Guernsey 12 Bury St Edmunds 24 Against the weather, tides and transport problems, all the Bury players and supporters managed to reach the Channel Island of Guernsey.
A late pitch inspection ensured an interesting morning waiting for kick-off as the weather switched from torrential rain to spring showers and blue sky and bright sunshine.
Bury won the toss and elected to play with the elements – a 40 to 45mph wind – at their backs.
The early pressure and wind assistance soon paid dividends with a penalty conceded by Guernsey converted by Charlie Pask on the fourth minute to make it 3-0 Bury.
And two minutes later Jamie Cooke powered across the try line, after excellent support play from a Bury line-out.
Pask converted for a 10-0 Bury lead, although the Bury pack were misfiring against the re-worked Guernsey front row and the conditions worsened.
But the wind and rain continued to benefit the visitors to the island, and further frustration showed in the Guernsey players and supporters.
Another constructive passage of play, using the forwards to gain the hard yards and then unleashing a back line, who were enjoying catching the defenders flat-footed, saw Bury score again.
Casey Stone skated over to touch down beneath the posts, after some great handling skills in the atrocious conditions. Pask converted again and it was 17-0 Bury.
The visitors weren’t done yet – continual pressure from the restart from the Bury forwards, with some tight mauling and rucking, managed to put Ben Radmall in a great position to break the Guernsey defensive line again.
Pask made good the extras to take the score to 24-0.
Guernsey then began to dominate and the resultant penalty count culminated in a yellow card for Pask and seconds later a penalty try awarded for continual infringements.
Easily converted, the score was 24-7 at the half.
The second half began with Bury now facing the wind and rain, both of which had strengthened since kick off. Guernsey made a number of changes and after ten minutes Nick Barton crossed the line out wide, although the gale force wind now made kicking futile. 24-12 Bury.
During the remainder of the game Guernsey couldn’t match Bury’s control and skill levels in the extreme conditions, and continually decided to kick long and chase, without reward.
The early Bury blitz had done the damage, and any Guernsey fightback was simply not enough.
Next week Bury host Tonbridge, a place above them in the table, and will look for revenge after falling 45-11 in their first battle.
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