N C East Prem Div                              Sat 26 March 2005

GLASSHOUGHTON WELFARE                  3                      BUXTON                                                   2    

ALTHOUGH APPEARING A LITTLE RUSTY WELFARE MADE LIGHT OF THEIR RECENT ENFORCED BREAK AND THE EARLY KICK OFF, TAKING THE GAME TO VISITORS OF GENERALLY LARGER ALL ROUND PHYSIQUE, BY NETTING THREE TIMES BEFORE THE INTERVAL, AND IN DOING SO GIVING THEMSELVES A SUFFICIENT CUSHION TO TAKE MAXIMUM POINTS.

Despite a quiet start the game exploded in to life to see Welfare two goals ahead within the opening ten minutes, Lee Parker opening the account by heading in at the far post from a pin point corner kick by Remo Nesa and James Russell outpaving a flat defence to angle in under keeper Richard Siddall to put Welfare in pole position early on.  Unfortunately Welfare’s season long trait of being unable to hold on to a lead soon raised its head and after being fortunate to escape a penalty decision when Martin Woolford clumsily brought down Andy Brownrigg within the penalty area, Welfare failed to defend a no hope cross and central defender Dean Fearon poked home to reduce the arrears for Buxton on sixteen minutes

With the visitors now coming more in to the game Thom Morgan brought off a tremendous reaction save from Brownrigg and Welfare, conceding too many needless free kicks, had their backs to the wall for a period, but just when it appeared they may capitulate further they broke defence to increase the lead, Lee Parker going wide to take on the defence and laying on a perfect ball for Marting Woolford to storm through and beat Siddall with a low shot from the edge of the box scoring off the inside of the upright.

After the interval restart after Welfare’s Julian Wilkes made a last ditch clearance Buxton had the ball in the net but the ‘goal’ was denied for a clear offside.  At the other end Woolford had a glorious chance to put the game beyond doubt but although hitting a crisp close range shot Siddall brought off a wonder save to keep the visitors in contention.  Buxton were throwing everything forward and eventually reduced the arrears in fortunate circumstances, Paul Mattison losing his feet on the sodden surface at an inappropriate time, allowing Gavin Smith to round him and cut in on goal, and although Morgan made a double block the ball somehow finished in the back of the net to give Buxton renewed hope of rescuing the game.  Not surprisingly they pushed everyone forward, but Welfare responded with introducing Darren Leech to firm up the middle of the park, and deny the visitors to the end and deservedly take full spoils.

Team: Tom Morgan, Gareth Liversedge, Julian Wilkes (Darren Leech ), Richard Dobson, Paul Mattison, Jamie Thomson, Remo Nesa (Matt Muscroft), James Russell (Chris Newton), Lee Parker, Mark Newton,

Martin Woolford