Hosts Scarborough Athletic slide to 3-0 defeat against National League North play-off chasers Buxton
The benefits of full-time training were evident as play-off chasers Buxton kept their promotion bid alive with a clinical 3-0 win at a Boro side that battled throughout, and created numerous chances but did not convert them.
The visitors, who included ex-Boro defender Kieran Burton led 1-0 at the break, before scoring twice in quick succession midway through the second half to wrap up the points, writes Steve Adamson.
Buxton began brightly, Oli Ewing raced forward but his shot was blocked by the excellent Alex Brown, then Luke Brennan fired towards the bottom left corner, but Ryan Whitley dived to save.
Last week’s hat-trick hero Stephen Walker almost opened the scoring for Boro as he charged down a clearance from on-loan Manchester City keeper True Grant, the ball deflecting over, and Dom Tear was tackled by Ethan Mann on the edge of the box.
Tear was then involved at the other end, blocking a Ewing strike, and Michael Duckworth blocked a shot from the pacy Brennan.
Boro enjoyed a good spell, a Sam Reed cross into the area was fisted clear by a diving Grant, then a terrific passing move involving Mackenzie Maltby, Luca Colville and Harry Green, ended with Grant diving low to save a swerving shot from Reed.
On 32 minutes a slide-rule pass from Colville fed Brown on the left, he went past a defender and fired against the bar, but Buxton were ahead three minutes later as a Brennan free-kick was headed on by Bobby Faulkner, and Burton pounced to shoot into the bottom left corner.
Kieran Weledji then tackled Johnny Johnston as he burst forward, but Boro ended the half strongly. Green sent a free-kick narrowly wide, and an ambitious 35-yarder from Brown was gathered by Grant.
Early Boro pressure after the break saw Faulkner kick clear when Brown crossed into the goalmouth, then a reverse pass from Colville found Walker, whose ball to the back post was fired into the side-netting by Brown, and a strike from Reed was headed away by Faulkner.
Green had a ferocious low shot blocked by Connor Kirby on the line, with Burton scrambling the loose ball clear.
Alex Purver blocked a Brennan shot, before Buxton doubled their lead when Brennan on the left, squared to Kirby in the box. His shot was saved by Whitley, but Leeds United loanee Cian Coleman slammed in the rebound.
The Bucks soon added a third goal, with Ewing and Brennan combining to get the ball to Johnston on the right, and he cut into the area and fired a low shot past Whitley.
Boro made a triple substitution, and continued to create chances, Reed passed to Brown, who raced into the box but was halted by a Keziah Martin tackle, Walker had a shot blocked by Mann, with Green blazing the rebound over, and Purver teed up Lewis Maloney, who fired wide.
For Bucks, a Dermi Lusaka through-ball was fired over by Ryan Viggars.
Late Boro attacks saw a Green strike blocked by Mann, Green fired wide, and a Walker shot deflected wide by Ben Sault.
BORO - Whitley, Duckworth (Maloney 68), Brown, Maltby, Weledji (Waldron 68), Purver (c), Reed (Wiles 75), Tear (Thornton 68), Walker, Green, Colville, unused sub- Bancroft.
BUXTON - Grant, Burton, Mann, Faulkner, Kirby (c), Elliott (Viggars 60), Brennan (Popoola 83), Coleman, Martin (Lusaka 71), Johnston (Sault 83), Ewing unused sub - Cooper.
REFEREE - Mark Bell
GOALS - Kieran Burton 35, Cian Coleman 62, Johnny Johnston 66
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 13 (4 on target) BUXTON 11 (5 on target)
CORNERS - BORO 5 BUXTON 2
OFFSIDES - BORO 3 BUXTON 3
YELLOW CARDS - Michael Duckworth (Boro), Ethan Mann (Buxton)
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Brown
ATTENDANCE - 1,396 (91 away).