"Bucks out to overcome away day blues at Marine"

Match Date : November 11th, 2025 7:45 pm
Competition : National League North
Ground : Rossett Park
Kick Off : 19:45

The games continue to come thick and fast for the Bucks with a Tuesday night trip to Merseyside to take on Marine.

The Mariners have had an interesting few years in recent times. After 40 consecutive seasons at the highest level of the Northern Premier League, the Crosby-based outfit suffered their first-ever relegation in 2018-19, but two promotions in the next three seasons saw Marine climb up to Step 2 for the first time. The Mariners also famously made it to the FA Cup Third Round in 2020-21, eventually going down 5-0 at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Marine had looked destined for an immediate return to Step 3 for much of last season. The Mariners had collected just 21 from 23 games up to the New Year, but they then claimed 23 points in an impressive nine-match unbeaten run in February and March that saw them move clear of danger to an eventual 15-place finish.

The man in charge from that relegation up until the end of last season was Neil Young. However, Young relinquished his role as manager in April to become the club’s inaugural Director of Football, with former Fleetwood and Shrewsbury man Bobby Grant taking the reins at Rossett Park. Grant, who previously had a stint as player manager of Radcliffe, captained Marine last season but hung up his boots in the summer to take on his first solely managerial role.

Grant’s men have made a mixed start to the campaign, winning seven, losing seven and drawing two of their 16 games so far. Losses to struggling Alfreton Town and Peterborough Sports have come alongside wins over promotion-chasers Merthyr, Scarborough and Buxton. But while there may have been some cold spells, Marine have blown hot enough so far to sit comfortably in 11th place on 23 points, only four off the playoff places.

The most notable of the previous meetings between the two sides came back in May 2007, when two late penalties from Lee Moore saw the Bucks grind out a 2-0 win over the Mariners in the playoff semi final en route to eventual promotion to the Conference North.

The Bucks would take a repeat outcome this time around and will be looking to build on an encouraging performance at Macclesfield on Saturday. Kevin Wilkin’s men ended the Silkmen’s six-game winning run with a 1-1 draw at Moss Rose, although the Bucks continue to search for a first away league win this season. And with only the bottom four sides having scored fewer than Marine’s 17 goals for, it feels like a game in which the first goal could be particularly important.

MATCHDAY INFORMATION

You can purchase tickets online in advance via the Marine website.

Website: www.marinefc.com

Ground Address: The Marine Travel Arena, College Road, Liverpool L23 3AS