Visitors South Shields showed that they are well-drilled, worthy adversaries and made it tough going for Buxton, Tuesday February 11, but the home side won through with a spectacular Oli Ewing strike after 87 minutes, latching on to a through ball from Johnny Johnston. "I smacked it towards the top left corner and I knew it was a goal as soon as it left my foot," a delighted Oli said after the final whistle.
This was an outstanding game of football with two in-form teams determined to take the points and to entertain the noisy crowd braving the cold, damp High Peak weather. Full Match Report HERE
Ambitious Shields were one of the first clubs in the country to go full-time professional when still at Northern Premier League level and there have been many close encounters down the years. They won this season's reverse fixture with Buxton 1-0.
The Bucks, with three wins in the last four games, move up into the play-off places in the Vanarama National League North. Team manager John McGrath said they deserve their place near the top. "It was end-to-end chances tonight and we were determined to push on for three points.
"Our back line was superb throughout with a well-deserved clean sheet. Then that super goal. What a finish from Oli.
"Competition for places in our team is intense. This is a squad game and we have 18 or so players, all of whom could be in the side. Our standards are high. Now we look to Saturday. There are no easy games and we'll be taking nothing for granted against Radcliffe."
Indeed competition for places has intensified with the re-loaning of midfielder Cian Coleman from Leeds United. Cian impressed in an initial 14 (1) appearances before returning to Elland Road and scored a ‘perfect’ hat-trick in the away 3-2 victory at Scunthorpe United in November.
Saturday's league match at the Tarmac Silverlands, at home to Radcliffe, kicks off at 3pm.
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