Deja-vu as Buxton let it slip late again against Kettering Town

It was deja-vu with a vengeance - and versus lower-half teams in Blyth Spartans and Kettering, whom the Bucks were surely confident of defeating.

Yet this was an evenly-fought, entertaining encounter as both sides competed hard for full points.

The visitors both started and finished the better, with Peterborough United loanee Andrew Oluwabori, the Poppies' penetrative attacker, netting in the ninth and 90th minutes.

Having already proved himself a threatening attacker with a long run forward, he gave the Poppies the lead with a perfectly-placed,16-yard drive away from the reach of the diving Theo Richardson.

However, the Bucks responded admirably with a brace of goals inside five minutes.

It was the first time in the NLN that they had scored more than once.

In the 18th minute, Jason Gilchrist's accurate squared pass from the left found Serhat Tasdemir, whose 18-yard, firm shot passed under the diving Cameron Gregory, the former Shrewsbury goalkeeper.

Just four minutes later, after Richardson had crucially blocked a close-range shot, Buxton went 2-1 up.

Warren Clarke, able to attack more frequently than of late, surged past defender White on the left to cross low for a tap-in by Gilchrist, who showed up well throughout.

Then the Bucks had reason to feel hard done by when a quickly-taken free-kick found Gilchrist totally unmarked close to goal but a re-take, that proved unprofitable, was ordered.

Yet on 38 minutes they had only themselves to blame for not taking a potentially decisive 3-1 lead when a defensive blunder put Diego De Girolamo through on goal for his best chance so far in open play.

But keeper Gregory, villain turning hero for his team, saved the striker's shot with his legs. A turning-point it seemed and so it eventually proved to be.

Exchanges continued to be even after the interval, though visiting captain Gary Stohrer grew increasingly influential in midfield as Town made all three substitutions between the 54th and 68th minutes.

Buxton's introduction of the hard-working Lindon Meikle after the hour improved the home midfield but nonetheless Town twice hit the frame of the goal, firstly with Stohrer's 18-yard drive rebounding from a post, then with Cooper's header, from a corner-kick, thudding against the bar, followed by Richardson making a fine punch away under pressure.

Unhappily for Buxton, Kettering gained their reward in the 90th minute as inexplicably the unmarked Oluwabori headed home a long free-kick from the left.

Even then, both teams had a chance for a winner in the eight minutes of added time.

Shaun Brisley had a firm header caught by Gregory, while Richardson saved low and well from substitute Ward's drive.