Buxton’s biggest win demolishes Darlington as Sam Osborne hits a hat-trick

It was a well-deserved victory for the Bucks to complete a splendid week of three wins, three clean sheets and 11 goals scored.

The Quakers have yet to win after four visits and ended the afternoon with 10 men, while the hosts are now 13 unbeaten at home in league and county cup since January 21st.

For the first time this season, manager Craig Elliott had a fully-fit squad from which to choose, though winger Sam Smart was absent after a close family bereavement.

The manager opted for a back four, with Eoin McKeown an interesting and successful selection in an advanced midfield role often filled by Tommy Elliott, who returned after injury as a second-half substitute.

Jake Wright replaced Jordan Burrow as the central striker and showed exactly why the manager has recruited him from his former club, Boston United.

Others particularly to impress were summer newcomers Sam Minihan and Curtis Weston, but it was first-half hat-trick man Osborne, for the second consecutive Saturday, who earned the Man-of-the-Match award.

On a lovely, sunny afternoon, Buxton first attacked the Ashwood End with Weston almost immediately cutting through to the right by-line and hitting the post from an impossible angle.

No surprise then that the Bucks led from the 10th minute with the best of their fve goals. The ever-industrious Connor Kirby delivered an inch-perfect diagonal pass to the left for Osborne to meet first-time and strike past ex-Silverlands keeper,Tommy Taylor.

It was virtually all Buxton for the first 20 minutes but the visitors then had a quarter-hour's majority of possession without looking a threat, though keeper Max Dearnley impressed with a high catch and hold under pressure at a corner-kick.

Both teams had been undefeated over the Bank Holiday weekend, so the expected close encounter was developing but suddenly Osborne transformed the complexion of the afternoon by completing his hat-trick inside three minutes.

Coincidentally, the goals on 35 and 37 minutes came at exactly the same times as had been the case versus Blyth a week ago.

The 2-0 goal, rolled in centrally at point-blank range, resulted from Wright's clever, skilful work, while Weston's superb through-ball released Osborne for the decisive third.

There could even have been a fourth Buxton goal by the interval after Osborne had robbed right-back Griffiths but for the only time he didn't make the most of the opening.

Just prior to half-time the Quakers came closest to a goal as York loanee, Barnes, delivered a dangerous low cross for Minihan to clear from beneath the bar.

The story of the second half resulted from the events of the 53rd minute as Buxton continued to attack fluently.

McKeown and Osborne did the midfield spadework for Jak McCourt's 20-yard drive against the bar. As the ball came down, there was a clear foul on McKeown and McCourt again netted most impressively from the penalty spot.

Meanwhile Quakers' ex-Wrexham and Harrogate Town centre-back, Jake Lawlor, was sent off for the foul.

At 4-0 the contest was effectively over as the totally deflated visitors sought only damage limitation, with the hosts coasting to victory yet missing more goal-scoring opportunities.

The unmarked Jake Hull sent a free header, from Kirby's curling, lofted free-kick, over the bar, then Taylor made the save of the day to deny Diego De Girolamo's right-footed effort.

But the substitute had the last word by making it 5-0 as he netted from 10 yards at the second attempt in the seventh minute of added time.