GARNETT SPRINGS BUXTON INTO LIFE
EVAN GARNETT’S 84th-minute strike kept Buxton top of the table as they struggled to overcome plucky ten-man Hednesford.
The league leaders were a goal down inside four minutes but recovered to edge Hednesford out of the early-season play-off spots, after the Pitmen were forced to play for 73 minutes a man down.
Hednesford led when a fine cross from the left by full back Cohen Bramall was headed down by Danny Glover for George Carline to finish coolly.
The home side continued to apply the pressure and some neat work put Joel Logan in on goal only to be tackled just as he pulled the trigger, the resulting corner was headed over by Carline.
Logan was again very much in the action testing Jan Budtz in the Buxton goal on a number of occasions in the first quarter.
It was the 23rd minute before Buxton had a meaningful attempt at goal, Brad Abbott fired over.
Then in the 27th minute came the incident that changed the game, when Calum Flanagan’s foul was adjudged to have denied a
goalscoring opportunity. The referee showed Flanagan a straight red card.
Hednesford continued to have good possession and in the 31st minute Tom Thorley hit a fine drive bringing another save from Budtz.
The visitors started to get into the game a little more and were quickly rewarded when Jamie Jackson knocked in the equaliser at the second attempt on 33 minutes.
The Pitmen rode their luck a little at the end of the first half as a fierce Buxton shot cannoned back off the bar.
Chances being created at both ends and there were mistakes in abundance due to the slippery conditions under foot.
Crane was called into action soon after when Garnett sped in on goal but the Hednesford stopper got down well to turn the shot behind.
Gurjit Singh then found space down the right but his stinging drive went just wide.
As the clock started to run down it looked as though a share of the points might be the likely result but in the 84th minute a corner kick into the box was forced past Crane by Garnett.
In stoppage time the visitors had a couple more chances to increase their lead when Fabrice Bembo-Leta fired wide and the excellent Jackson smashed his shot against the post.