A man of the match performance from the experienced Andy Warrington, earned Buxton a replay against Darlo in a game that was packed full of attacking football, mainly from Darlo.
From the off Darlo started the much better, getting the ball down well, freely passing it about and it didn't take long for Darlo's first effort of the match. Steven Thompson jinxed past 2-3 Buxton defenders before unleashing a shot from just outside the box, that had to be tipped over the bar by Warrington in the Buxton net. That effort pretty much set the tone for the 1st half, with Buxton camped in their own half for much of the early stages and it was doing Darlo's corner count no harm! Corner after corner from Galbraith, were constantly causing Buxton's defence problems and the ball was forever having to be scrambled away from danger.
Buxton however did eventually manage to settle the game down and have a chance of their own, a cross was put in towards the back post but the effort was wasted and went out for a goal kick. Once again Darlo had another period in which they were on top, after some good work down the line by Dowson the striker managed to pull the ball back for Davis, who hit the ball with some force that would of stung the hands of Warrington, who made the save look easy. Warrington was dealing with chance after chance, a shot across the floor by Edwards was comfortably saved down low and from the resulting corner, the ball went all the way through before being cleared off the line, how darlo weren't already leading was a mystery! The last real chance of the half went to Buxton, only for Bell to brilliantly save down low at the post from a lee Morris header.
The first half was very much dominated by Darlo but just like Monday night, chances weren't being converted which was really frustrating.
Into the second half and both teams were getting in some early chances, nothing that caused either keeper real danger up until the 57th minute. A crossed whipped in from the right by Leon Osborne found an unmarked Lee Morris at the back post who, with the goal at his mercy, somehow managed to fire his header over the bar, a massive let off for Darlo!
Just 3 minutes later though, Steven Thompson punished Morris's miss with a wonderful solo effort, turning in from the right, Thompson took the ball past 2 defenders before hitting a ferocious shot with his left foot that found the top corner. It was nothing more than what Darlo deserved after dominating long periods of the game, shortly after the restart though, Buxton ceased control of the game.
On 64 minutes Bruno Pilatos misjudged a cross and the on rushing Buxton forward toe poked the ball towards home but for a last ditch clearance off the line from Alan white. And just a minute later Darlo were yet again let off the hook, a goal bound shot from Lee Morris, after a corner was swing in from the right, was well blocked by Leon Scott at the back post. Darlo then went straight up the pitch and a powerful effort from Dowson was well saved by Warrington with his legs, but just a minute later Buxton went on the counter and a deflected cross from Buxton full back Grant Black, found Matt Thornhill in the box who bulleted a header past a stranded Mark Bell, into the top corner of the goal.
With both teams going for it the match had quickly turned into a game of end to end football, brilliant to watch for a neutral but nerve racking for both sets of supporters.
Thompson was really making Warrington work for his wages this afternoon, the winger got in a couple of decent efforts towards the end, one brought a good save round the post from Warrington and the other, a free kick that just went wide of the goal.
Then came the most brutal moment of the game! Thompson took on the defender, got into the penalty box before eventually being brought down under a clumsy challenge, PENALTY TO DARLO IN THE 92ND MINUTE! Up stepped Thompson against Warrington, who remember has had a cracking game so far and what do you think happened? Thompson went to place the ball but Warrington parried the ball away into the path of an on rushing David Dowson, and guess what? Warrington saved the rebound! That turned out to be the last chance of a match that Darlo probably should of won, but for the heroics of Warrington in the Buxton net.
Buxton starting line up: Warrington, Black, Green, Istead, Palmer, Ryan, Thornhill, Stevens (Lugsden 56), Morris, Osborne (Broadhead 90), King
Darlington starting line up: Bell, Pilatos, Scott, White, Hunter, Davis, Edwards,Thompson, Galbraith (J Robinson 64), Dowson, Johnson
Man of the match for me has to be Andy Warrington, single handedly kept Darlo at bay for the full 90 minutes.
Attendance: 443
The replay will be played this Wednesday night at Heritage Park.
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