Match Report: Marine AFC vs. Buxton FC

25th January 2025

National League North

Marine Travel Arena, Crosby

Buxton Keep Play-Off Hopes Alive With 4-1 Victory Over Marine, Johnstone marks debut with a brace.

Derbyshire side, Buxton travelled to Marine on Saturday hoping to exact revenge for their 2-1 defeat at home in the reverse August fixture. With survival in the balance, Marine desperately needed a win to escape the bottom four relegation spots and keep their hopes of staying up alive. A second-half collapse saw the visitors run out 4-1 winners, with Johnston marking his debut with a brace. The result has lifted Buxton into 9th place, just two points off a play-off spot, while Marine’s defeat leaves them staring down the barrel of relegation at the bottom of the National League North.

Marine started well and created the better chances early on, with Sinclair Smith rapid down the wing. The hosts were awarded several dangerous free-kicks and throw-ins around the Buxton box, although they failed to make the most of these opportunities. Marine looked the more dangerous side in the opening stages but struggled to find players up front.

Brennan, for Buxton, came closest to scoring early on, striking the post with a powerful shot following a well-worked move down the wing.

The breakthrough came in the 32nd minute, with Marine taking a deserved lead. A scrappy sequence in the Buxton penalty area saw Lusiama battle through a crowd of defenders to poke the ball past Grant, putting the home side 1-0 up.

Marine looked poised to increase their lead, with the home crowd sensing an important win that would push them out of the relegation zone.

But Buxton responded strongly in the final minutes of the first half. In the 40th minute, a poor defensive clearance from Marine allowed Elliot to pounce on the loose ball. His initial shot hit the crossbar, but the ball bounced back down and into the net, bringing Buxton level at 1-1.

As the teams headed into the break, Marine almost regained the lead when Grant fumbled a high ball into the box. Sinclair Smith was quick to react but couldn't get enough power on his shot, and the Buxton keeper managed to recover just in time. With the score level, it was anyone’s game going into the second half.

Buxton came out of the break with renewed energy and quickly took control of the half. Mattock was forced into making crucial clearances to deny Buxton several big chances, but the visitors finally broke the deadlock in the 60th minute.

Brennan finished off a cross from the right to put Buxton 2-1 up, and it was clear the momentum had shifted.

The game was quickly put out of Marine’s reach in the 69th and 74th minutes, as Johnston, Buxton's new signing from Redditch United, made a dream debut for the club with a brace.

His first goal came on the counter and was slotted into the bottom corner past Corran to make it 3-1. Just five minutes later, Johnston was at it again and took advantage of an absent Marine defence to seal the win for Buxton at 4-1.

Despite both teams making substitutions in the final stages, there was no further action and Buxton comfortably saw out the match to claim all three points.

The result is a huge blow for Marine, who now remain stuck in the relegation zone. A win would have moved them out of the bottom four, and kept their survival hopes alive. The home side will need to regroup quickly to climb out of the danger zone. For Buxton, the victory not only avenges their earlier loss but also sees them in touching distance of the play-off places for promotion into the National League.

Player of the Match: Johnston was the standout player, marking his debut with two well-taken goals in quick succession. His clinical finishing made all the difference for Buxton, who moved up to 9th place with the win. The striker only joined the club on Thursday from Redditch Utd. and truly stood out in the visiting squad.