Phil Kelly scored a late equaliser as AFC SUDBURY held hosts BURY TOWN to a draw in a west Suffolk derby at Ram Meadow tonight.
With both sides nestling in mid-table in Bostik North, with neither promotion or relegation on the agenda, it was all about local pride.
Bury’s leading scorer, Cemal Ramadan, broke the deadlock in the 70th minute, in front of a crowd of 421, after home keeper Luis Tibbles had earlier made a fine save from Joe Whight’s penalty.
Ramadan diverted home Jake Lankester’s delivery to chalk up his 25th league goal of the season. But front-man Kelly rescued a point for Sudbury with an 86th minute equaliser, steering home from Callum Harrison’s cross.
BURY: Tibbles, Yallop, Robinson, Fenn, White, Clements, Aitkens (sub Kennedy, 84), Jolland, Ramadan, Hughes, Lankester.
AFC SUDBURY: Collins, Mills (sub McKenzie, 59), Coakley, French (sub Hunter, 73), Grimes, Whight, Holland, Harrison, Kelly, Peters, Dettmar.
Meanwhile, HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS effectively guaranteed a Bostik North play-off place with another marvellous win, this time at third-placed Bowers & Pitsea.
Juan Luque and Luke Callander bagged second-half goals to complete a fine comeback for Jody Brown’s men, against a Bowers side who would have moved into the second automatic promotion slot with a draw.
In front of a crowd of 198 at the Len Salmon Stadium, Bowers took the lead through Ben Sartain on 29 minutes.
But Luque netted on 64 minutes, and Callander then followed up with an 88th minute winner, volleying home from a free-kick routine, to extend the Swifts’ lead over seventh-placed Maldon & Tiptree to nine points, with just three matches remaining.
The Swifts also have a far superior goal difference, so to all intents and purposes have secured their play-off place.
HEYBRIDGE: Jessup, Ramon, Godbold (sub Cawley, 55), Abdulla (sub Eyong, 73), Henshaw, Baker, Chatting (sub Callander, 78), Krasniqi, Price, Gardner, Luque.
A late goal from Correy Davidson earned a 2-1 home win for in-form WITHAM TOWN over Brentwood Town.
Harry Gibbs put the visitors ahead, but Witham scored twice in the last quarter of the game. Jack Gardner’s own goal (76) was followed by Davidson’s injury-time winner.
NEEDHAM MARKET were well beaten 5-0 at Bostik Premier leaders Billericay.
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