The ball was fed down the centre of the field and to a forward who was clear on goal, but he screwed his shot wide.
Mid way inside the half Eagles gained a free kick in a central position around 25 yards from goal, but the effort by Will Blair curled just wide of goal. A long throw into the Long Buckby penalty area reached Olly Humphreyes, whose shot from the edge of the penalty area needed a save by the keeper at the foot of his post. Shortly after Humphreyes was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. The visitors then upped the pressure and a couple of shots went wide of goal before they succeeded in getting the winning goal in freak circumstances. Coomes received a back pass with no danger to his goal but as he attempted o clear the ball upfield it struck the body of a Long Buckley forward. It fell perfectly to the feet of a waiting forward who rolled the ball into an empty net.
As the game reached its final stages Eagles tried to respond with 9 men on the field. A shot was blazed high over the cross bar, Blair ran into the penalty area but shot wide of goal and then Blair sent a free kick from the left touchline just wide of goal. In a final moment of drama Blair ran though the Long Buckby defence and was brought down a few yards from goal. Loud calls for a penalty were ignored by the referee and the game was lost, though not for the lack of effort by the 9 men in the final minutes.
