DEFENDER Greg Anderson pounced on a lapse from Matlock Paul Pettinger to win the Derbyshire Senior Cup for Buxton at Saltergate on Tuesday night.

Anderson struck on 62 minutes when Pettinger failed to find sufficient purchase on his punch in trying to clear a free kick from the left.

The ball struck a head in the confusion that followed and the centre half was on hand to stroke home a low shot from ten yards.

The goal was a sickener for Matlock from which they never really recovered.

It was a pity, for up to that point they always looked the more likely scorers and they could, and probably should, have been a couple of goals in front at the interval.

Buxton's main threat came from set pieces as Scott Maxfield floated in a succession of menacing free kicks.

In the main, Matlock defended well with danger man Mark Reed, who bagged a hat-trick as Buxton swept Matlock aside at the Silverlands on Good Friday, being kept quiet.

Matlock sprung a surprise or two in their starting line up as both Jamie Jackson and Dene Cropper had to be content with a place on the substitutes bench and Nathan Benger partnered top scorer Ross Hannah up front, while Paul Riley came in on the left flank with Danny Wood operating down the right.

Striker Jason Hardy, signed just before the transfer deadline, was named in the squad for the first time, also on the bench.

Buxton, who named their Good Friday side, went into the game as favourites, but this time they found Matlock, presented with the April Fair Play Award for the UniBond Premier Division by the UniBond League's Operations Manager Alan Alcock before kick off, a different proposition.

At Easter the Bucks cut through Matlock at will, but on Tuesday the Gladiators were far more organised and sturdy.

Both goalkeepers made important punched clearances as Scott Hartley took the ball off the onrushing Benger's head before Pettinger managed a vital touch up against Reed from Maxfield's free kick onthe right.

Michael Towey's header was comfortably wide before Lee Featherstone managed to intercept Towey's through ball at full stretch as Gavin Knight sought a way through the Town rearguard.

Anderson drove high and handsomely wide on 20 minutes, but a minute later Matlock should have drawn first blood.

Benger and Wood were both prominent in the build up, with Wood's ideally threaded pass sending Hannah clear on a one on one with Hartley.

The keeper superbly blocked Hannah's low shot before the ball reared up quickly at Town's top marksman who nodded inches wide.

With the Town fans in full voice giving tremendous backing, another chance came their way in the 27th minute as Riley's ball across the box fell to Benger whose first time volley flashed comfortably over the bar.

And it was a hat-trick of close shaves for Buxton within a further three minutes as from Wood's left wing corner, Featherstone's flicked header was palmed away at his near post by Hartley.

This was quickly followed by Wood's power packed drive from 20 yards being well held by the Bucks' custodian,who on the night, was the busier of the two number ones.

Pettinger's first save of note came in the 35th minute when he did well to turn Maxwell's well struck free kick over the bar, before, with two minutes of the opening half remaining, another Maxfield free kick was deflected for a corner with Knight in the thick of things waiting for the pieces.

So Matlock had created the better chances with the worry being that the zero in their goals for column just might come back to haunt them.

Hannah was flagged offside in the first attack after the break before Bucks full back Steve Ridley cut in to fire in a fierce attempt which was narrowly too high at the Spion Kop End.

But it was Hannah again who in a moment of inspiration, nearly gave Matlock that vital breakthrough.

A neat turn bamboozled Anderson, leaving the Bucks defender trailing.
Hannah shot early and Hartley again was extended as his volley was pushed aside by the diving keeper.

James Turley's header from a free kick on the right bounced down and then over before Pettinger timed a challenge on Reed to perfection as the striker weaved his way into the penalty box.

Turley then made way for Paul Walker just after Liam King tried his luck from 25 yards with Hartley again equal to the task as he parried away the daisycutter before his defenders completed the job.

Then came the decisive moment and with it the introduction of Jackson for Riley.

Within a few minutes Matlock had a major let off, again through a mistake.

Scott Brough blotted his copybook somewhat with a faulty back pass which was latched on to by Knight on the left.

But his goalward shot lacked power and Ryan Laight partially cleared before Neil Stevens, up in support, pushed his shot wide with Matlock, for once on the night, at sixes and sevens at the back.

Featherstone was yellow carded for dissent as Matlock were now struggling to regain their earlier fluency.

Cropper was thrown on for Benger to add height in attack and after Tommy Agus was booked for bringing down the overlapping Featherstone in full flow, Wood's free kick flew agonisingly past the back post.

Buxton had a half chance to double their lead with eight minutes left, but one of their old boys, Ashley Foyle, thwarted Reed with a magnificent block after Steve Warne had lost the ball in midfield.

Town's last throw of the dice was to send on Hardy as Wood, who had worked tirelessly earlier, gradually began to fade.

Reed limped off for Buxton late on as Matlock launched a series of crosses into the Buxton box which were admirably dealt with by Anderson and Agus.

Matlock seldom looked like finding a late and dramatic leveller.
Cropper connected with a Foyle cross but headed powerfully well wide before a Featherstone header again fell wide of Hartley's left hand upright.

So the cup went to the Silverlands by the narrowest of margins, decided by an unfortunate misjudgement.

Buxton made it a hat-trick of wins against Matlock in less than two months after the Gladiators had come out in the first encounter in the UniBond Challenge Cup.

Unlike the two league games against the Bucks though, at least this time Matlock made a good fight of it, and were perhaps a touch unfortunate to leave Saltergate with runners up medals.

Buxton: Hartley, Black, Ridley, Agus, Anderson, Stevens, Maxfield, Towey, Reed (C Wood 87), Knight, Turley (Walker 59). Other subs: Reet, Brodie, Bowker.
Matlock Town: Pettinger, Brough, Featherstone, King, Foyle, Laight, Wood (Hardy 85), Warne, Benger (Cropper 74), Hannah, Riley (Jackson 63) Other subs: Thorpe, Buxton.
Referee: P Thompson (Chesterfield).
Attendance: 850 (est)
Star men
Buxton: Scott Hartley - vital saves at key moments
Matlock: Danny Wood -showed energy and purpose all over the pitch.