Zanda Siziba grabbed 2 goals and Nicky Deverdics added a goal from the spot as Blyth Spartans beat Buxton Fc 3-2 at Croft Park.
Will McGowen almost found JJ Hooper early on with a through ball, but it was hit with too much power, denying the forward a chance to get a shot off.
Siziba caused issues down the right-hand side with his bursts of pace, prompting Luke Shiels to put in a big slide tackle to prevent him from getting away with speed.
Blyth were forced into an early change after Michael Liddle overstretched and had to be replaced by Malakai Reeve.
In the 21st minute, Hooper was able to take the ball past Joe Young only to find himself out wide. He cut the ball back to McGowen, whose sliced shot couldn’t find the target.
With all the early pressure from Blyth, they were able to find the opening goal of the game in the 29th minute. McGowen nicked the ball across to Siziba, whose shot found the far corner to make it 1-0.
With a very similar move, they almost doubled their lead just before halftime, but this time Young came off his line quickly and denied Siziba.
The Bucks got an equalizer in added time with a corner crossed into the box by Adam Livingstone. With a towering header, Shiels, the Bucks' captain, leveled the score at 1-1 for the away side going into the break.
Blyth started the half with lots of pressure, with Siziba storming down the wing and forcing Livingstone to put pressure on the attack. His shot went out for a goal kick.
It was Siziba who got his second and Blyth's second of the game in the 52nd minute after the cross came into Hooper, who managed to stay onside. He passed it back to McGowen, and the Bucks' defense couldn’t clear it away, with Siziba firing in from close range to make it 2-1.
Things went from bad to worse for The Bucks after Hooper was taken out by Young in the box. The referee, without hesitation, pointed to the spot and awarded the penalty for the home side. Deverdics stepped up, and despite the keeper guessing the right way, managed to score his penalty to make it 3-1.
Siziba nearly got himself a hat-trick with ten minutes to go, cutting in and trying to curl an effort in but just hitting it over the bar.
Substitute Gardiner then found himself one-on-one with Young but the keeper was quick off his line to put pressure on his shot, which went over the bar.
In added time again, Buxton got a goal back through Connor Kirby from the penalty spot, with Siziba judged to have handled the ball. Kirby stepped up and dispatched the penalty, but it was too late for the Bucks to stage a late comeback as the referee blew his whistle, ending the game in a 3-2 defeat.