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Search forBuckle believes in the snowball effect
Thursday, November 06, 2008, 09:01
Just when everybody, including several people inside the Gulls' camp, expected Buckle to ring the changes for Tuesday's Third Round tie at Weymouth, he threw his current strongest side at the job.
There was no 'resting' of first-team regulars, no starts for so-called reserves, just the same starting XI which had beaten Chipstead 4-1 and Mansfield 2-0 in the previous two games.
Weymouth — their manager John Hollins made seven changes — were duly dispatched 3-0 at the Wessex Stadium, with two-goal Tim Sills taking his tally for the season to nine.
Half-time substitute Elliot Benyon, who replaced Sills, also scored in the second half as United outclassed the Terras.
The result extended United's unbeaten run to 12 games in all competitions, heading towards Saturday's FA Cup First Round tie against Evesham United at Plainmoor.
"I didn't think it was right at this moment to change the side," said Buckle.
"That's not to say another time I might not do it.
"But the longer this run continues, the more significant it becomes.
"It's like a snowball at the moment.
"I told the players before Tuesday's match that I had watched them training so well in puddles and mud over the last week or so, and seen them taking that attitude into matches.
"They are in a real mode at the moment, and I don't want to break that.
"But it doesn't mean that, if the chance comes again in the future, I won't make a few changes."
The Weymouth win took United into the last-16 of the Shield — the draw was due to be announced today — with the Fourth Round played in the week beginning December 1.
The prize fund for the competition hardly matches the FA Cup, but £40,000 does go to the winners, and there are other round prizes along the way.
Tuesday's result also brought Buckle's squad ever closer to setting a new club record.
The Gulls' longest unbeaten sequence in the league is 15 matches, set under Dave Smith in 1990.
But the record for league AND cup games is 14.
They have done that twice — under Frank O'Farrell at the start of the 1967/68 season and under the late Malcolm Musgrove over the end of the 1975/76 and beginning of the 1976/77 campaigns.
By the time United play the next round of the Shield, those records will either have been broken or will still stand, and Buckle could then entertain making a change or two.
He added: "There were so many positives from Weymouth.
"We dealt with the whole night very professionally, and there were loads of good individual performances."
Buckle took Sills off at half-time, and he explained: "Tim's groin felt a bit sore.
"He wanted to give it a go for the start of the second half, but why take the risk? He should be fine for Evesham on Saturday."
There is a chance that winger Wayne Carlisle, who has been out for nearly three weeks with a thigh injury, could be fit for the FA Cup-tie.
"We've wanted to try and clear Wayne's injury up completely, rather than getting a game or two out of him and then having him drop out again," said Buckle.
"Wayne was scoring goals and creating them when he came out, but Mustapha Carayol has gone into the side and taken his chance really well."
Evesham are grappling with a fitness worry over centre-forward Gary Hay, who broke a hand in an FA Trophy defeat at Stourbridge last weekend.
The Robins, already without suspended defender Danny Hodnett, may risk Hay if he is happy to play with a protective bandage.
But manager Paul West is also believed to have been trying to sign a replacement this week.
Meanwhile, bottom of the table Lewes are the latest BSP club to admit major financial problems.
The board at the Dripping Pan ground has put the club up for sale, with their FA Cup defeat by Suffolk amateurs Leiston believed to be the last straw.
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