Bury hoping to clinch play-off place today

VICTORY for Bury Town this afternoon at home to Cray Wanderers will assure them of a play-off place in the Ryman Premier Division.

Richard Wilkins’ side need just one win from their last two games to assure themselves of a top five placing, although if other results go their way, a point from their final games might just be enough.

Not that they will be taking that chance, despite the fact their final game next weekend is away at already-relegated Tooting & Mitcham – as Bury chairman Russell Ward explained.

“We would like to get the job done on Saturday against Cray,” he said.

“Tooting lost 6-0 on Tuesday night, but that doesn’t mean they won’t have anything to play for. They will have players playing for contracts.”

Bury’s opponents today, Cray Wanderers, lost to Lewes last weekend in a play-off six-pointer, with the Sussex side leapfrogging above them.

Certainly Cray can’t afford to lose today if they want to keep their outside hopes of a play-off place alive.

Not that Bury will be worried about that.

Since leaving the Eastern Counties League six seasons ago, they have continued their rise up the non-league pyramid.

And now they are knocking of the door of Conference South or North.

“All our squad are ambitious and enthusiastic about moving up the pyramid, even if it means we have to move into Conference North, which would be a bit of a headache,” Ward added.

“But we will face that should it arise.”

If Bury win today they could face Lowestoft in an all-Suffolk play-off semi-final should Hornchurch not slip up.

“We don’t seem to get much luck against Lowestoft, so maybe it would be better to play Hornchurch,” Ward said.

“But we need to get there first.”

With the Ryman League Cup already in the Ram Meadow trophy cabinet and a Suffolk Premier Cup final at Portman Road to come against Lowestoft, it’s going down as a hugely successful season for Wilkins’ side.

But the bigger hurdles are ahead, starting with Cray Wanderers today.