"Bucks aiming to earn their stripes against the Tigers"

Match Date : April 10th, 2023 3:00 pm
Competition : National League North
Ground : New Bucks Head
Kick Off : 15:00

The Bucks will look to make it two wins from two over Easter, when Gloucester City come to the New Bucks Head on Monday.

Like the Bucks, the Tigers spent much of last season struggling at the wrong end of the table. A slow start to the campaign saw Paul Groves sacked at the end of September, with former Torquay United stalwart Lee Mansell taking the reins.

The Tigers’ improvement under their new manager was notable, with City losing just three of their final 17 games of the season – one of which was to the Bucks – to eventually end up 11 points clear of the drop in 17th.

And the Tigers have carried that momentum into the current campaign, albeit they dispensed of Mansell’s services in September after a mixed start. Former Whitehawk, Welling and Dartford boss Steve King is the new man in charge, and his side currently sit just two points outside of the playoff places in 8th. The Tigers are pushing for a top seven spot and have won five, drawn three and lost two of their last ten.

While last season’s uptick in form was largely based on an improved defensive performance, it’s going forward where Gloucester have excelled this year. Former Buck Dom McHale is one of three players to have reached double figures in the league for City (Matt McClure and Kieran Phillips being the other two), helping the Tigers to have the fifth-best attack in the division.

Gloucester ran out 3-0 winners when the sides met earlier in the season, but Telford won 2-1 in last year’s corresponding fixture at the New Bucks Head.

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MATCHDAY INFORMATION

Tickets for Monday’s fixture will remain on sale up until kick-off and are available for purchase online here.

For more information, please see our match guide.