Buckie Ladies get set to defend league and cup crowns after fairytale season of triumph
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LEAGUE and cup double winners Buckie Ladies are expecting to face a stern test when they get their new competitive campaign under way at the start of next month.
The team swept all before them in what was a fairytale season, claiming the League Cup in a nail-biting penalty shootout against Sutherland before taking the league crown without kicking a ball when challengers Clach were beaten by Inverness Caley.
It was a testament to the club's stellar development, having scant years before regularly been on the wrong end of double-digit defeats.
The end of the season also marked a change on the coaching for Buckie Ladies, with Mel Smith stepping down from her role as manager after four years and her former assistant, Laura Duncan, moving up to the hotseat.
She said: "It was quite an electrifying season, it took a long while to sink what we'd achieved.
"However, we're the league and cup double winners so we're going to be the team other sides want to beat – everyone will want a piece of us.
"I'd say Clach will be the biggest threat again, they're a very consistent side. However, I think Nairn will be one to watch, too, they've been improving a lot and have a good, young squad.
"We're always looking to welcome more players to our squad. We've had some players move on for different reasons since the end of last season and we need to add some depth to the squad and freshen things up.
"We got a lot of injuries at the moment and the weather hasn't helped with training."
While the team may in the short term be needing players the longer term is looking very rosy indeed.
Duncan continued: "We've got some players coming through from the development side who are training with the senior team and I'm keeping an eye on them.
"Overall, the development side of Buckie Ladies is going really well, there're about 50 girls signed up to the under-8, 10, 12 and 16 teams and hopefully next season we'll have an under-14 side, too so we'll have a team for every age group.
"The future is looking very bright."
Buckie Ladies had been due to face Nairn at Gordon Park, Portgordon on Sunday, March 26 but the game was postponed. They will now get the defence of their title on the road on Sunday, April 2 with the stiffest of possible tests away to Clach. Kick-off time is currently billed as 3pm but keep an eye on the Buckie Ladies Facebook page for updates on this.
Missing from the league this year will be Kirkwall City Ladies and Inverness Caley, with Ross and Cromarty Women making their debut.
The senior team train at Portgordon on Tuesday evenings from 6.30pm to 8pm – anyone interested in signing up is asked to message the club's Facebook page for more details.
For information on the joining one of the development teams, visit the Buckie Girls Football Club Facebook page.
Buckie Ladies had their first pre-season run out on Sunday, March 19 when they faced the newly formed Elgin City Ladies FC at Gordon Park, Portgordon. The ring rusty champions, who had not played a full game since October, were just edged out 4-3 by the new kids on the block.
Elgin hope to join the fifth tier of women's football this August.
