Scarborough Athletic battle for point on the road at in-form Buxton

Boss Jono Greening handed debuts to new loan signings Cody Johnson and Kole Hall, and both put in good shifts, but Alex Purver was missing through suspension, Jassem Sukar due to illness, and Frank Mulhern with a hand injury, writes Steve Adamson.

The hosts dictated play for long periods, but Boro’s defence was superb throughout, with Bailey Gooda and Will Thornton commanding in the centre, full backs Alex Brown and Kieran Weledji tenacious and aggressive in the tackle, and keeper Ryan Whitley handled confidently all game, and pulled off two superb diving saves.

In Buxton’s first attack, a Tommy Elliott shot was beaten away by Whitley, then Diego De Girolamo and Connor Kirby both fired over, and another shot from Kirby was easily held by the Boro keeper.

Alex Brown’s sliding tackle halted a run from Dylan Mottley-Henry, and a 24th minute strike from De Girolamo forced a terrific flying save from Whitley, while another De Girolamo shot flashed past the post.

Boro passed the ball around, but didn’t create many openings, their only chance of the first half coming on 29 minutes when the hard working Alex Wiles battled for possession and passed to Olly Dyson on the right, and his low cross into the box was cleverly back-heeled goalwards by debutant Kole Hall, but tall centre-back Max Hunt was there to block.

Gooda blocked a shot from Joe Ackroyd, Jack McCourt and Kirby both fired wide, and Sam Minihan shot straight at Whitley.

Boro enjoyed more possession after the break, and could have opened the scoring on 47 minutes when Alex Brown burst down the left and crossed towards Weledji who headed forward to Olly Dyson, who shot narrowly wide.

For Buxton, McCourt floated over a free-kick, and Mottley-Henry sent a diving header just wide, a De Girolamo shot was blocked by Thornton, and a fierce Mottley-Henry shot was charged down by Wiles.

Boro’s best chance of the game came on the hour, as Harry Green sent a cross to the back post, and Dyson’s shot flashed just over the bar.

Soon after, Wiles sent a terrific through-ball to Hall, who was halted by a crunching tackle from Luke Shiels.

Buxton then went close, when Mottley-Henry crossed from the right, and De Girolamo’s volley was superbly tipped round the post by Whitley.

Boro finished the game strongly, Luca Colville, who showed flashes of skill, battled for possession and passed out to Dyson on the right wing, and his cross was punched off the head of Wiles by home keeper Joe Young, then Hall flicked-on towards Dyson, who volleyed inches wide, and Lewis Maloney fired wide right at the end, as a keenly contested game ended without a goal.

BUXTON - Young, C.Brown, Hunt, McCourt, Shiels (c), Kirby, Elliott, Minihan (Livingstone 62), DeGirolamo, Ackroyd (McKeown 77), Mottley-Henry (Brogan 83)BORO - Whitley, Weledji, A.Brown, Johnson, Thornton (c), Gooda, Dyson (Rutledge 83), Wiles (Tear 83), Hall, Green (Maloney 75), Colville

REFEREE - Neil Pratt

CORNERS - BUXTON 3 BORO 1

GOAL ATTEMPTS - BUXTON 14 (5 on target) BORO 5 (1 on target)

OFFSIDES - BUXTON 4 BORO 1

YELLOW CARDS - BORO - Cody Johnson, Harry Green, Aidan Rutledge

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Brown

ATTENDANCE - 720 (132 away).