Thursday night’s hastily rearranged fixture at Buxton turned out to be a stumbling block for Ashton United as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to a Buxton outfit emerging from mid season slumber under the guidance of former Robins management due Steve Halford and Paul Phillips.

Early exchanges at Silverlands saw Ashton in the ascendency with good midfield possession on a bobbly surface, yet lacking the penetration of a decisive final ball.

On 35 minutes Buxton snatched the only goal of the game when Chippendale, left in acres of space in the central area of Ashton’s six yard box, deftly back heeled into an unguarded net. On the stroke of half time Oyibo drew a brilliant save from Cornell and somehow managed to pass the rebounded ball back to the grateful keeper when just three yards out.

The second period again saw Ashton with a lot of possession. Good early chances were missed in particular a brilliant run down the left from Pritchard followed a cross along the line that saw Lees completely miss the pass from three feet out. Minutes later Deane Smalley got his head to a low cross and saw it drift agonisingly wide of Budz’s right hand post.

The half continued with Ashton pressing but failing to make the final pass count. Not the result the travelling Robins fans wanted and the pressure to pick up points increases with teams elbow in the league scrapping with them for a play off point. Little time to dwell on the result as an in form Witton Albion roll into Hurst Cross on Saturday.