Brennan's Brace Seals Victory for Buxton Against Southport
- Amelie Claydon
- Feb 2
- 3 min read
Buxton secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Southport yesterday afternoon at the Tarmac Silverlands Stadium, with Luke Brennan's proving the difference. The match was played in tough conditions, with snow piled up along the perimeters of the pitch.
Despite being 2-0 down, the away fans were in high spirits, even enjoying the snow in the stands as their side struggled to get a foothold in the game. Brennan, who only joined the Derbyshire club in November, was the hero for Buxton. The Southport fixture saw two more goals added to his impressive tally of 9 goal contributions in 10 games since his arrival. This crucial win lifts Buxton into a play-off spot, though they'll face a tough challenge to remain there. Southport remain in the lower half of the table.
Buxton felt the pressure early from Southport, with the Merseyside visitors finding space down the wings and creating a real threat. A golden opportunity arrived in the 5th minute when a dangerous attack from the Sandgrounders was fumbled out by too many bodies in the box, preventing a clean strike.
Frustrations were showing for Buxton as captain Kirkby was carded for a risky tackle on the halfway line. However, despite the early setbacks, the home side began to settle into the game. A good spell of possession saw Buxton's Williams deliver a cross to Johnston, whose shot looked destined for the back of the net, only for Southport keeper Renshaw to pull off a crucial save at his far post.
As the match started to level out, just as Buxton seemed to find their rhythm, a Southport throw-in put the home side on the back foot once more. A dangerously misplaced pass from Buxton allowed Southport to regain possession in the final third, further unsettling the home defence.
Buxton’s famously combative centre-back, Burton, was fortunate not to concede a penalty after a clumsy challenge on Angus inside the box, which left the visitors appealing to the referee.
Against the run of play, Buxton seized their chance in the 31st minute. Luke Brennan latched onto a loose ball on the left, showing composure to calmly slot it past the keeper and into the net.
The floodlights flickered on as Buxton went into the break 1-0 up, with Brennan’s goal proving to be the difference at the whistle.
The second half kicked off with an early moment of comedy, as a clearance from Buxton’s Grant was misjudged and sent flying over the stadium boundaries, falling into the players' carpark.
New Buxton signing Johnston, who was influential both defensively and offensively, continued to cause Southport problems down the right. His crossing and shots just lacking the power to get past Renshaw.
Buxton were handed an opportunity in the 51st minute when they were awarded a clear penalty. Brennan, the goalscorer from the first half, stepped up to take it. His initial effort was well saved by Renshaw, but the rebound fell kindly for Brennan. The penalty taker remained calm and slotted the ball into the bottom right corner to give Buxton a 2-0 lead. The striker’s composure under pressure showed why he is quickly making a name for himself at the Silverlands.
Southport, now two goals down, were eager to respond and found a goal in the 76th minute. A well-timed run down the right found Angus, who deftly dinked the ball over Buxton keeper to pull a goal back for the visitors. The goal gave Southport fresh hope and they pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
Their pressure was mounting and a challenge in the box led to a Buxton handball just outside the area. The free-kick that followed, however, was poorly taken, and Southport's hopes of further reducing the deficit were dashed as the ball flew wide of the target.
The match ended 2-1, with Southport sure to be disappointed, knowing they had fought hard but came away without a point. For Buxton, the three points were crucial in their push for a play-off spot, with Brennan’s brace proving decisive.
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