TT BLOG

Ben Wade

Ben discusses a hot afternoon at Bucks!

Local Newton Abbot side Buckland Athletic welcomed the Gulls for a first pre-season friendly of 2025. It was a 12.30 lunch time kick off in the bright, Saturday sunshine as the refreshed players returned for the new season ahead.

The United starting line-up was a pretty full strength team with new signings Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Jordan Thomas and Louis Dennis all starting.

TUFC dominated from the off as some questionable Buckland passing led to a Thomas shot being stabbed home by a fully fit and lively Dylan Morgan on 12 minutes. All three signings who were playing in the first half looked sharp and keen to impress.

Paul Wotton’s side kept stringing together positive patterns of play as Jordan Young danced into the penalty area and was tripped. The number 8 got up and swept the penalty low to the keeper’s left for 2-0. Instantly, Buckland gifted Torquay the ball again and Hayfield squared it for Morgan to finish well. 3-0 to Torquay at half time.

The second half saw the tempo of the match slow down as TUFC had changed their full eleven by the hour mark. This new look team consisted of various trialists as well as Nash Sundire who looked sharp in the centre. Cody Cooke could’ve headed home from a corner and Buckland had a snapshot but very little goalmouth action occurred in the last 45 minutes. Our first friendly this year ended in a 3-0 comfortable victory for The Gulls.

Unfortunately, Sonny Fish and Callum Dolan missed out due to injury but multiple fresh recruitments impressed in this positive display. Lo-Everton looks like a quality technical ball-player in the middle of the park and had a phenomenal first touch in his first 45 minutes for United.

As we have already seen, Thomas played very well and bombed forward on many occasions. Louis Dennis was a real threat upfront and had deadly movement as well as hitting the crossbar with a header. Sundire showed good vision and played a decent half an hour.

Overall, it was a great day for Buckland and TUFC performed well on a positive an encouraging match up.