Stags go down 3-1 to Buxton on cold night in Derbyshire.
Our development squad slipped to a surprising 3-1 defeat away to Buxton in the H-K-L North Midlands League this evening.The hosts had opened up a 3-0 lead by the hour mark, courtesy of a first half strike by James Hanley and quick-fire goals shortly after the re-start by Jacque Suttall and Noah Evans.
Substitute Dan Marshall then reduced arrears with a thunderous 15-yard volley, five minutes from time.
On a bitterly cold night in deepest, darkest Derbyshire, both teams lacked fluidity and any real rhythm during a very balanced opening 45 minutes, which had very little in the way of goalmouth action.
Mansfield had a couple of opportunities in the first quarter of an hour, with Cameron Dear going close with a powerful effort which just cleared the woodwork, whilst Asa Shelton forced a good full-stretch fingertip stop from the ‘keeper with the night’s first shot on target.
The hosts then took the lead midway through the first period, when Dan Gilbride’s long set-piece into the area was glanced home by Hanley from the edge of the six-yard box.
Jack Hutchinson couldn’t find the target with a 25-yard free-kick, whilst at the opposite end, Frazer Hampson produced a good reaction save to stop Buxton from doubling their lead before half-time.
The hosts began the second period on the attack and struck again when Suttall pounced from close-range, after Hampson had saved an effort by Evans, who looked to have used his hands to bring down a cross.
Mansfield’s night quickly went from bad to worse as Buxton capitalised on some poor defending to make it 3-0 – and effectively put the result beyond doubt.
Hampson couldn’t get a firm grip of a long set-piece cross into the area and his spillage allowed Evans to collect possession and slot a low shot through a crowd of bodies and into an empty net.
The Stags were shell-shocked and if truth be told, struggled to build up any momentum to find a route back into the game
Substitute Marshall did at least grab a consolation goal with five minutes remaining, when he hit a thunderous 15-yard strike into the right-hand corner, following some hesitant goalkeeping.
Team: Hampson, Gregory (Marshall), Holmes, Hunter, Shelton, Dear, Hutchinson, Saxton, McLeod, Holloway (Thomas), Roome (Jones).
