Buxton 2 Hednesford Town 2 - Report and pictures

It was an end-to-end start to the game with Matt Baker flashing a freekick wide for the hosts in the second minute before Anthony Dwyer fired a shot over the bar five minutes later for Town.

Hednesford goalkeeper James Wren was called into action in the 17th minute as he made low save from Liam Hardy.

In the 29th minute Dwyer stole the ball from the home side before playing a neat one-two with Joey Butlin and seeing his shot saved by Buxton goalkeeper Jan Budtz.

Baker saw another shot deflected wide in the 35th minute before a Lawrie freekick was saved two minutes later.

In the 39th minute the best chance of the half fell to the home side when Hardy was picked out but his shot from 10 yards was straight at Wren.

Budtz was called into action right on the stroke of halftime when a cross was flicked on by Glover to Butlin who saw his effort saved on the line.

Pitmen shot-stopper Wren was called into action twice at the start of the second half before the visitors took the lead in the 52nd minute when a cross in from Butlin wasn’t dealt with and Glover steadied himself before firing home from 15 yards.

The lead would last just six minutes though as a ball over the top saw Hednesford appeal for offside however Hardy was able to advance and fire past Wren to bring his side level.

Glover would head a corner wide in the 64th minute before James Lawrie fired a shot over the bar six minutes later.

It would be the home side that would edge ahead in the 72nd minute when a corner was flicked on leaving Hardy with a free header at the back post - which he cushioned into the net.

Hednesford thought that they had drawn level three minutes later when Glover fired home but he was deemed to be offside - despite the shot taking a deflection off the hosts defender.

Buxton had a chance to kill off the game in the 83rd minute but Alastair Taylor fired the ball over the bar from the edge of the box with just Wren to beat.

This would prove to be crucial as in the 86th minute Hednesford drew themselves level when Lawrie laid the ball off to Glover and his shot trickled over the line and into the net.

Hednesford now sensed victory and it almost came in the third minute of stoppage time when a cross in found Glover but the striker saw his shot saved on its way to goal.

The Pitmen now turn their attentions towards Tuesday’s home game against Basford United in the quarter-final of the Integro League Cup at Keys Park.

Teams

Buxton: Budtz, Meade (Oyibo 56), McWilliams, Maguire, Degirolamo, Ravenhill (Taylor 67), McGee, Hinsley, Wilson (Broadhead 80), Hardy, Baker

Subs not used: Doran, Grayson

Hednesford Town: Wren, Mendez-Jones, Curley, Bailey, Oli, Fitzpatrick, Dwyer, Thorley (Rea 72), Butlin (Graham 72), Glover, Lawrie

Subs not used: Harris, King, Gatter

Attendance: 366