Bury Town suffer heavy defeat at hands of league leaders

Bury Town midfielder Ryan Horne in action during today's clash against Bowers & Pitsea. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Bowers & Pitsea took another giant step towards securing automatic promotion from Bostik North, by inflicting a heavy home defeat on Bury Town at Ram Meadow this afternoon.

David Knight scored a first-half brace, and although Ollie Hughes reduced the arrears in the 37th minute, Bowers nette three unanswered goals in the second period through a double by Max Cornhill and a close-range fifth from Lewis Manor.

Bowers had begun the day nine points clear at the top, while for Bury this was their heaviest defeat of the campaign.

Bowers dominated the first half, despite playing into a strong wind, but they were only 2-1 up at half-time.

Bury keeper Luis Tibbles gets ready as Bowers & Pitsea striker David Knight steps up to take a penalty, near the end of the first half. Knight missed the spot kick. Picture: CARL MARSTN (Image: Archant)

A red-hot Knight was soon in the action, drilling wide from 20 yards out in the 10th minute, while team-mate Bradley Warner went closer when screwing a shot narrowly wide just two minutes later.

Bowers’ pressure paid off with an opening goal in the 18th minute, although there was a suspicion of offside against goalscorer Knight.

The experienced Knight needed no second invitation, scampering onto Jamie Dicks’ header to fire home past keeper Luis Tibbles.

Knight bagged his second and Bowers’ second in the 24th minute, running clear of a static Bury defence to slot home in deadly fashion.

Bury keeper Luis Tibbles makes a fine save down at his near post to prevent Bowers & Pitsea from scoring a third goal before half-time. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

On the half-hour mark it was so nearly 3-0, Knight being denied a first-half hat-trick by a fine finger-top save by Tibbles. He clawed the rising shot over the bar.

Knight was causing a nuisance of himself again just 60 seconds later, though once again Tibbles stood up well to the firecracker, beating the ball away with strong hands.

Out of the blue, and against the run of play, Bury halved the deficit in the 37th minute. Hughes ghosted in at the far post to nod home Ryan Horne’s teasing cross, despite the best efforts of keeper Andrew Wilton.

Hughes was just a whisker away from equalising, four minute later, although Ryan Stafford’s cross was just too strong for him to divert home.

Tibbles conceded a penalty in the 43rd minute, after he clearly upended Max Cornhill with a sudden rush of blood to the head. However, Knight planted the ensuing spot kick wide of target, and so missed another chance to celebrate his hat-trick.

Bury threatened an equaliser from Ryan Jolland’s 56th minute free-kick, which Wilton only just managed to shepherd to safety.

But two minutes later and the visitors restored their two-goal advantage, thanks to Cornhill’s slick volley after Bury had only half-cleared a long throw into the box.

And Cornhill made the game safe for the league leaders by firing home his second and Bowers’ fourth in the 70th minute.

Centre forward Manor squeezed home the fifth, in the 76th minute.