BURY TOWN’s run of six straight wins, in all competitions, came to an end when they bowed out of the FA Trophy at Loughborough Dynamo this afternoon, undone by a late goal in a 1-0 defeat.
The Blues were second best for much of the afternoon, but they looked on course to force a penalty shoot-out until conceding a goal right at the death.
The Moes, of the Northern Premier League South-East Division, struck with an 89th minute winner to seal the Blues’ fate.
Keeper Joe Rose did well to beat away a goalbound header but, in the goalmouth scramble that ensued, substitute Alex Steadman was on hand to ram the ball home with a rising shot from six yards out.
There was very little time for Ben Chenery’s side to bounce back, but at least they still have an FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie at Banbury United to look forward to next weekend.
The Moes completely dominated the first half, in terms of possession and territory, but the Bury defence held firm and keeper Joe Rose made a couple of smart saves to keep the scoreline goalless at half-time.
Defender Carl Sibson’s header from a corner was cleared off the goal-line as the hosts began strongly, and Curtis Burrows exchanged a neat one-two with Karl Demidh before cracking in a shot which Rose did well to push away for a corner.
On 15 minutes, striker Demidh dragged a shot wide with Bury continuing to be pegged back, while three minutes later a towering header by defender Jack Smith was superbly turned away by a diving Rose. Smith had a second chance from the rebound, but was again denied by Rose, who caught the ball under his bar.
The visitors struggled to get out of their own half, and only once managed to get the ball into the Moes penalty area durig the first period. Carlos Edwards pumped a 38th minute free-kick into the box, in the direction of Will Gardiner, but that was comfortably cleared.
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The second half was a lot more even, but without either side creating too many chances.
Moes striker Demidh nodded wide from one cross, while Rose was relieved to see a free-kick whistle a foot over the bar.
The home side came desperately close to winning the match in normal time, when Burrows turned to lash in a shot that beat Rose, only to bounce back off the post and roll to safety on 83 minutes.
But they did grab the winner just five minutes later, with substitute Steadman crashing home a shot from close-in following a goalmouth scramble.
Teams
LOUGHBOROUGH DYNAMOS: Rabstein, Young, Lloyd, Smith, Gordon, Sibson, Monteiro (sub Collins, 80), Norris, Demidh (sub Steadman, 75), Burrows, Matthews. Unused subs: Alexandr, Riley, Williams.
BURY TOWN: Rose, Hood, Gardner, Edwards, Altintop, Hastings, Chambers-Shaw, Snaith (sub Nyadzayo 75), Hughes, Ramadan, Maughn. Unused subs: Cook, Jolland, Mills, White.
Attendance: 120
But there was better news for FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UNITED, who cruised into the next round of the FA Vase with a comfortable 5-0 win over Westfield at Dellwood Avenue.
After a goalless first half, Sam Nunn scored the first of his brace of goals within two minutes of the restart.
The visitors suffered a further blow when Coles Wright was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 50th minute, and the Seasiders doubled their lead via Stuart Ainsley on 56 minutes.
Ollie Canfer made it 3-0 in the 62nd minute, before Nunn added a fourth on 78 minutes. Callum Bennett scored the fifth with two minutes remaining.
FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UNITED: Alley, Bennett, Haynes-Brown (sub Ainsley, 46), Aitkens (sub Wiggins, 63), Jopling, Nunn, Schaar (sub Barley, 28), Matthews, Canfer, Clarke, Howell. Unused subs: Powell, Gooch.
Attendance: 266
Meanwhile, NEEDHAM MARKET claimed an impressive 3-0 home win over Bromsgrove Sporting in the Southern League Premier Central, thanks to a brace by Callum Page.
Man-of-the-moment Page broke the deadlock in the 37th minute. He pounced on a loose ball and let fly with a shot that the keeper appeared to save, only for the ball to loop up and roll into the net.
Needham keeper Marcus Garnham protected his side’s 1-0 lead in first-half stoppage time by saving Broadhurst’s penalty.
Needham missed a penalty themselves in the 52nd minute. Fowkes’ initial shot struck a post, and Keiran Morphew was brought down for a penalty. However, Billy Hunt’s spot kick was saved.
But Page did double the hosts’ lead in the 54th minute with his second goal of the game. Ben Fowkes’ angled shot was blocked, but Page was on hand to bury the rebound.
Hunt made it 2-0 in the 69th minute. He chased onto Callum Sturgess’ ball over the top, which was only helped on by a defender for Hunt to steer home his shot.
Sturgess was sent off in the 87th minute for a late challenge, but this was still a good afternoon for the high-flying Marketmen.
Needham have now won four and drawn the other two of their first six fixtures, to stay joint top with leaders Coalville Town on 14 points. Coalville thrashed Banbury United 6-1.
NEEDHAM MARKET: Garnham, Dye, Sturgess, Lawrence, K Morphew, D Morphew, Page (sub Ingram, 72), Heath, Hunt (sub Fletcher, 83), Collard, Fowkes (sub Marsden, 80). Unused subs: Mills, Elsdon.
LEISTON went down 4-1 at home to Peterborough Sports in another Southern League Premier Central fixture, and so are still without a league win this season from six games.
Mamadu Sani put the visitors ahead in the 14th minute, after Sam Donkin had saved his initial effort but Jamie Eaton-Collins levelled on 38 minutes.
Eaton-Collins had earlier hit the bar with a shot on 16 minutes, but he was not to be denied, beating keeper Lewis Moat for the equaliser.
However, the Peterborough side scored twice just before half-time, through Joshua McCammon (43) and Jordan Nicholson (45), and Nicholson added his second and his side’s fourth on 58 minutes to seal victory.
LEISTON: Donkin, Switters (sub Hitter, 64), Saunders, Keys, M Richardson, Weaire, Barnes, Eagle (sub K Richardson, 79), Davies, Eaton-Collins, Wilkinson (sub Jackson, 71). Unused subs: Keller, Knights.
Attendance: 226
LOWESTOFT TOWN looked to be heading for victory at home to Rushall Olympic, but in the end had to make do with a 1-1 home draw.
Adam Tann gave the Trawlerboys an early lead after just five minutes, only for Sam Mantam to poach an 87th minute equaliser for the visitors.
Meanwhile, WHITTON UNITED bowed out of the FA Vase at the second qualifying stage, suffering a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of lower level White Ensign.
The visitors actually played more than an hour with just 10 men, following a red card for Moyo, but Whitton could not take advantage.
Away keeper Hawes made a string of good saves, before a free-kick by Gates put White Ensign 1-0 up before half-time.
Gates then provided a free-kick for George to head home the Essex club’s second, although substitute Inglis gave Whitton hope by halving the deficit in the 83rd minute.
However, the Suffolk side were denied an equaliser late on when Hawes saved brilliantly from substitute Day’s header.
STOWMARKET TOWN set a new Thurlow Nunn League record of 38 league matches unbeaten, after beating Stanway Rovers 1-0 at Greens Meadow.
Josh Mayhew popped up with the winner at the end of the first half, diverting home a cross by Seb Dunbar.
BRANTHAM ATHLETIC drew 1-1 at home to Ely City, Joss Neale equalising in the second half, while WOODBRIODGE TOWN suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Thetford Town, who picked up their first points of the season to lift themselves off the bottom of the table. Nick Ingram had put the Woodpeckers 1-0 up in this game.
WALSHAM LE WILLOWS and HADLEIGH UNITED shared a 1-1 draw at Summer Road. Kyle Cassell put the Brettsiders ahead with a wonderful goal in the first half, but Cameron Nicholls rescued a point for the Willows.
KIRKLEY & PAKEFIELD moved up to third in the table, thanks to a 4-3 home win over LONG MELFORD, who are now bottom of the table.
Cameron Russell, Danny Conroy (2) and Kaiden Goldspink (86th minute winner) were Kirkley’s goalscorers. For the Villagers, there was an own goal plus efforts by Santa de la Paz and Jacob Brown.
Elswhere in the Thurlow Nunn Premier, MILDENHALL TOWN lost 2-1 at league leaders Norwich United.
NEWMARKET TOWN were beaten 4-2 at home by second-placed Wroxham. Cowley equalised in the first-half for the Jockeys, while player-manager Michael Shinn headed home a second-half leveller before Wroxham netted twice to win it.
HAVERHILL ROVERS also suffered a home reverse, losing 2-1 to Swaffham Town. Ryan Weaver headed Rovers in front from Marc Abbott’s 15th minute free-kick, but Swaffham were level before the break and then struck with an injury-time winner through Blackman.
In the Thurlow Nunn Division One North, IPSWICH WANDERERS are joint top after their 2-0 home win over LEISTON RESERVES on Friday, played in front of a crowd of 276.
New signing Danny Cunningham, recruited from Stowmarket, and George Mrozek were on target.
Top-of-the-table Fakenham Town beat NEEDHAM MARKET RESERVES 3-0 on Saturday, while FRAMLINGHAM TOWN recorded an impressive 4-0 win at Downham Town. Joe Berry put the Castlemen 1-0 up at the break, before substitutes Jonathan Fryatt and Callum Knights (2) found the net in the second period.
LAKENHEATH beat FELIXSTOWE & WALTON RESERVES 2-0 at The Nest. Shaun Avis broke the deadlock in the first period, with Ryan Phillips doubling the lead via a free-kick.
CORNARD UNITED lost 3-0 at Mulbarton Wanderers, and DEBENHAM LC lost 2-1 at March Town United. Brad Austin scored for the Hornets.
- In the Suffolk & Ipswich League Senior Division, league leaders HALESWORTH TOWN returned to winning ways with a 4-1 away victory at HAUGHLEY UNITED.
Halesworth had suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Benhall St Mary the previous weekend, but they made it five wins from six games through goals from Pat Summerfield (15 mins), Tobias Payne (38), Toby Kerslake (45) and Lewis Chenery (63).
Second-placed CLAYDON, who have 13 points from six games, drew 2-2 at home to OLD NEWTON, for whom Lewis Cooke and Ashley Thompson were on target, while third-placed BENHALL ST MARY (also 13 points) shared a goalless home draw with TRIMLEY RED DEVILS.
BILDESTON RANGERS triumphed 4-2 away at CRANE SPORTS, boosted by a brace of goals apiece from David Bart Lorimer and Keiran Dilloway. There were equalising goals by Crane’s Marcus Taylor (1-1) and Mo Fike (2-2).
LEISTON ST MARGARET have lost all seven of their fixtures, going down 2-1 at EAST BERGHOLT UNITED, while CAPEL PLOUGH were convincing 4-0 home winners over ACHILLES, who are still searching for their first league win of the campaign.
The fixtures between Coplestonians and Ransomes, and Henley Athletic and Bourne Vale, were both postponed due to Covid-19 concerns.
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