Buxton secured their place in the Quarterfinals of the Derbyshire Senior Challenge Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory over Chesterfield at the Tarmac Silverlands Stadium.
The Bucks started strongly, pinning Chesterfield back with several blocked efforts in the opening minutes.
Luke Brennan had the first clear-cut chance, finding space in the box only to fire his shot over the bar.
Chesterfield’s best opportunity of the half came through Tommy Marshall, whose effort was comfortably gathered by debutant Paul Cooper in the Buxton goal.
Buxton’s dominance paid off in the 20th minute when Fitzhugh’s low cross into the six-yard box found Diego De Girolamo, who calmly slotted home to open the scoring.
The hosts continued to press for a second, with Ashton Rinaldo forced into a sharp save to deny Brennan at the back post, and Archie White’s follow-up effort deflected over the bar.
Tommy Elliott came close to doubling the lead when his powerful strike rattled the crossbar, but the second goal eventually arrived in the 40th minute. A defensive clearance from Jack Brassey fell perfectly for De Girolamo, who lashed home a stunning half-volley to make it 2-0 before the break.
Buxton picked up where they left off in the second half, extending their lead in the 51st minute. Elliott’s perfectly timed through ball released Cian Coleman, who showed great composure to lift the ball over the advancing goalkeeper and make it 3-0.
Despite the scoreline, Chesterfield continued to push and came close through a dangerous free kick. Reily D’Sena’s header narrowly missed the target, offering a glimmer of hope for the visitors.
Buxton used the second half to introduce some of their promising academy players. Dylan Mantle made his debut with 20 minutes remaining, while Connor Brady also came on late in the game and nearly made an immediate impact, forcing Rinaldo into a diving save with his first touch.
The Bucks now progress to the next round as they continue their quest for a third consecutive Derbyshire Senior Challenge Cup title, reaffirming their dominance in the competition.
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