Bucks have the battling qualities needed for glory

That is the view of assistant manager Tim Ryan after the Bucks came from behind to win 2-1 and end a wobble of one point from the previous nine available to keep up the pressure at the top of the Premier Division.

“We finally ground them down and won the battle and the pleasing thing for me and the gaffer in that second half was we showed our battling qualities against one of the biggest, strongest sides in the league,” said Ryan.

“It’s what you need at this time of the season.

“They had beaten us a couple of weeks before, so we knew they were a decent side themselves and it was going to be tough.

“But our second half performance really showed the fight the lads have got and their ambition to finish the season on a high.

“We were 1-0 down and Liam (Hardy) got two goals which was valuable. He is a valuable player for us.

“The second half performance was where we are aiming to be at and we need to keep it up there.

“What we showed second half was battling qualities, not so much football. “Stafford are a big, strong physical side, probably one of the biggest and most physical in the league. A lot of our lads had to stand up to the battle and they did it with aplomb.”

Buxton, in fourth place, this weekend host a Frickley Athletic side in 20th place.

“Frickley are not so much fighting for their lives, but they are down and in and among it at the bottom end,” said Ryan.

“They went to Nantwich last night and lost 3-2, but they stayed in the game until the end and scored two late goals. They have all the battling qualities – and they do it year in, year out. So we know it’s going to be a really tough battle.

“The ideal scenario is we go into the game, the lads are at the races and we win the game. But we know the job in hand. Conditions will be heavy and we have to show all the qualities we showed second half last week to come out winners.”

On Tuesday night the Bucks went out of the Derbyshire Senior Cup with a 3-0 semi-final defeat at Gresley, but were delighted to use the game to top up match fitness for the squad.

“It was a chance for five or six lads who have not been getting many games in recent weeks,” said Ryan.

“A lot of them got 90 minutes under their belts, which was pleasing.

“It was a scrappy game in heavy conditions. They got the goals at the right times – an early goal at the start of the first half and an early goal at the start of the second half.

“Our lads worked hard without really creating much. But the real priority last night was looking towards Saturday and getting 90 minutes under lads’ belts.”

However, one worry is the fitness of left back Jamie Green, who ended up in hospital with an arm injury by half-time.

“Jamie got studs in his arm so we took him to Burton Hospital last night and got stitches in it and taped up.

“It was a bit of a shake-up for Greeny but nothing major.

“We are unsure at this moment in time if he will be fit for the weekend as it was an open wound – a gash on his arm.

“We are hoping for him to be fit. Over the last four or five years he has been one of the mainstays of our side and done really well for us.

“His consistency is important to us so we hope he will be playing.”