Ashtonutd.com

Buxton beat the Robins at wintery Silverlands to keep their play off ambitions alive, whilst Danny Johnson's side still have some work to do to cement their Premier Division place for next season.
Buxton forced an early chance as Tony Lennon's corner fell to centre back Gregg Anderson,

whose shot went wide in what was an evenly contested opening half hour with Ashton more than a match for John Reed's Bucks.
Ian Bennett had three goal attempts in this time, the first following a Liam McManus pass that went wide of the left hand post, his second attempt went over from long range and then after Buxton failed to clear a free kick, Bennett struck a shot that went narrowly wide. In between time, the home side almost scored when the lively Lennon sent in a cross that deceived Damien Rooney but Liam McManus was able to make a clearance off the line.
Ashton were more than a match for the Derbyshire side and a free kick in a dangerous position gave Ben Smith a chance to add to his six goals this season, but his powerful strike by-passed the wall but Arron Reid made a good save to hold onto the ball.
The latter part of the half saw the Robins pegged back in their own half for long periods, Paul Walker headed into the path of Neil Ross, but his effort went wide.

Buxton took the lead just before the break as a Lennon corner was headed goalwards by Ross and although it was cleared off the line, Michael Towey was quickest to react and he prodded the ball home.
Both sides created chances in the opening to the second half, a long clearance by Rooney found it's way to Ian Fitzpatrick, but his shot was deflected wide of the target, whilst at the other end Walker wasted a good opening as he put a free header wide.
Ashton produced a move that saw Steve Garvey volley over the bar after a cross from Iain Howard wasn't cleared by the Buxton rearguard.
The game rested on two incidents inside five minutes of each other with the Robins denied what appeared to be a perfectly legibile goal as Ashton applied pressure from a free kick that the Bucks failed to deal with, Stuart Howson did well to retrieve the ball from the left and sent in a cross from which Matthew Flynn rose superbly to send a thunping header past Reid.
Both sets of players appeared to be heading back to the centre circle before the referee inexplicably decided that the Macclesfield Town loanee had fouled a Buxton defender and awarded a free kick.
It was a decision that was to cost Ashton dear as they fell two goals behind soon after as Buxton broke quickly after Ashton had been passing the ball around at will just inside the opposing half, but when Fitzpatrick was dispossessed the ball quickly found its way to Lennon, who showed speed similar to his Tottenham playing brother to race down the right channel and send in a cross that was headed home by Jason Bradley.
Ashton to their credit pushed forward in search of a goal, Smith shot from outside the area that went wide and Flynn proved his aerial prowess again by getting on the end of a Howard cross, only to head over the bar.Buxton wrapped the game up as former Ashton defender Terry Bowker cemented the man of the match award with a powerful header past Rooney from a Lennon corner to make it three.
The introduction of Ben Deegan gave the Buxton defenders several worrying moments and he earned a penalty as he fell under a challenge from Scott Maxfield, Fitzpatick dispatched the spot kick with venom past Reid.
Within minutes the Robins were denied what appeared an even more clear cut penalty as Fitzpatrick was held by Reid, but the appeals were waved a way and with it any hope of Ashton coming back from the dead.

 

Ashton Goals: Fitzpatrick (pen 87)

Team: Rooney, McManus, Caldecott (cpt), Bennett (Furnival), Flynn, Howson, O' Neill (Canning), Smith, Fitzpatrick, Garvey (Deegan), Howard

Subs not used: none

Buxton Goals: Towey (40), Bradley (65), Bowker (83)

Venue: The Silverlands

Attendance: 367

Ashtonutd.com Star Man: Ben Smith

 

Steve Lee