Colne added a Premier Division scalp to their belts with a memorable victory in the Buildbase FA Trophy against Buxton at the Sovereign Play Stadium on Saturday. The sides were level at the interval with a goal apiece but the Reds scored two late goals in a dramatic last ten minutes to see them through to the Third Qualifying Round.
The visitors started well with some promising attacks to test the Reds defence and had appeals for a penalty waved aside after 13 minutes when Mark Howarth’s shot was blocked in the Colne area.
As Colne came more into the game, a 25 yard free kick gave Waqas Azam a sight of goal after 25 minutes but his shot was blocked by defenders. And three minutes later, Buxton keeper Grant Shenton was quickly out of his area to clear the ball from the toes of Will Harris.
After 33 minutes, Morgan Homson-Smith’s cross from the right created chances in the Buxton area and as the ball was half cleared, Lee Pugh followed up to fire home through a crowd of players to give Colne the lead.
As Buxton looked for a quick reply, Howarth won the ball on the edge of the Colne area but Hakan Burton got down well to save his low shot. And Colne might have doubled their lead after 42 minutes when Azam’s cross reached Connor Hughes at the far post but he headed wide from a great chance.
With the game in first half injury time, Buxton cleared their lines from a Colne attack and in an end-to-end move, Jude Oyibo made a scintillating run through midfield to set up Diego de Girolamo in the Reds penalty area and he took the ball round Burton before scoring with a shot into the far corner of the net from the tightest of angles to level the scores at 1-1.
The second half began with some end-to-end play as Girolamo’s free kick was cleared from the Colne goalmouth and Connor O’Grady headed wide at the far post from a high cros. While at the other end, Matty Makinson’s shot was blocked by a defender in the visitors’ area as a series of good crosses created chances around the Buxton goal.
After 63 minutes, Azam’s through ball sent Harris on a run into the area and his shot deflected off a defender and looped over the keeper only to come back off the front of the crossbar. As Colne continued to press, ten minutes later Billy Hasler-Cregg chased a long ball into the Buxton area and was denied as the keeper’s outstretched foot blocked his goalbound shot.
At the other end, a series of free kicks gave Buxton chances but Alex Coleman made vital clearances from the Colne penalty area.
After 80 minutes, Burton got down well to save a low shot in his goalmouth and turn defence into attack with a long ball up the field releasing Aidan Chippendale on the right wing who laid the ball back for Hasler-Cregg to curl an inviting cross to the far post where Hughes volleyed the ball home to give Colne the lead at 2-1.
Again Buxton looked for a reply but Burton denied Kyle Harrison with a good save. And after 84 minutes, Pugh’s diagonal ball found Harris and his square ball across the edge of the Buxton area reached Chippendale for an unstoppable shot into the net off the gloves of the keeper to make the game safe at 3-1 for the Reds and see them through to the next round.
Colne Team:
Hakan Burton
Waqas Azam
Lee Pugh
Alex Coleman (C)
Matty Makinson
Marcus Poscha
Connor Hughes
Joe Coveney
Will Harris
Max Hazeldine
Morgan Homson-Smith
Andy Hollins
Tony Donaldson
Billy Hasler-Cregg
Aidan Chippendale
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Jack Lynch