Moore joy for Bucks as Byron blasts late stunner

Moore, who celebrated his 36th birthday on Saturday, took advantage of a real Shakespearean tragedy of a clearance from Bards’ keeper Callum Smith, who kicked the ball straight to Moore.

The veteran midfielder, so calm in possession, aimed and sailed a shot from nearly 40 yards over Smith to seal the outcome.

Overall, the Bucks deserved the victory, but they had to work hard for it after once again not putting an opponent to the sword.

The Bucks were by far the more enterprising side in the opening 45 minutes, but all they had to show for it was Dior Angus’ 25th-minute penalty conversion.

Angus earned the opportunity from the spot by inviting an injudicious challenge from Smith, who had an afternoon of extreme contrasts. Angus struck home the spot-kick and should have scored again before the end of the half, with both he and Moore fluffing their lines from a Nathan Fox left-wing cross.

Stratford introduced midfielder Josh Hawker at the interval, and when he started to pull a few strings, they drew level. Callum Ebanks fired in a near-post shot that Brandon Hall blocked, but the ball spun loose for Dan Lafferty to pounce from barely a yard out.

The game remained entertaining, but a positive outcome for either side looked unlikely until Moore punished Smith’s error, which was a goal worthy of winning any game.

Smith achieved partial redemption with a fantastic save to deny Moore a second goal with an injury-time stop when Ellis Brown’s pinpoint cross found his colleague.

Such is the nature of being a goalkeeper that it counted for little, given Smith’s earlier errors.