09 March 2010       Attendance: 477

The points were shared in the A6 ‘derby’ on Tuesday evening but both teams came close to claiming victory from an absorbing encounter. Having controlled must of the first half play and leading 1-0 at the break, Buxton had two good opportunities to double their advantage in the opening 5 minutes of the second period but first the crossbar and then ‘keeper Sollitt denied Cayne Hanley and Mark Reed respectively. ‘The Bucks’ remained in charge for several more minutes until, out of the blue,the home emn in blue at last clicked into attacking gear, equalised just past the hour and were denied full reward by the skill and athleticism of Scott Hartley, who pulled off several excellent saves.

The visitors endured an early scare when a forward pass by winger Ben Algar, Town’s one attacking threat of the first half, produced some desperate defending but they soon settled to their passing game and looked the superior force. From a Grant Black cross, Reed headed over the bar then the full-back’s free-kick was headed into the side netting by Michael Towey, but ‘the Bucks’ did score after 17 minutes with a delightfully constructed goal. Tommy Agus advanced on the left, Kieran Lugsden turned well and from his short, low cross, Reed netted from close range off Sollitt’s body. With Lee Morris not recovered from injury, Reed was partnered up front by Hanley and he proved an handful for the experienced but slower Matlock centre-backs, Haran and Lukic. On the stroke of half-time his 20-yard drive went close after he had unsettled the town centre-backs by running at pace.

After the interval Buxton continued where they had left off. From a Scott Maxfield corner, first skipper Gregg Anderson then Towey contributed intelligent headers but Hanley’s rising, close-range strike hit the top of the bar and flew over. Only 3 minutes later Ridley and Agus opened up Town’s right-flank but Reed’s far-post, downward header from the resulting cross was superbly saved by Sollitt.

Matlock’s revival came suddenly. Benger had substituted for the ineffective ex-Buck Jordan Hall but it was a long ball from another ex-Silverlander, Scott Brough, which put Ross Hannah away on the left, forcing Hartley to save with his feet. Almost immediately the Buxton ‘keeper made a flying save from a King header but then he was beaten by Hannah’s well-placed shot. First Joynes and them Hannah spurned half-chances for Matlock but after 70 minutes Hartley was at full stretch to keep out King’s shot across goal. Gradually, Buxton weathered the storm and much of the remaining play was evenly contested though both Anderson and Reed had to make timely interventions to safeguard the visitors point.      

Team: Scott Hartley, Grant Black, Tommy Agus, Sam Liversidge, Gregg Anderson, Scott Maxfield, Lieran Lugsden, Michael Towey, Mark Reed, Cayne Hanley, Steve Ridley
Subs: Joe Wilcox (Hanley), Christian Millar (Towey), Charlie Vize, Neil Stevens (Lugsden),
Goalscorers: Reed