On Easter Monday, in the highest altitude stadium in the country and on one of the wettest days I can remember, I watched Buxton play Boston in The National League North. The Bucks faced off against the Pilgrims on a rain-soaked day on the edges of the Peak District.
Buxton FC, the current Northern Premier League champions find themselves in the National League North, for the first time in their history. At the mid-point of this season the side from Derbyshire were in a difficult position, suffering from a bad run of form that saw them win only once in 12 league matches. Since then, however, their form has drastically improved and have recently gone 14 games unbeaten. That run was ended on Good Friday when they lost 1-0 to Kidderminster Harriers. With their incredible run of form Buxton have rocketed up the table and before facing Boston found themselves 10th, nearing the playoff spots- with just a few more good results they could achieve something miraculous when you look at their earlier fortunes. After that Kidderminster stumble, Buxton knew that their game against Boston was the perfect chance to find their footing once again. Boston, who find themselves 15th in the table are neither threatened with relegation or in the picture for a playoff push. If the side from Derbyshire fought harder than their opponents you felt that the sheer force of will could be enough to get them over the line.
The Silverlands stadium, or the Tarmac Silverlands stadium as it is known for sponsorship reasons, is the highest altitude football stadium in England, sitting at over 1,000 feet above sea level. But it’s not just a fun factoid that makes the Silverlands so great. For the home fans there’s a large, old-fashioned main stand behind the dugouts and a lovely old, covered terrace behind one of the goals. The terrace was home to the most vocal supporters and standing there, propped up on a railing, it reminds you that the old way of football is not yet lost in some places. Away fans are housed in a small terrace, made up of just a couple rows, that spans the length of the pitch opposite the dugouts.
The first half was very open, with Buxton having the larger share of chances. The Bucks played with a ferocity that meant any time they got the ball they were able to use their wingers to dribble at the Boston defence and forge a chance. The heavens opened but the heavy rain wasn’t enough to stop the unrelenting deluge of attacks that Buxton made. I was most impressed with Sam Osborne who played on the left wing for the first half. The 24-year-old winger, formerly of Notts County, regularly bamboozled his opposing full-back and created numerous chances cutting in on his right foot to either shoot or fizz a ball across the goal.
Former Chesterfield forward Diego De Girolamo was also dangerous for Buxton. The Chesterfield born striker, who is a fan favourite at Buxton after 5 years of great goalscoring, showed off his quick pace and physical prowess to create a few chances for himself but none were enough to break the deadlock.
Boston, while being more cautious in their playstyle than Buxton, still cut out a couple of first half chances but none strong enough to trouble Theo Richardson in the Buxton net.
The second half was less open. The rain got heavier and heavier, and the play broke down with neither side being able to play as directly as they did in the first half.
On the 76th minute Buxton finally had their breakthrough. Connor Kirby, a midfielder who previously played in the football league with Macclesfield and Harrogate, smashed it into the net emphatically after picking the ball up in the box from a Brad Jackson cross, sending the Bucks fans standing in the terrace into rapturous celebration.
Boston had a chance to equalise in the dying stages of the match. Guyanese striker Tre Mitford was denied a goal from close range when Bucks ‘keeper Richardson pulled out a fantastic reflex save, a moment that was celebrated nearly as strongly as the winning goal itself.
After five minutes of stoppage time, Buxton won the match. As despondent Boston fans left the Silverlands, Buxton fans celebrated in front of their players. Those three points put them just 3 points off the playoff spots. With three games left in the season for the Bucks they could be able to achieve something incredible. Perhaps their win against Boston will be able to push them towards a historic end of the season.
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