the Gingerbreads suffered a drubbing in Derbyshire. Buxton had not won a game in the league prior to the Gingerbreads visit, but never looked back after a poor start from Grantham saw them trail by two goals inside the first 8 minutes. The evening never recovered and although the Gingerbreads had a bright spell towards the end of the first half, goals either side of the break sealed their fate.

“I can only apologise to our supporters who watched that shambolic performance.” Said Joint Manager Russ Cousins. “It wasn’t good enough and hasn’t been for a few weeks. We can’t keep making basic defensive errors like we are at the moment and conceding goals too easily.”

The departure of Tom Nicholson over the weekend and the return of Connor Bartle along with the injuries the Gingerbreads have in defence meant Gregg Smith started as centre half once again. With a re-shuffled midfield and Remaye Campbell returning up front, Grantham were significantly changed from the defeat to Ashton United, but the outcome was the same.

The pace of Diego De Girolamo undid Grantham in the opening minutes. After 4 minutes, a ball over the top was not claimed by wither Jack Broadhead or Sam Andrew and Diego De Girolamo nipped in on Broadhead’s weak header to lift the ball over the Gingerbreads goalkeeper making his first appearance on the league season.

Four minutes later the Gingerbreads goalkeeper was picking the ball out of his net again. Diego De Girolamo got on the end of another straightforward through ball from Ash Young and was hauled down by Broadhead inside the penalty area. Mr Watson pointed to the spot and Liam Hardy tucked away the penalty.

Grantham could have conceded more as the struggled with the pace of both Diego De Girolamo and Jude Oyibo. Combined with the amount of space Dale Witham and Aaron Chalmers found in midfield Buxton gave Grantham a torrid time for the first half hour delivering dangerous crosses which only needed a touch to have added to the home sides’ lead.

The Gingerbreads did get a bit of a foothold in the game and went close without forcing a real save from home goalkeeper Grant Shenton. Adam Smith danced past three challenges to the corner of the six yard box, but blasted his shot over the crossbar. A header from Broadhead on the end of a long throw from Bartle caused panic in the Buxton six yard box, but Shenton was able to fall on the ball to deny Chib Chilaka.

Gregg Smith had another effort that grazed the outside of the post before the Gingerbread pressed the self-destruct button again. Six minutes before the break, Diego De Girolamo was allowed to create a shooting opening just outside the Grantham penalty area and struck a powerful shot past Andrew into the top corner.

There was further confusion in the Gingerbreads ranks at half time as the second of a double substitution was delayed meaning Grantham started the second half with only ten men on the pitch. They had only just got Francois Zoko on for Adam Smith when poor defending led to a fourth Buxton goal. A simple cross behind the Grantham defence found an unmarked Oyibo running in behind the Gingerbreads defence to score at the far post.

The same player made it five after 57 minutes as Grantham feel to pieces. Oyibo picked the ball up just inside the Grantham half and ran at the Gingerbreads defence. Four defenders backed off him into the penalty area, but despite the attention, he got his shot away. Andrew got both hands to the ball above his head, but it slipped through his grip and dribbled over the line.

The Gingerbreads couldn’t get anything going in the final third as despite the hard work from an isolated Campbell nothing got through. Passes were either overplayed or comfortable picked off by the Buxton defence.

Diego De Girolamo surpassed his late first half strike after 63 minutes. Gregg Smith seemed to have nullified the threat by shepherding the Buxton striker wide and deep inside the Gingerbreads penalty area. However, from almost on the by-line and 15 yards wide of goal, He completed his hat-trick with a shot driven over Andrews head into the far side of the net.

The scoring was wrapped up 13 minutes from the end when Connor O’Grady strode past a static Grantham defence to meet a crossed ball and given Andrew no chance with his effort. Mr Watson had been replaced at half time due to injury and after two minutes added time, his replacement Mr Bramall decided enough was enough and put the Gingerbreads out of the way of further misery.