Strugglers Boro battle back for 2-2 draw at home to high-flying Buxton

Captained by ex-Boro defender Kieran Burton, the visitors included two debutants, with on-loan 19-year-old Hull City left-back Ed Devine and former Southport winger Malakai McKenzie both coming on from the bench.

The previous Saturday Buxton scored after just 28 seconds, and they again scored in the first minute when Tony Weston crossed into the area for Devlan Moses to volley past Boro keeper Ryan Whitley.

Boss Jono Greening had re-shuffled his team, with Kieran Weledji and Dom Tear handed attacking roles, and Weledji burst into the area but was tackled by Kian Scales, Tear was halted by a Finn Cousin-Dawson tackle, then Tear sent a long-range shot just over.

Buxton had a spell on top, a Scales shot drifted wide and a Johnny Johnston shot was blocked by Luca Colville.

Both Ashton Mee and Moses fired into the chest of Whitley and Max Murray was tackled by Alex Brown when he raced into the area.

When Boro got forward, a Colville cross was headed into the goalmouth by Harvey Vincent, but Tony Weston hacked clear, a Jack Waldron free-kick was met by Jake Hull’s header that looped up into the arms of keeper Logan Stretch, and the aptly-named keeper also gathered some testing crosses from Colville and Brown.

Buxton then doubled their lead, when Johnston burst forward and his low shot was saved by the legs of Whitley, but he rammed in the rebound, past Brown and Purver Hannan on the goal-line.

Weston curled a shot over, and Boro also went close just before the break, when a long-throw from Brown was headed inches wide by the excellent Hull.

Top scorer Rio Allan came on from the bench for the second half, and Boro quickly reduced the arrears, when a Waldron cross found Hull, who shrugged off a challenge and slammed home from close-range.

Some slick passing between Alex Wiles (on his 30th birthday), Purver Hannan, Brown and Colville ended when Colville’s ball into the area was kicked clear by Robinson, then a Brown cross flashed across the goalmouth, just evading the hard-working Weledji at the back post.

Buxton also created openings, Whitley dived to grab a low cross from Weston, McKenzie blazed over, and Waldron tackled Moses when he ran into the area.

Sisa Tuntulwana and Weston both shot straight at Whitley, then Thornton tackled McKenzie when he charged forward, but Boro drew level when Allan accepted a pass from Waldron and jinked into the area, before going down under a heavy challenge, and getting up to drill the spot-kick into the bottom right corner.

Buxton almost added a third goal when McKenzie curled a shot against the bar, but Boro finished the game strongly, with Tear, Alex Wiles and Purver Hannan impressing down the middle, Brown and Colville working well down the left, and Waldron and Allan causing problems on the right.

It was also great to see Harry Green get another run out from the bench after his three month injury absence.

Boro dominated possession in the latter stages, and could have grabbed a late winner, as Hull headed a Waldron cross against the bar, then a Waldron corner was cleared towards Purver Hannan, whose fierce shot was deflected over, and Thornton headed wide at the back post from the resulting corner.

BORO - Whitley, Waldron, Brown, Hull, Thornton, Purver Hannan, Vincent (Allan 46), Wiles, Weledji (Fadera 80), Tear, Colville (Green 75), unused subs - Maloney, Stuttard, McDonald.

BUXTON - Stretch, Robinson (Devine 59), Cousin-Dawson, Burton(c), Scales, Mee, Johnston (McKenzie 67), Weston (Aston 83), Tuntulwana, Murray, Moses, unused subs - Melville (GK), Woltman, Shaw, Balfe.

REFEREE - Jake Churchill.

BORO GOALS - Jake Hull 49, Rio Allan 72 (pen); BUXTON GOALS - Devlan Moses 32 secs, Johnny Johnston 41.

GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 7 (4 on target) BUXTON 11 (7 on target).

CORNERS - BORO 8 BUXTON 2.

OFFSIDES - BORO 0 BUXTON 1.

YELLOW CARDS - Alex Brown (Boro), Sammy Robinson (Buxton).

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Jake Hull.

ATTENDANCE - 1,292 (52 away).