Buxton 0 - 3 Hednesford
The first corner of the game came in the first minute after Tyrone Barnett clashed with Buxton keeper Scott Hartley in an attempt to get onto an Anthony Maguire cross. Maguire was seeing a lot of the ball in the early exchanges and in the 4th minute he hit a shot from the edge of the box which was deflected for another corner.
Elliott Durrell tested Hartley with a 25 yard shot which the keeper managed to hold onto.
The opening goal came in the 11th minute when Mark Briggs hit a free kick from 20 yards which Hartley pushed up into the air. Ross Draper was first to react to the ball as it dropped down and he headed home just inside the right hand post.
Buxton's Ben Leonard did well down the left getting the ball down to the bye-line from where he attempted to hit a cross into the box but Stuart Brock was well placed to collect the ball at the base of the left hand post.
A quick flowing move on the difficult playing surface nearly produced a goal to remember. Durrell took the ball forward, he played the ball out to the left for Ross Dyer who broke to the edge of the box before slipping a pass to his strike partner Tyrone Barnett. The centre forward hit a first time shot but his effort went wide of the left hand post.
Danny Harvey was again a rock at the back, he was on hand to head away Tom Griffiths dangerously looking cross off the head of Danny Reet.
Hartley was in the wars again when Barnett slid on the wet surface straight into the keeper as he tried to take advantage of a poor back pass from a Buxton defender. Once play resumed Tom Marshall was the recipient of a crude challenge by Reet who only received a lecture from the Referee.
It was Buxton's Grant Black who needed treatment after a 50/50 challenge with Ross Draper. The challenge was fair and play continued with Durrell on the ball but he lost possession on the edge of the box which allowed the match official to stop play, allowing Buxton's physio on to treat the full back.
Decio Gomes was caught out by a long ball and he must have been relieved when he saw Brock race to the edge of his area to collect the ball to deny Gavin Knight a chance to shoot.
In the 30th minute a good piece of play involving Mark Briggs and Ross Draper who played one pass football to each other created a chance for Ross Dyer but his first touch inside the box was to heavy and ended a good attacking move.
Sam Hall took a free kick a found Danny Harvey open, he hit a shot hich the keeper could only parry but luck was on his side as the ball dropped just short of Durrell who was following up.
Tempers flaired in the 35th minute after Barnett and Buxton Captain Terry Bowker challenged for a ball kicked out from the Pitmens defence. Bowker for reasons only known to him attempted a forearm smash which Barnett avoided. He pushed the Buxton player away as other players came in to separate them. After consulting his assistant the Referee showed a red card to Bowker and a yellow to Barnett.
The Buxton manager was forced into a substitution almost immediately as he had lost one of his centre backs so he sacrificed Steve Smith for the more dominant figure of Mark Lees.
With a player advantage and well on top it came as a surprise that Buxton had a chance to equalise just before the break. A cross from the left got held up in the strong wind and was only half cleared.the ball went straight Michael Towey who with the goal at his mercy shot wide of the left hand post.
The wind caused the Pitmen another problem when Brocks goalkick was held up in the air. Tom Marshall attempted to head the ball back to Brock but underhit hit which allowed Knight to break clear but Brock raced from his area and blocked Knights attempt to get the ball.
Within a minute of the restart the Pitmen extended their lead when Ross Draper set Elliott Durrell up for a shot from the edge of the box. The midfielder kept his firm shot low giving Hartley little chance of making a save.
A Gomes free kick straight down the middle was headed on by Barnett forcing Hartley into a diving save to his right, conceding a corner in the process.
Brock again denied Knight as he made a good save from Buxton's lively forward after he collected a long ball which went over Maguire leaving him free on the right hand side of the penalty area.
Draper received his sixth caution of the season for pulling a Buxton player back as he tried to run into the Pitmens half of the pitch.
The respect the Referee campaign must have passed Buxton Manager John Reed by as he continued to barate the match officials. In the end the Assistants patience broke and after chatting with The Referee Reed was sent into the stand. When play reumed Buxton had Michael Towey booked for a foul on Briggs.
Briggs went close with a shot after Ross Dyer robbed a defender as tried to dribble the ball out of defence.
The scoreline finally reflected the Pitmens domination of the game in the 72nd minute when Maguire made it 3-0 with a shot from the left which went into the right hand side netting. Sam Hall's cross from the right was flicked on by Barnett to Maguire who did not waste the chance to score his first goal of the season.
Hall became the third Pitman to be cautioned when a sliding challenge left Kris Mathews on the floor.The heavy pitch which the visitors overcome for most of the game finally caused a problem for Durrell as the ball got held up in a pool of water as he broke down the middle.
Draper and Barnett had shots saved by Hartley and in the final minutes Dyer chipped in a ball from the bye-line which the keeper held onto and Durrell squandered a chance as he chose to shoot when a square ball inside to sub Reece Styche would have been the better option.
At the final whistle the Pitmen moved five points clear at the top of the League and celebrated by thanking the fans who made up a large percentage of the crowd at Silverlands.
