Steve Cunningham dedicates Buxton’s FA Cup win to previous management team

Posted Sunday, November 07, 2021 by PA

New boss Steve Cunningham paid tribute to Buxton’s former management duo after Diego De Girolamo’s late goal earned the Northern Premier League outfit a famous 1-0 FA Cup first round win at York.

The ex-Curzon Ashton chief and assistant Damian Crossley only replaced sacked duo Gary Hayward and Mark Ward on Tuesday.

But their inherited squad produced a superb display in its first appearance at this stage since 1962.

“I fully respect it has been earned and created by others,” said Cunningham. “All I have done is stand on the sidelines and tried to be an organiser and a supporter.

“This (win) is down to the club, the players and the previous management team.

“But if you look at the game as a whole it could have been 7-2. Our keeper pulled off a couple of worldie saves at vital moments.

“But it could have been 4-0 at half-time.”

On De Girolamo’s winner against the club where he spent three spells on loan, Cunningham added: “Diego is a centre-forward who will have 20 chances and if he doesn’t finish 19 of them, he will still be sharp to score the 20th.”

York boss Steve Watson said: “Buxton started better than we did but we had 90 minutes to put that behind us.

“So it is disappointing we didn’t improve the whole game. Once we started that way we seemed unable to lift ourselves out of it.

“Buxton are a good side but this was a huge opportunity for us to advance. This has taken me by surprise. I am not trying to kid anyone – this was by no means good enough.”