Buxton make a ‘Golden return’ to league action at Stockport

Buxton started the game, in a similar fashion to the previous week's encounter, playing with high tempo, strong running, and looking to exploit the space behind Stockport's defence.

During the opening minutes, Buxton found themselves deep inside Stockport’s half facing a Stockport put into the scrum.

However, with Buxton’s scrum looking solid straight away they took one against the head, with captain Golden picking up at the base of the scrum and then subsequently tearing apart the Stockport defence to score the first of his three tries of the afternoon.

Full credit must go to Edwards, Carter and Stone, who were solid all afternoon in only their second outing together. The conversion by Sircar put Buxton into a 7-0 lead.

Buxton continued to press from the restart, again playing a territory game, with some good tactical awareness from Welburn and chasing up by Sutherland to apply pressure to Stockport’s back three. The result was a Buxton turnover, leading to the ball being fed out to Golden for a further Buxton try before half-time, Sircar again with the extras.

Buxton were forced to make a change with Burton having to leave the field following some big defensive collisions.

For the second half, Buxton played up the hill on a minor gradient and into a slight headwind.

With this in mind, Buxton changed tactics for the second half, keeping the ball in hand, using strong ball carriers to punch holes in the Stockport defence.

When Stockport did have the ball in hand it was met with sharp Buxton resistance, with strong tackling from Holt and Robinson in the centres.

An early Stockport attack in Buxton’s half was thwarted by their defence and then the ball stripped by the arriving Golden, who broke free of the maul and set off sprinting to the halfway line, with ever present Pullen in support on his shoulder.

Golden drew the defence and then fed Pullen who, finding a gap on halfway, burst through and raced away to score Buxton's third try of the afternoon, converted by Sircar.

With Buxton 21 points to the good, Stockport were forced to try their hand.

However, great work in the tight from forwards Boon and the Barber brothers ensured it was either slow ball or turned over by good counter rucking.

From this, Buxton often found themselves with turnover ball in their own half and into the headwind and it was Buxton's back line that went on the attack, only for the final pass to go to ground.

Both Sircar at full back and Leah and Munn on the wings were a constant threat all afternoon.

Buxton continued to apply pressure to the Stockport defence, with scrum half Jackson marshalling the troops well and providing good service to the backs all afternoon in what was to be another strong performance by the Buxton nine.

In the final third, continued Buxton pressure was rewarded with a number of attacking phases being strung together before finally the ever present and powerful Golden, touched down for his hat-trick. Sircar completed a faultless afternoon with the boot, to put Buxton into a 28-0 lead.

With 10 minutes remaining and four tries to the good, Buxton let their foot of the gas a little and to their credit Stockport never gave up.

With Stockport's good attacking back line a constant threat out wide all afternoon they were rewarded with two well worked tries in the corner before the final whistle.

This Saturday sees Buxton return to Sunnyfields for their first long-awaited home fixture against Old Bedians (3pm).

There will also be a buffet lunch provided in the clubhouse for members and supporters alike to mark the occasion.