Wednesday's Premier Division action review

Wednesday night saw two matches in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League's Premier Division with both involving sides looking to secure play-off places, writes Pitchero's Steve Whitney.

At Silverlands, hosts Buxton`s focus was on the opposite end of the table as they went into their game against King`s Lynn Town only four points in front of fourth-bottom Witton Albion. However, they ended it seven points in front of the Cheshire outfit and improved their goal difference considerably after handing out a surprise 6-1 hammering to their top five-chasing visitors.

Goalkeeper Ashley Timms and midfielder Jake Jones both saw red inside the opening 45 minutes as Lynn suffered a fourth consecutive defeat.

The turning point of the game came on the half-hour mark when Timms, a recent signing from Bradford Park Avenue, was shown a straight red after a coming-together with Lee Morris inside the box.

With no sub goalkeeper on the bench, Dan Quigley donned the gloves and he couldn`t prevent Morris’ penalty from giving the Bucks the lead. Less than two minutes later and the home side were 2-0 up when Matt Thornhill pounced. Rhree minutes after that and they went further ahead when the on-loan Liam Hardy headed home.

Lynn’s nightmare half went from bad to even worse when Jake Jones was shown two yellow cards inside a minute for dissent. And right on half-time Ashley Palmer’s header made it 4-0 and comfortably game over.

Hardy grabbed his second of the game to give the home side a nap hand six minutes after the break and less than a minute later Morris made it 6-0 before sub Sam Mulready scoring a consolation for the Linnets seven minutes from time.

The other Premier Division game between Ashton United and Stocksbridge Park Steels was delayed due to traffic problems and didn`t start until 8.10pm.

Ashton were looking to further improve their top five aspirations while their opponents from across the Pennines are in real danger of following Droylsden into the lower division.

It was goalless at the break as both sides took time to settle after the delay. But just 2 minutes after the interval, Ashton broke the deadlock through Gary Gee. However, parity was restored within three minutes as Danny South pulled Steels back on terms.

And on 65 minutes the visitors stunned their hosts by taking the lead through Liam Royles. But seven minutes later Jason Gorton equalised and then with seconds of normal time remaining, Matty Kosylo grabbed the winner for the Tamesiders.