MARINER IRWIN HAS THE BUCKS ALL AT SEA

MARINE maintained their magnificent record of being the most successful side to visit Buxton with a deservedly convincing victory versus an increasingly out-of-sorts home team.

The visitors set the tone early as Steve Irwin forced Theo Roberts into a fine far-post save, and the same player then hit the post, only for Niall Cummins to miss the rebound at two yards’ range.

Buxton did make halfchances themselves, with shots by Liam Hardy and Ash Young, but generally it was the Mariners making the most of the strong corner-to-corner wind at their backs.

However, just as it seemed the first half would be goalless, a 42nd-minute free kick, whipped in from the right, was touched home by visiting midfielder Liam Hynes.

With the strengthening wind now accompanied by lashing rain, a second-half Buxton recovery seemed likely.

But it didn’t materialise and two goals in four minutes in the last quarter sealed the outcome.

Irwin latched onto a mis-directed back pass to score confidently, then Danny Mitchley penetrated the defence to run through and score. Buxton couldn’t mount a response, so Marine eased their relegation woes.