Denbigh Town fell to defeat in their last game before Christmas despite a late fightback via a finish from Sam Duffy.

Buckley took the lead within five minutes when Max Moore finished well with a smart flick before a corner from Daniel Holland went straight in after the break. Duffy grabbed one back in the sixth minute of stoppage time but it wasn’t enough as Buckley took the points.

Town made two changes to the side that beat Prestatyn in mid-week as Mackenzie Stark and Luke Wilmot came in for Calum Butler and Aaron Jones. Meanwhile the likes of Ianto Jones, Serhad Kanli and Morgan Fricker retained their places on the bench.

The precedent was set early on as Buckley moved forward with purpose and opened the scoring with five on the clock. A low cross from the right by Brad Knight was met by Moore whose brilliant flick found the back of the net.

It took until the 19th minute for Denbigh’s first chance when Nathan Brown stood over a free-kick which he fired towards goal, narrowly flying over the crossbar. It was the first of a flurry of chances with Brown crossing from a corner finding Ben Lockley, but his header from just inside the box was tipped over.

The game became end to end with chances for both sides, Wilmot made a tremendous stop one on one before Town broke via Owen Davies but his powerful effort across goal flew wide. On the hald hour mark Moore turned well before forcing Wilmot into another stop before Iwan Roberts beat five defenders before just missing the target from outside the box.

Denbigh began to apply pressure and skipper Keiron Roberts created a great chance with a cross from deep finding the head of Davies, but it was clawed wide by Ryan Goldston. On 36 minutes Iwan Roberts had another chance when he cut in well from the right and leathered a low ball just wide of the far post.

Two minutes before the break Nick Grogan should have doubled the lead when his volley on the turn was saved outstandingly by Wilmot.

Half-Time: Denbigh Town 1-2 Buckley Town

Early drama to begin the half saw Lockley down just in front of the Buckley technical area, visiting coach Lee Worrall was booked for dissent on 48 minutes and less than a minute later was handed a second yellow card for the same offence.

On 56 minutes the lead was doubled when a questionable corner was given to the visitors. Holland swung it in missing everybody before creeping into the far corner of Wilmot’s net.

With 67 minutes gone Denbigh began to improve and create things. They shifted the ball well in the Buckley half before finding Iwan Roberts who tested Goldston with a good effort.

Into the last ten minutes Denbigh against created a brilliant chance when Davies threaded the ball to Duffy but wide right could only drag it off target. With 83 minutes gone a nice corner routine found the ball with Iwan Roberts again who crossed for Davies, but his header was cleared off the line.

The referee indicated ten minutes of added time and Denbigh kept bursting forward. Tom Salisbury looked lively since coming on 11 minutes earlier and had a great chance on the right when his effort inside the went wide with bodies waiting in the box.

Brown had an effort saved comfortably moments later whilst Buckley now looked to see out the match and take the points.

With six minutes gone of the added Davies played a superb ball to Duffy who rushed through and finished brilliantly to hand Town a lifeline and grab his 6th of the season.

However, Denbigh couldn’t find the equaliser whilst Buckley had a goal chalked off for offside, but it wouldn’t matter as they took the win.

Denbigh Town: Wilmot, Williams, Lockley, Stark, Vaughan, Cooke, K.Roberts, I.Roberts, Brown, Duffy, Davies

Subs: I.Jones, S.Jones, Butler, Fricker, Salisbury, Kanli

Referee: Andy Harms

Attendance: 158

POTM: Iwan Roberts - Looked lively throughout making some dangerous runs and came close a number of times to dragging Denbigh back into the game.