Buxton 5-1 Belper - match report

A brace apiece from Liam Hardy and Mark Reed did the damage, with Jamei Green netting inbetween.

The Bucks started brightly with Alastair Taylor making threatening runs down the right and it wasn’t long before they were presented with the chance to open the scoring.

Liam Hardy won the penalty after being felled by Belper stopper James Martin in the area.

Hardy stepped up but was denied by a good save down to this right by Martin.

That setback failed to affect the Bucks, as it took them less than a minute to get the ball into the net.

Hardy tapped in after Greg Young’s knock-down header for goal number nine of the season.

The rest of the half was one-way traffic with Martin McIntosh’s team looking to increase their lead at every opportunity.

Craig King and Jonathan Williams linked up well before the latter’s shot sailed past the post and then Neil Stevens carved out space before seeing a daisycutter just go wide.

Hardy then almost doubled his tally for the afternoon after a glorious move down the right.

Taylor and Tuton played an excellent one-two before setting up Hardy, who turned and flicked an effort just wide of the left-hand post in what was another let-off for the Nailers.

Seconds later Hardy’s fine header was tipped away excellently by Martin before the ‘keeper again made a couple of saves to ensure it remained 1-0 at the break.

Belper had a better start to the second half with more possession, fluidity and chances but Arron Jameson and his defence remained resolute before the lead was eventually doubled.

Hardy took his season tally into double figures on the hour mark when he volleyed in after substitute Mark Reed headed the ball into his path.

Not long after the Bucks made it three with the goal of the day.

Williams started it when he picked up the ball on the left and hit a long, raking pass and the move involved Tuton and Derek Niven before Jamie Green finished it off.

The full-back scored his second of the campaign by drilling an effort beyond Martin much to the delight of the home support.

A switch-off in defence then allowed the bottom-of-the-table Nailers to pull a goal back.

Some clever skill on the wing by Colin Marrison allowed him to ark a cross into the area that found the head of Jon Froggatt, who headed beyond Jameson.

Bucks then had to settle the storm and were soon back on the attack, with Reed almost getting on the end of a whipped cross from Green.

It soon was four and it was largely down to the excellent work of Tuton.

The forward produced a clever flick near the byline to ghost past his marker before taking on two defenders.

He then produced a cross to pick out Reed, whose volley flew beyond Martin.

Reed was then first to the ball at the near-post to squeeze in his second of the day late on to cap off a fine afternoon.

Bucks: Jameson, Stevens, Palmer, Green, Young, Williams, Taylor, Niven (Davies 78), Tuton, Hardy (Istead 76), King (Reed 51).

Subs not used: Reay, Ryan, Davies, Istead.

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