Bury Town 4 Felixstowe & Walton United 1
Play-off chasing Bury Town returned to form with a bang, after back-to-back defeats, by inflicting a heavy defeat on Suffolk rivals Felixstowe & Walton United in the January sunshine at Ram Meadow this afternoon.
Bury were good value for their win, taking an early lead through Joe White, back in the side after long-term injury, before Cemal Ramadan converted a twice-taken penalty to make it 2-0 in the 44th minute,
And Ramadan added his second, and Bury's third, in the 64th minute, sweeping home from close range after being teed up by Ross Crane, before substitute Emmanuel Machaya cheekily converted an 88th minute penalty.
George Clarke netted a 90th minute consolation, via yet another penalty, for the well-beaten Seasiders.
This win, which completed a league double, sees Bury back on track after the recent defeats to fellow high-fliers Heybridge Swifts and Aveley. Ben Chenery's men have only lost five league games so far this term.
By contrast, Felixstowe remain in trouble at the other of the table, second from bottom. They have only won four league games all season, and they face a tough trip to Aveley on Monday night.
Bury, as usual, started brightly and Ipswich Town loanee Tommy Smith, who had another good game at left-back, screwed a 20-yarder high and wide after just three minutes.
The Blues took the lead in the seventh minute, following the Seasiders' failure to clear a free-kick pumped into their box by Ross Crane.
Keeper Jack Spurling ventured out of his six-yard box but failed to deal with the cross, and home striker Ollie Hughes and defender Daniel Davis contested a high ball before the rebound fell kindly for White, who slotted home into an unguarded net from eight yards out.
The Seasiders had their share of possession in the first half, but rarely troubled home keeper Dan Barden, although they did have appeals for a penalty turned down on 12 minutes, when Armani Schaar was grounded with Smith in close attendance.
At the other end, Jake Chambers-Shaw drilled in a long-range shot which was comfortably saved by Spurling, in the 18th minute, and the Seasiders keeper had to dive to his left to smother a slick shot-on-the-turn from Ramdan on 26 minutes.
However, Bury did manage to double their lead, before half-time, via Ramadan's twice-taken penalty.
Ryan Jolland powered onto Hughes' pass and was tripped by centre-half Davis for a penalty. Ramadan's first effort found the bottom corner of the net, despite Spurling getting a hand to it, but the goal was ruled out for encroachment into the box.
Ramadan made no mistake from the retaken penalty, again aiming his spot kick to Spurling's right, with the Seasiders keeper this time diving the wrong way.
Enjoying a two-goal cushion going into the second period, Bury came close to adding a third in the 54th minute as Crane's free-kick curled a foot wide of the near post.
The Seasiders finally threatened with a serious goal attempt in the 62nd minute, Ollie Canfer seeing his well-struck shot drift only just wide of target with Barden scrambling across his goal
But the game was effectively over as a contest, just two minutes later, as Ramadan swept home Bury's third from close-range, following good work by Crane deep inside the penalty area.
Barden protected Bury's three-goal advantage with a superb diving save to thwart Joseph Yaxley from distance in the 74th minute.
The Blues completed the rout when substitute Machaya cheekily converted an 88th minute penalty, although substitute Clarke did bag a 90th minute consolation for the visitors, again from the penalty spot following a foul on Callum Bennett.
Squads
BURY: Barden, Stafford, Smith, Hood, Henderson, White, Chambers-Shaw, Jolland (sub Maughn, 60), Hughes (sub Nyadzayo, 71), Ramadan, Crane. Unused subs: Oppong, Gardner.
FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UNITED: Spurling, Bennett, Ainsley, Kerridge, Jopling (sub Hanson, 78), Davis, Newman (sub POwell, 59), Matthews, Canfer, Yaxley, Schaar (sub Clarke, 59). Unused subs: Barley, Hammond.
Attendance: 448
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