A quickfire turnaround in the second half saw Moors come from behind to clinch a brilliant victory over Buxton at the Tarmac Silverlands Stadium.
The hosts had opened the scoring through a powerful effort from Connor Kirby 18 minutes in, before goals from Cam Salkeld and Dan Jones just after the hour mark turned the tide on the fixture.
Moors almost opened the scoring through Cam Salkeld in the third minute, when he lobbed goalkeeper Joe Young from just outside the area. However, his effort landed on the roof of the net.
Corey McKeown was then gifted a golden opportunity when Sammy Robinson’s pass was too short for Young. The winger took a touch and rounded the keeper, only for Kieran Burton to block his effort off the line.
Less than a minute later, Brad James produced a fantastic save to deny Luke Brennan at the back post, who had broken free from his marker and fired an effort on goal from close range. The Moors keeper flung himself back across goal and somehow kept the ball out of the net.
Brennan’s second attempt on goal met the same fate, as this time James’ outstretched leg denied the number 11 from opening the scoring.
The Bucks found the lead just shy of the 20th minute, when captain, Connor Kirby, picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area and fired a powerful strike into the bottom left corner of the net.
Brad James was on hand to prevent anything coming from Zak Gilsenan’s looping ball into the area, when he clawed the ball behind for a corner on the 20th minute, before claiming Brennan’s low ball into the area just minutes later.
Buxton had some half chances as the first half came to a close, as both Connor Douglas and Robinson managed to get balls into the area, only to be cleared by the Moors defence.
Moors, having been behind at the break, looked to start the second half with intent. Mackenzie Heaney took aim from inside the area, only to have his effort cleared off the line.
Salkeld got Moors back on level terms when Heaney’s teasing corner deflected off a Buxton man and landed perfectly in front of him. The number 36 made no mistake and powered home the equaliser into the bottom left corner to draw level with 61 minutes on the clock.
It didn’t take long to find a second, as Dan Jones was on hand to prod home at the back post following another corner from Heaney. The number 7’s ball in deflected into Jones’ path and he made sure the ball found the net to put Graeme Lee’s side ahead.
Jones looked to double up through remarkable fashion on the 73rd minute, when he took a quick free-kick from the halfway line and drilled an effort on goal. However, Young scrambled back in time to claim.
Moors were reduced to 10 men with 6 minutes to go, when Tyler Hill was given his marching orders after a foul on Robinson, setting up a tense finale to the game.
It turned into the Brad James show in stoppage time, as he was on hand to produce some outrageous saves to keep Moors in the driving seat.
He first produced a ridiculous double save from close range to deny a Buxton man, before getting in the way of Gilsenan’s effort from inside the area.
The Moors shot stopper wasn’t done there, as he somehow managed to tip a rifled effort from Ashton Mee onto the crossbar and over, seeing the game out and giving Moors a vital three points away from home.
Full Time: Buxton 1 Moors 2
Buxton: Young, Robinson, Ward, Burton, Gill (Hill 56 (Coleman 87)), Kirby, Trueman (Mee 71), Douglas, Brennan (Willoughby 65), Gilsenan, Johnston (McLean 74).
Subs not used: Melville, Balfe.
Moors: James, Dyson (Hancox 36), Dolan (Hill 46), Rowe, Jones, Heaney, Sharples (Beals 64), Salkeld (Sutcliffe 68), McKeown, Mondal, Nouble (Willliams 86).
Subs not used: Johnson.
Booked: Sharples (50).
Sent-off: Hill (84).
Referee: Ben Robinson
Attendance: 719
Written by Noah Betts