National League 3 London & SE Tring 7 Bury St Edmunds 26 Bury produced their finest performance of the season to date to gain a well-deserved victory at Tring.

In almost tropical conditions, Bury hit the ground running, notching up two tries in the opening 10 minutes, and from that moment on, never looked like relinquishing the lead.

Straight from the kick-off Bury were on the front foot.

Playing up the notorious Tring slope, Bury looked enterprising and when Kivalu tidied up a bouncing ball to make good ground, scrum-half Scott Lewis darted blind to send Rawcliffe and Snelling away. The pair created the space for Meyers to scamper down the touchline for a score in the corner. New signing Sage expertly converted from the touchline.

It got even better four minutes later when Bury scored their second try. The visiting forwards were in control and good work by, first Stevenson and then Birrell, set-up the score. Having driven deep down the middle of the park, fly-half Rush – arguably having his finest game for Bury – delayed his pass exquisitely for Samoa to burst onto the ball on an unstoppable angle to score to the side of the posts.

Tring tried to get a foot hold in the game but whether it was the shock of conceding two early scores or the defence from Bury, they were not the ferocious fiery side that normally makes Cow Lane a formidable venue to visit.

Bury were playing smart rugby, penning Tring back in their own 22 and then launching swift counter-attacks when the opportunity arose.

Tring went back to strength in an attempt to breach the Bury lines.

The Bury defence stood up well with Precious and Sykes doing great work at the breakdown to effect turn overs or slow the ball down. As the clock ticked down to half-time, Tring did finally get on the scoreboard. A series of pick and drives edged them to the line and hooker Wattleworth bundled over. Coote added the extras to close the gap.

Tring, one thought, would burst out of the blocks in the second period but it turned out to be a disastrous start for them.

The kick did not go 10 metres but Brad Jones reacted quickly, catching the ball and racing 40 metres down field.

Bury pressed for the line and although Tring managed to stop a driving maul inches from the line, they were powerless to stop the score from the resulting scrum.

A solid Bury scrum gave Rush the platform to set his three-quarters into space.

Rawcliffe again was stopped just inches short, but Samoa was on hand to burrow over.

Just as in the first half, and barely five minutes played Bury were on the scoreboard and 21-7 ahead

Again, in a mirror of the first half, Bury then went on to control the next 20 minutes. When space was apparent the side ran the ball, when it wasn’t Rush and Rawcliffe in particular kicked intelligently down the slope turning the home side around.

The defences seemed to get on top and as a result the game got a little bogged down in midfield. Both sides lost a player to the bin as tempers got a little frayed, Bury not helping themselves by giving away too many silly penalties.

The work from the Bury back row of Precious, Sykes and Bixby was outstanding and with half-backs Lewis and Rush keeping the side going forward Bury were a shadow of the side that had played so poorly the week before.

The only matter that remained was whether Bury’s composed performance would earn them a bonus point win. With less than five minutes to go they did just that.

A counter-attack down the blindside by Meyers and Snelling took the ball into the Tring 22. The forwards then took over, staying close and driving for the line before Sam Bixby powered his way over from 10 metres.