Buxton face Southport at The Silverlands, Buxton, Derbyshire on Saturday, Dec 19 at 4:00 PM in a basement battle that neither side can afford to lose. Both clubs are deep in the relegation picture in the National League – North, and defeat here could prove costly come the end of the season.

Buxton come into this fixture in mixed form (2W 0D 3L). Southport travel struggling badly (1W 3L in last 5), which may hand the initiative to the hosts.

Head-to-head records offer little separation — Buxton and Southport have split their 10 meetings almost evenly (3W–3D–4W). Their last encounter ended in a 1–1 draw. These two tend to produce goals — averaging 2.6 per game in recent meetings.

Verdict: Little separates these two on form or history. Home advantage could be the deciding factor — a narrow Buxton win or a draw looks most likely.