Buckley: We miss Macca (From The Argus)

Buckley: We miss Macca

9:30am Thursday 4th October 2012 in Albion By Brian Owen

Will Buckley causes problems against Ipswich on Tuesday

Will Buckley admits Albion are missing the predatory instincts of their top marksman.

Now he has set himself the target of at least seven more goals this season to help share the attacking load.

Albion must again make do without six-goal Craig Mackail-Smith, who hit the winner at Derby last season, when they return to Pride Park on Saturday.

He is due to return from a hamstring injury for the visit of Middlesbrough after the international break.

Buckley, whose goal saved a point against Ipswich on Tuesday, admitted: “I think when Macca is not there you can see what he brings to the team.

“When players are not on the pitch, that is when you realise how much they mean to us.

“But we have got a big squad so hopefully the players who are filling in can produce the goods like he was doing.”

Buckley came off the bench to net from close range against Ipswich.

His 80th-minute strike headed off a second successive home defeat.

It was one of the few times an Albion player got into the heart of the six-yard box in the absence of Mackail-Smith.

But they are down to third in the Championship ahead of the trip to Derby.

Buckley, who has scored twice this term, revealed: “I want to get more goals. I always want to score goals and hopefully I can beat the eight I got last season.

“It was good play down the right and I just thought ‘I’ve got to get in the box’and it just landed to me.”