FC United's late wonder strike dashes Buxton's hopes of victory

A season-high gate of 1,206 packed into the Tarmac Silverlands Stadium to witness brave Buxton, who played half the match with 10 men, almost pull off an upset against an FC Utd side looking for an eighth consecutive league win.

The Bucks took a 26th-minute lead through the dangerous Diego De Girolamo, who seized on a bad back-pass to beat 'keeper Belford with an angled, low drive.

Returning from injury, Rod Orlando-Young was close to doubling the advantage within a minute, as was Simon Lenighan four minutes later.

Then came a major turning-point in the four minutes of added time caused by the serious leg injury suffered by the visitors' Alex Curran.

Diego broke through again but, one-on-one, fired too high and when Utd returned to the attack a penalty was awarded for a foul, with Linney converting for an undeserved equaliser.

The remarkably dramatic opening to the second half was barely under way when Buxton regained the lead, also from the penalty spot, after Diego was fouled. The striker himself netted confidently, in the absence of the injured Liam Hardy, to take his goals tally to 21 in his last 20 (1) appearances.

Then, almost immediately, Connor O'Grady's foul on Owolabi at half-way saw him sent off and from that time the Bucks had to withstand increasing pressure, which they did with great and impressive resilience as 'keeper Grant Shenton produced a man-of-the-match display, notably with his feet to thwart Doyle's downward header.

The miss-of-the-match, however, fell to Utd's substitute striker, Morecambe loanee Hawley, who,with his first touch, planted a free header from an Ennis lofted pass over the bar. Meanwhile, even without the injured Diego from the hour mark, the Bucks continued to offer an occasional threat on the counter with Alex Byrne now the spearhead and in the 89th minute he, Kristian Scott and Lenighan combined for the latter to shoot over the angle.

It proved telling as Ennis powered a wonder strike from 20 yards under the angle that even Shenton couldn't reach, with full-time fast approaching and Buxton in sight of a famous victory.

That was cruel indeed but for a fourth time the Bucks had surrendered a one-goal lead in the closing minutes, for a total of eight points lost, to leave the club in 21st place.

Yet with more than a third of the season remaining to retain NPL Premier Division status and with the spirit and quality shown in this most enthralling encounter, there is scope for hope.

Team: Shenton, Mendez-Jones, Brown, Lenighan, N De Girolamo, O'Grady, A Byrne, Scott, D De Girolamo (Harrison), Clarke (Chalmers), Orlando-Young. Unused Subs: Padden, K Byrne & Allen.