NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH REPORT: BURKE SENDS CHESTER THROUGH AGAINST BUXTON IN PLAYOFF OF ELIMINATOR

Harrison Burke sent Chester through to a National League North semi-final play-off tie against Kidderminster with a decisive strike in extra time.

The home side made a blistering start and opened the scoring inside three minutes. Iwan Murray forced a corner after his shot was parried by True Grant, and from the resulting set piece, Declan Weeks’ delivery eventually fell back to Murray, who slotted home into the bottom corner.

In response, Buxton pushed forward and were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area after Johnny Johnston was brought down. Luke Brennan stepped up to take it and came agonisingly close, bending his effort just past the post.

Parity was restored in the 18th minute. Brennan’s cross from the right picked out Johnston at the far post, and although his effort took a deflection, it dropped kindly to Tommy Elliott, who was on hand to prod the ball in from close range.

Defensively, Buxton stood firm before the break as Bobby Faulkner put his body on the line to make a vital block from a goal bound Connor Woods strike.

Discipline began to tighten as Woods was shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul on the left flank, quickly followed by Oliver Ewing, who went into the book for halting a Chester breakaway.

An excellent opportunity fell to Tom Peers to restore the hosts’ advantage when Kurt Willoughby picked him out inside the area, only for Peers to lift his shot over the bar.

Immediately after, Buxton surged forward and Johnston tested Jimmy Storer with a powerful effort, which the Chester keeper managed to tip onto the post to keep the scores level.

Weeks had the final effort of an action packed first half, driving a low strike from distance narrowly wide of the target.

Upon the restart, it was Weeks again who tried his luck early, but his low effort skidded wide of Grant’s left post.

Momentum stayed with Chester as Woods cut inside from the right and unleashed a shot that was blocked and deflected behind for a corner.

Elliott thought he was through on goal in the 68th minute after latching onto a ball over the top, but he was caught short by the offside flag.

Approaching stoppage time, Buxton mounted one final push. Substitutes Josh Popoola and Ben Sault linked up well, with Sault dragging a low effort inches wide of the post.

With the score level at full-time, the contest headed into extra time under the lights.

Former Buxton winger Dylan Mottley-Henry nearly haunted his old side with two threatening moments, first stinging the palms of Grant before a teasing delivery skimmed across the face of goal and into the keeper’s grasp.

Ten minutes in, Popoola burst forward on the counter and delivered a dangerous cross into the box, but no teammate could apply the finishing touch.

Finally, after 108 minutes, Chester struck the decisive blow. A deep free-kick dropped invitingly to centre-back Harrison Burke, who rifled a low shot into the bottom corner.

Buxton threw everything forward in search of a dramatic equaliser, but late efforts from Keziah Martin and Diego De Girolamo failed to find the net, as their play-off journey came to a heart-breaking end.