ELLIOTT’S BUCKS IN
BUXTON turned up the heat on their play-off charge with a scintillating opening 45 minutes against top seven rivals Brackley Town.
When boss Craig Elliott postmatch described the Bucks’ best first-half performance since he joined in December as “brilliant”, there wasn’t a hint of exaggeration as the hosts set up a crucial victory in the chase for a play-off place.
Having lost just once in 17 league games since late January when a sat worrying 20th in the table, Elliott’s side are firmly in the promotion conversation.
In a terrific advert for National League North, the breathless firsthalf action provided great entertainment for an enthusiastic crowd, with Brackley ever ready to attack by playing out from the back and producing some neat approach play.
However, Buxton proved irresistible, scoring both early and late in the half, with another goal made out of nothing just past the half-hour.
The first goal on five minutes belonged to Barnsley loanee Joe Ackroyd, whose deft header beat keeper Danny Lewis at his far post.
Brackley soon settled to their game and right-back George Carline regularly offered a threat with long throw-ins, but the home defence coped superbly.
Yet it was Buxton who looked likely to double their advantage, and twice within five minutes Deigo Di Girolamo worked dangerous onetwos, both with Osborne, before firstly firing over the bar, then shooting directly at Lewis.
However, it was Di Girolamo who made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute. There seemed no great threat as centre-back Jordan Cullinane-Liburd headed back towards his keeper, but Di Girolamo nipped in between them to net.
The rampant hosts all but scored again when Di Girolamo produced a fine finish but was penalised for hand ball.
But Kirby made it 3-0 in the 43rd minute with a stunning 30-yard strike into a net corner.
Brackley desperately fought back, forcing home keeper Theo Richardson into a diving save, but Buxton couldn’t clear fully and Glenn Wright netted from eight yards just on half-time.
The second half could not match the first for thrills as the Bucks offered a solid obstacle to anything that the Saints could offer, and, in truth, the hosts looked the more likely to add a further goal.