Buxton battled back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw against Barwell in their FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round tie, forcing a replay after second-half strikes from Ben Andreucci and Diego De Girolamo.
The game began disastrously for Buxton as they found themselves trailing after just two minutes. A Barwell freekick caused chaos in the Buxton box, leading to a defensive mishap that saw Ethan Mann put the ball into his own net, gifting the visitors an early lead.
Despite the setback, Buxton tried to find an immediate response. In the 12th minute, De Girolamo had a chance to bring Buxton level after being teed up by Tommy Elliott just outside the area, but his curling effort narrowly missed the post.
Moments later, De Girolamo continued to threaten, winning a freekick on the edge of the box after being fouled in a dangerous position. He took the resulting set-piece himself, drilling it low towards the corner, but the Barwell goalkeeper reacted well to parry the shot away. Andreucci was on hand for the rebound but couldn’t convert as the keeper managed to smother the ball before he could pounce.
Buxton kept pushing for an equalizer, and in the 25th minute, a brilliant piece of play saw Finney deliver a low cross that flashed across the face of goal, but no one was able to get a decisive touch as the ball trickled agonizingly wide.
Barwell doubled their lead just before halftime in the 42nd minute. Ethan Hill managed to curl the ball directly in from a corner to give the visitors a 2-0 lead going into the break.
Facing a daunting two-goal deficit, Buxton needed a quick response in the second half, and they nearly got one in the 52nd minute. Connor Kirby's long ball found Sam Tomlinson in space, and his shot was saved by the Barwell goalkeeper.
From the resulting corner, Kieran Burton managed to whip the ball back into the danger zone, but Buxton couldn’t capitalize from close range.
The breakthrough came in the 58th minute. After a neat passing sequence, Andreucci latched onto the ball in the box and calmly slotted it past the Barwell goalkeeper, bringing Buxton back into the contest at 2-1. The goal marks a debut goal for the forward after he rejoined Buxton on loan from Bolton this week.
Their persistence paid off just over 10 minutes later. Andreucci, who was heavily involved throughout the second half, won Buxton a penalty in the 69th minute after being taken down by the Barwell goalkeeper while trying to round him. De Girolamo confidently stepped up to take the spot-kick and fired it home, leveling the score at 2-2 to the delight of the home fans.
Barwell’s defense held firm, and despite Buxton’s late efforts, the game ended in a 2-2 draw, sending the tie to a replay.
This result keeps Buxton's FA Cup hopes alive as they prepare for a second encounter with Barwell on Monday evening.
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