Bucks’ unbeaten run ends at Darlo

​By failing to do enough to build on a most fortuitous one-goal lead, Buxton forfeited all three points in the north-east as desperate Darlington, battling to avert the distinct threat of relegation, earned a vital and deserved victory that was only their third at home in 17 fixtures.

The Quakers soon showed intent, with Cedric Main firing high into the side-netting and co-striker Jarrett Rivers missing his side's best first-half chance by glancing a header wide of the far post.

The game already had a different feel to the clean-sheet victories at high-flying Chester and Curzon Ashton, as the Bucks, lacking the injured Tuesday scorers Ben Andreucci and Jake Wright, mounted no serious threat to the home goal as their passing game wasn't developed and replacement strikers Tommy Elliott (who was returning to one of his former clubs) and Eoin McKeown proved ineffective as a partnership.

Meanwhile the hosts controlled possession but were well contained by the Buxton rearguard before the goal arrived in the 35th minute as home defender Scott Barrow headed past his own advancing 'keeper.

The Bucks didn't take further advantage, other than for McKeown robbing Ben Hedley on the right at half-way and running on without earning more than a corner-kick. The hosts recovered with Jake Hull heading away from the goal-line and Joe Young forced to make a tip-over save.

Into the second-half the pattern stayed much the same as Darlington probed for penetration from most of the possession, while Buxton had no cutting edge to their few, unconvincing, attacks.

Then in the 70th minute came the equaliser in imaginative fashion. From a left-flank corner-kick substitute Andrew Nelson's back-heeled flick hoisted the ball to the unguarded far post where striker Mitchell Curry saw it over the goal-line.

The goal immediately inspired the Quakers and the Bucks could only stem the tide for another five minutes when Nelson seized on a headed half-clearance to drive home low and diagonally from 18 yards for the winner as Buxton’s six-match unbeaten run ended in the process.