Buckingham kick-started the new year with a topsy-turvy 20-15 win against Maidenhead in South West One East.
Without a game for a month, this was Buckingham’s first outing in 2014 but they showed no signs of rustiness to rack up an impressive victory over the high-flying visitors despite trailing 10-0 at the break.
With key players restored back to full fitness, Buck began positively with fly-half Andy White putting a drop goal narrowly wide before striking the crossbar with a penalty attempt on seven minutes.
Both sides were being penalised with monotonous regularity, but Maidenhead finally got it right at the end of the first quarter when they scored a converted try.
Buckingham continued to have the better of the territory but it was Maidenhead who, despite having a player sin binned, struck again with a penalty just before half-time, as Buckingham ended the period with 14 men after a second rower was yellow carded.
The home side remained positive after the resumption, though, and eventually they found the breakthrough. A long-kick from defence caught the visiting full-back in two minds on his own try line and, after putting the ball into touch, quick-thinking from Seth Williams saw Buckingham take full advantage of Maidenhead’s hesitancy as his throw found James Temple, who went over in the corner.
Immediately, Buckingham gathered the Maidenhead kick-off and another storming run by Phil Wright took him deep into the visitors half, with the ball then recycled to the left-wing where James Hulston powered across to bring the scores level.
The flurry of tries continued as Maidenhead went back in front, but Buckingham now had the momentum as another Wright surge was carried on by Henry Colvey, who offloaded to Andrew Jackson and the centre charged through some half-hearted tackling to score.
White converted to give Buckingham the lead for the first time and they proceeded to take control with a late White penalty securing a victory that will give them plenty of confidence ahead of a trip to Marlow this weekend.