National Division 2 Tonbridge Juddians 36 Bury St Edmunds 28

For the third week running Bury surrendered a winning position to slip to a frustrating defeat in central Kent, writes Simon Lord.

In a game that almost summed up Bury’s season, the side showed glimpses of real quality, some dogged determination but also a lack of discipline and game management that cost them the win!

Having left the rain of the Suffolk, The Slade was surprisingly firm underfoot and with two sides with seemingly little to play for, it augured well for an entertaining match.

Bury opened the scoring after just two minutes.

Bury won a penalty and then organised a driving maul well to power Sean Stapleton over for the score.

TJ’s reduced the deficit not long later.

From the promising start, the half became a cagey affair with both sides testing each other out but TJ’s deservedly took the lead just before the half hour mark, Irvine galloped away from a non existent defence to then supply the supporting Coxon-Smith for the score.

Bury’s response was swift and Craig Wilson burst through for a cracking score. Honey converted comfortably.

The second half had hardly got going when an ugly off the ball incident resulted in a scuffle. Referee Jack Sutton showed a yellow Card to Sean Stapleton but a red to TJ’s Sam Atiola!

Dwayne Corcoran picked off an optimistic pass to race in untouched from 40 metres. Bury led by 21-10 but a feisty home side refused to accept their fate.

Bury lacked the game management to deal with a fired up powerful home side, TJ’s hooker Ryan Jackson was powered over. Prescott’s touchline conversion drew the score back to 21-17

The visitors again unpicked the TJ’s and Kohler was raced away with Corcoran on his shoulder. A try beckoned but last defender Lawson gambled and intercepted Kohler’s pass to sprint in for a home try... Bury now just led 28-22.

The closing minutes was painful viewing. Having led for so long, the game was slipping away and as Bury’s discipline continued to let them down TJ’s scored twice more more to clinch the game and the points.