January 10, 2026
Today’s National League North match at Court Place Farm saw a meeting of 22nd vs 8th as Oxford City entertained Buxton.
Oxford City Update
These diaries last reported on Oxford City when they were beaten 1-3 at home in the Christmas fixture with Merthyr Town. After this, a battling 0-0 away draw was played out with fellow relegation strugglers Peterborough Sports, in a game reportedly of low quality and precious few chances. Their game last week-end at Radcliffe fell victim to the cold weather.
Defender Chris Francis had left the club following the expiry of his contract but centre-back Aaron Harper-Bailey had joined. Harper-Bailey had last been playing in the League Of Ireland for Drogheda United, and played against The Hoops in January 2024 whilst on loan to Kidderminster from West Bromwich Albion.
The other change to the Oxford City squad this week was the end of the loan of keeper Jamie Pardington from Lincoln City, and the return of Sam Lewis on loan from Aston Villa. Lewis had been on loan earlier in the season until suffering an injury, but had now recovered to come back.
Buxton FC
Buxton is a market town in the Peak District in Derbyshire, and has a population of around 25,000. With an altitude of just over 1,000 feet, it is England’s highest market town, and is also a spa town thanks to its geothermal spring. Fatbear drinks Buxton Natural Mineral Water ! Buxton also boasts an Opera House.
Famous people from Buxton included Tim Brooke-Taylor, Dave Lee Travis and Lloyd Cole, who is often mistakenly taken as coming from Scotland, but was studying in Glasgow when his music career began.
Its football team were founded in 1877 and play at the 4,000 capacity The Silverlands, which for sponsorship reasons is now called the Tarmac Silverlands Stadium. At 1,020 feet ( 310 metres ), it is the highest football ground in England, and has a reputation for being one of the coldest !
Buxton spent their early years in the Cheshire County League, before joining the Northern Premier League in 1973. At the end of the 1997/98 season Buxton were relegated to the step 5 North-East Counties Premier Division but returned the NPL First Division for the 2006/07 and immediately won promotion to get back to the Premier Division, where they stayed until winning the 2021/22 title.
In their three seasons in National League North, Buxton had finished 11th, 14th and then 7th last season, where they lost in extra-time to Chester City in the promotion play-off quarter-final.
The club’s nickname is The Bucks.
Buxton This Season
Buxton came into today’s match in 8th position with a 10-4-10 record and were 4-3-4 away from home.
Buxton were on an unbeaten run of three games, with a 2-0 victory at Macclesfield, a 3-1 home win over Worksop Town, and last time out drew 1-1 at home with league leaders South Shields.
Buxton’s form this season had been inconsistent, starting with two wins and two losses from their opening four matches, and this had continued more or less throughout the season. Buxton had won at second placed AFC Fylde ( 2-1 ), had two draws with South Shields and recorded home wins over fifth placed Radcliffe ( 2-1 ) and seventh placed Darlington ( 1-0 ).
On the other hand, Buxton had lost 1-2 at home to second from bottom Hereford United, with losses to other struggling sides, Kings Lynn ( A 2-3 ), Bedford Town ( A 0-3 ) and Southport ( H 1-2 ). It was hard to know which Buxton would turn up today !
Buxton had an impressive run in the FA Cup. Beginning with a 3-0 home victory over step 3 Redditch Borough, they overcome fellow step 2 side Marine 3-2 away, and then overcame a tricky away tie at step 4 Runcorn Linnets with a 1-0 victory to qualify for the First Round Proper.
Step 3 Chatham Town of the Isthmian League Premier Division were the opposition in the First Round and a season highest crowd of 1,652 saw Buxton progress 2-1 thanks to goals from Tate Campbell and Connor Kirby. League Two Cheltenham Town were a step too far in the next round as Buxton exited the competition with a 2-6 defeat.
In the FA Trophy, Buxton fell at the first hurdle, going down 2-3 home loss to Southport.
Buxton’s average attendance so far this season was 753, the 19th best in the division, just ahead of Oxford City’s 658. The highest attendance for a league match was 1,052 for the visit of Chester.
Buxton Squad
Ex-Manchester City Youth centre-forward Tai Sojde, who is the son of former Rugby League player Bright Sodje, was the top scorer this season with 9 goals. Ex-Blackburn Rovers, The New Saints and AFC Fylde winger Luke Brennan was next with 8 goals, and also had 6 assists.
Midfielder Tate Campbell had made one appearance for Birmingham City before playing for Bromley and Hereford United, forward Oliver Greaves joined from Newport County, and keeper Joe Young was an England Under 17 international when with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and had since played for Telford United, Dartford and Brackley Town.
Full-back Sam Robinson was ex-Port Vale, Kidderminster Harriers and Hereford, defender Max Bardell joined after being released by Derby County after playing on loan at Fylde, centre back George Ward appeared in these diaries for Leamington at Oxford City, and centre-back Kieran Burton numbered Scarborough, Chester, Hartlepool and Darlington amongst his former clubs.
Midfielder Connor Kirby played in the Football League for Sheffield Wednesday, Macclesfield and Harrogate, winger Connor Douglas was on loan from Leeds United, whilst forward Johnny Johnston was previously with Gloucester City and Redditch.
Left-back Deniche Hill had 10 caps for Bermuda, centre-forward Adriel Walker was on loan from Stoke City and had played on loan for Forest Green Rovers this season, whilst winger Ryan McLean had played for AFC Wimbledon in the Football League.
Buxton’s manager was John McGrath, who played in midfield for Aston Villa, Burton Albion, Kidderminster, Doncaster Rovers and Shrewsbury Town amongst others. Ex-Derby County, Rotherham and Crawley Town defender Pablo Mills was one of the coaches.
Previous Meetings
The two sides met for the first time last season and Buxton did the double, winning 2-1 at home and then recording a remarkable 7-0 win at Court Place Farm.
This season, Buxton were again victorious 2-1 at home thanks to goals from Brennan and Sojde with DJ Campton-Surridge on the mark for The Hoops. Oxford City would be hoping last year’s history wouldn’t be repeated today !
Matchday Information
According to AA Route Planner, Buxton’s journey to Oxford was 236 miles via the A38, M6 Toll Road, M42 and M40, which would normally take around two hours 45 minutes. It looked like around 50 Bucks fans had made the journey.
Tickets for today’s game were £13 for adults online and £16 at the turnstile. There were a whole range of reductions depending on ages, from seniors to children.
An online programme was available and a cup of tea cost £2.50.
The weather at the 15.00 kick-off time was dry and a chilly 3.5 degrees and it was forecast to be minus 1 degree by the end of the match.
Bet365 made Buxton 11/10 favourites, with Oxford City at 9/5 and the draw at 13/5
Buxton made two changes from the side that drew with South Shields last weekend, with Walker being rewarded after a goal from of the bench, and new loanee signing, Derby County left-back Tristan Gill, making his debut. Johnston dropped to the substitutes and Bardell was missing.
Oxford City made just one change to the side that drew at Peterborough Sports, as expected Lewis replaced Pardington in goal.
Buxton were playing in a change kit of black and yellow garish patches with black shorts and socks, whilst Oxford City were in their usual blue and white hoops.
Match Report
After a quiet opening two minutes, the game burst into life in the third minute when Oxford City right-back George Burroughs crossed from the right touchline. Buxton keeper Young stayed on his line and the ball fell to Josh Parker, whose half-volley from 6 yards struck the fortunate keeper and went to safety.
At the other end, Hoops left-back Jacob Roddy needed to make a tremendous tackle to stop Douglas running clear inside the Oxford City area and conceded a throw-in, which was sent long and headed a few feet over the bar.
O’Shea Ellis then committed a foul a few yards outside the Oxford City penalty area but Buxton captain Kirby could only blast into the defensive wall. The rebound fell kindly back to Kirby, but his low left-footed follow-up was straight at Lewis, who made a regulation save.
With 9 minutes played, Roddy’s partial headed clearance to a cross from the left wing only went as far as Douglas on the right-hand side of the Oxford City area, but the Buxton winger could only shoot into the advertising hoardings.
Burroughs won the first corner for the home side when his cross struck Gill. Centre-back Darnell Johnston rose the highest to meet the delivery from Ewan Clark, but Campbell cleared for another corner, which came to nothing.
Zac McEachran’s run through a crowd of Buxton defenders was ended with a foul just outside the Buxton area. Ashby’s free-kick was heading to the bottom corner until Young dived to his left to push the ball away.
The best Buxton could offer at this stage was Douglas getting past Roddy, only to cross to the Oxford City keeper.
The home side enjoyed a spell of possession, passing the ball nicely but unable to make any inroads against the Buxton defence, until Parker released McEachran to run into the left-hand side of the Bucks’ area, but from a narrow angle, Young saved the shot with his legs.
City were soon rewarded for their pressure. DJ Campton-Sturridge received a pass just inside the Buxton half, and turned and produced a fabulous defence splitting pass between Burton and Gill to put Clark clear with just the keeper to beat. Young came out and tried to make himself big, but Clark cutely dinked over the keeper and the ball bounced just inside the far post for a tremendous finish. It was 1-0 after 27 minutes.
Buxton’s response to falling behind was to force Johnson to concede a corner but from the delivery from Brennan, Burroughs did well to head away under pressure.
The visitors were then forced into making an early change when Robinson picked up an injury and Greaves entered the fray.
In was Buxton’s turn to have a spell of possession, but when they lost the ball, McEachran and Ashby combined to give Campton-Sturridge a run deep into the Buxton half, but after getting to the edge of the penalty area, he opted to go for glory rather than feed the unmarked Clark, but his effort was blocked. The loose ball rolled to Roddy, but his shot was weak and Young made a routine save.
Trueman sent a dangerous looking cross into the Oxford City area but no attacker was on hand to get on the end of it, then Brennan sent a low ball into the goalmouth from the left, and although Walker slid in, he was unable to make contact, and keeper Lewis had kept his eye on the ball and dived to gather.
Buxton were getting into good positions but were unable to create any clear-cut chances. Wiggett intercepted a low cross from Gill, and then after Trueman had been the recipient of a late tackle by Campton-Sturridge, Greaves put the ball into the net from the edge of the area after the free-kick had been headed away, but the referee had already blown for an infringement and the players had stopped playing. There were a few half-hearted complaints from the Buxton players but nothing serious.
Campbell was unable to reach another low ball into the Oxford City area, so it was a goal-kick to The Hoops.
Campton-Sturridge exchanged passes with Clark to run into space on the right-hand side but from a tight angle, his shot went across the goal but wide of the far post.
Oxford City successfully defended a long throw into their area, and shortly after, Ellis received a return pass from McEachran but his goal-bound effort struck Ward and went through to the Buxton keeper.
At the half-time interval Oxford City led by one goal, but it could have been one or two more. Buxton had shown very little in attack and Hoops defender Johnson looked to have Walker in his pocket, relishing the battle against a big man upfront.
However, Buxton made a change at the start of the second period with Sodje replacing Walker, and the shorter, speedier forward was to present the home defence with a different set of problems to solve.
The start of the second half saw the ball going out of the ground towards the ring road on two occasions in a minute, leading to a worry the game might have to be abandoned if they couldn’t be retrieved and this continued to happen !
After being second best in the first half, Buxton dominated much of the second half. A cross from Douglas was headed clear by Johnson, then a poor back pass from Clark gave Buxton a corner, at which Johnson produced another excellent header under pressure at the back post and Roddy gratefully hoofed away.
With 52 minutes on the clock, Trueman played an excellent ball down the right-hand channel which Sodje latched onto, but with the angle tight, Lewis saved the shot with his legs for a corner. It was the first real test for the Aston Villa loanee.
Two minutes later Douglas made a strong run down the right and his low cross with met by Sodje 8 yards out, but his shot was deflected wide for another corner, from which Wiggett made a good clearing header.
Buxton were now on top, but in a rare break for the home side a flick from Parker gave Campton-Sturridge the chance to run into the Buxton area, but Burton was covering and gave away a corner. The corner was played to Ashby on the edge of the area, who lobbed the ball into the 6-ard box, but offside was given.
In the 56th minute, after the home side failed to take several opportunities to clear their lines, Buxton were able to work the ball to Sodje inside the Oxford City area, who turned and shot first time, but the ball took a vital touch off Johnson and slammed into the post with Lewis beaten. The follow-up from Gill was blocked. It was a huge let-off for The Hoops.
Buxton continued to press for an equaliser and Johnson was forced to put a Douglas cross off for a corner, and Wiggett again did well to head clear under pressure. At this point Lewis went down with an imaginary injury for the obligatory tactical time-out.
When play continued, Brennan took another corner for Buxton, and this time Lewis made a good punch away inside his 6-yard box.
As seen several times this season, City’s response to being put under the pump was to stop going forward and to play the ball backwards at every opportunity, and in doing so, inviting even more pressure.
With 64 minutes played a 25-yard shot from Greaves produced a comfortable diving save for the Oxford City keeper.
In a rare relief of the building pressure, Parker played in McEachran to run to the byline and then inside the Buxton area to win a corner, but the delivery from Clark was poor and headed away by the first defender in front of the near post.
Roddy was the recipient of the first yellow card of the match after bringing down Sodje mid-way inside the Oxford City half in the 67th minute.
Three minutes later, Sodje ran onto a long ball down the left-hand channel but his low ball into the Oxford City was well cut-out by Ellis tracking back.
Brennan then sent a probing cross from the left to beyond the far post where Parker and Douglas challenged and both fell to the floor, but the referee awarded the free-kick to Oxford City.
With 13 minutes remaining Greaves played a defence splitting ball to put substitute McLean in on goal, but Johnson produced probably the tackle of the match to block the shot as McLean was in the act of shooting and won the goal-kick.
Buxton continued to press, and Lewis had to pluck a header from high in the skies, then a corner was met at the back post by Ward but headed narrowly wide.
The game moved into added time, the amount of which wasn’t announced, when Wilson was shown a yellow card for a soft looking foul. This time Brennan’s delivery was good, and Ward powered home a header from around 6 yards. 1-1 after 92 minutes.
In truth, the equaliser was deserved, for as much as Oxford City had been the better side in the first half, the reverse was true in the second, but for the home supporters it was depressingly predictable.
However, there was to be a twist in the tail. City were not pleased when Westendorf’s run clear was pulled back for an earlier foul. Ashby stood over the free-kick and sent a curling ball into the danger zone, where Johnson managed to get his head to the ball ahead of Young and put the ball into the vacant goal. 1-1 after 94 minutes.
From the home fans point of view, it was a sensational end to the game, but a sickener for Buxton, who had worked so hard to get back to level terms, only to have it snatched away from them at the death.
The win took Oxford City out of the bottom 4 but all the sides below them have games in hand. Buxton remained in 8th.
Oxford City : Lewis – Burroughs, Wiggett, Johnson, Roddy ( Wilson ) – Clark, Ellis ( Humphrey-Ewers ), Ashby, McEachran, Parker – Campton-Sturridge ( Westendorf )
Buxton : Young – Robinson ( Greaves ), Ward, Burton, Gill – Douglas ( McLean ), Trueman, Campbell, Kirby ( Coleman ), Brennan – Walker ( Sodje )
