Report: Iron A-A Buxton

The Iron's home league encounter with Buxton was abandoned by match referee James Bancroft due to a waterlogged pitch with five minutes of added time still to be played.

Following Tuesday nights 3-1 win over South Shields, manager Jimmy Dean’s squad seemed intent from the off to carry on the momentum gained from the previous dominating display.

Regarding United’s team, energetic midfielder Kian Scales began serving his three-game suspension as a result of his red card against Alfreton last Saturday. Replacing him was Heart of Midlothian loanee Connor Smith who had impressed enough since his arrival to earn his place in the starting XI. In other news, the Iron welcomed promising midfielder Jack Jenkins from Leeds until January.

The opening 10 minutes of the encounter wasn’t one to remember until linesman Sam Bayley saved the blushes of Buxton goalkeeper Max Dearnley by flagging league top scorer Danny Whitehall for offside after he’d latched onto a loose ball. Whitehall rounded the 'keeper only for Dearnley to bring him down in what would have a stone-wall penalty for the former Farsley Celtic shotstopper.

Soon after the incident, the Iron opened up the Buxton defence for what would be the first shot on target for either team. Captain Jacob Butterfield played an exquisite ball over to academy graduate Cameron Wilson who’s touch inside allowed him to fire a half-volley goalward only to be denied by the acrobatic Dearnley.

Soon after, the new enforced water break guidance from the National League due to the temperatures on 25 minutes, Buxton were provided with their first opportunity of the fixture, after a United corner the Bucks went in the counter, Striker Eoin McKeown had fortune on his side to beat left-back Tyler Denton but as he bared down on goal the pressure from Max Kouogun forced him into tripping over the ball in what was a wasted visitors chance.

The first goal of the tie came from a mysteriously awarded penalty to the Bucks as Fin Shrimpton was shown yellow for an alleged pull inside the area, but the penalty was delayed due to a medical emergency in the crowd. The stop in play seemed to get the better of penalty taker Jake Wright as his strike was saved by Fitzsimons in the Scunthorpe goal, however the danger wasn’t cleared and brother of Sheffield United striker Oliver McBurnie, Xander, punished the Iron on the rebound making it 1-0 to the visitors against the run of play.

As half-time approached, Dean’s side were handed a lifeline in a game that was beginning to get heated. Referee James Bancroft was forced to his back pocket and produced a red card that was shown to Connor Brown after he lashed out on Whitehall. The decision wasn’t taken lightly by Buxton, but was sure to spur on the Iron for the second half. 

Straight from the whistle in the second half, the away side's game plan was forced into action. Putting their 10 men behind the ball was proving seemingly hard for the Iron to break down, until centre-half Will Evans decided to unleash a troublesome strike that arrowed towards Deanley who was only just able to palm the strike aside.

With half an hour of the tie remaining, the Iron's faithful were re-introduced to striker Richie Bennett as Deans men went in search of the much-needed equaliser. And Bennett was the one who found it, with a long corner to the back stick not claimed by the onrushing Dearnley, allowing Bennett to tap the ball into an empty Bucks' net.

United’s joy was short lived however as the visitors regained their lead less than a minute later, A cross into the area wasn’t dealt with and right-back Sam Minihan nodded home past Fitzsimons.

In the minutes of chaos that ensued following the goal, the weather switched from sweltering heat to a thunderstorm, and deep four minutes into additional time, United were awarded a penalty and their best chance of the game. Danny Elliott stepped up to take the spot kick but was denied by the outstretched boot of Dearnley in conditions that were worsening by the second. 

Shortly following this, the referee blew his whistle with five minutes of additional time remaining on clock causing staff from both sides to question what would happen next, as the referee strolled down the tunnel ball in hand.

It was later established the game was abandoned by the referee, with details set to be released regarding the fixture in due course once the referee's report has been received by the National League.

IRON: Fitzsimons, Ogle (Sembie-Ferris, 80), Kouogun, Evans, Elliott, Wilson, Butterfield, Smith (Jenkins, 58), Shrimpton (Bennett, 63), Denton, Whitehall.

IRON SUBS: Kelly, Boyce.