Buxton keep play-off hopes alive with convincing win at Scarborough

Apart from the opening quarter-hour of the second half when Boro seemed capable of equalising Kieran Burton's 35th-minute goal, the Bucks mostly had firm control of the proceedings thanks to the quality of their trio of centre-backs and quartet of central midfielders.

Three changes had been made: of goalkeeper, full-back and striker, with True Grant displacing Paul Cooper, Kez Martin replacing Josh Williams and Johnny Johnston back for Ben Sault. Yet it was the outstanding Ollie Ewing who shone first, firing in two shots, the first hitting Cian Coleman's heels and the second drawing a full-stretch low parry by home 'keeper Whitley.

However, disaster nearly happened in the ninth minute when Grant delayed a clearance so that it struck onrushing home forward Walker, but the rebound fortuitously cleared the bar.

Some 20 minutes later though, the 'keeper made a fine save to deny Reed's angled drive and ex-Silverlander, Alex Brown, soon afterwards shot against the bar's underside in the hosts' only threatening first-half spell. The latter was later named Scarborough's Man-of-the-Match.

These escapes proved a turning-point as Buxton then netted a precisely-constructed goal. Luke Brennan's long-struck, lofted free-kick from the right flank was headed back and downwards by Bobby Faulkner for ex-Scarborough man Burton to swivel and net low inside a post from 10 yards.

Boro's response was Brown's speculative 30-yard drive but the effort found Grant's midriff.

Unsurprisingly as the second half opened, the Seadogs showed an urgency and determination rarely seen earlier and exerted a degree of pressure as Grant first parried a long cross onto a home forward, with the rebound hitting the side-netting.

Then the 'keeper successfully punched away a lofted free-kick from the right flank, allowing the Bucks just two minutes later to crucially double their advantage.

Martin initiated the move which led to Connor Kirby's firm, eight-yard shot that Whitley parried but Coleman was on hand to net his ninth BFC goal in composed fashion.

Scarborough looked deflated and the Bucks ruthlessly made it 3-0 four minutes later. Ewing won a tackle in the centre circle for Johnston to profit, running onto his measured pass to the right to drive home from 12 yards.

Both sides made substitutions but the visitors' comfortable situation remained unruffled apart from an 81st-minute Grant error from which Walker made a hash of his opportunity to score.

Buxton's clearest victory yet at the Sports Village produced a sixth 'double' of the season and moved the club up to ninth, with just two points separating Buxton and fifth-placed Chorley, who are the Good Friday visitors to the Tarmac Silverlands Stadium (at 3pm).