Bury Town up to third, but AFC Sudbury concede five in defeat

Bury Town's Justin Miller (Image: Archant)

Division One North Bury Town 2 Great Wakering Rovers 0

Headed goals from Justin Miller and Ollie Hughes were enough to seal the win for the Blues and get Bury Town back to winning ways.

On seven minutes, a Bradley Barber corner was swung in to Miller, who sent a looping header over goalkeeper Adam Seal and in to the back of the net.

Jacob Cleaver had a great chance to equalise three minutes later but Bury ‘keeper Neil O’Sullivan got down well to save with one hand, before saving well again after 18 minutes.

Bury doubled their lead a minute later when James Paterson broke down the left wing and fired in a cross for Hughes to nod home.

Remi Garrett went close, before Bury kept the momentum going early in the second half and on 53 minutes a Sam Reed header beat the ‘keeper, but was cleared off the line.

O’Sullivan made another outstanding save from Jake Gordon on 73 minutes as Bury sealed another win which moves them up to third in the league.

Thurrock 5 AFC Sudbury 1

AFC Sudbury crashed to their first away league defeat of the season on Saturday when form side Thurrock turned on the style to keep their 100% home league record intact with a comfortable victory, leapfrogging their opponents in the league table in the process.

Thurrock took an 11th-minute lead with a contender for Ship Lane’s goal of the season when Micheal Toner ran from his own half to beat Ollie Bowles in the Sudbury goal with a rocket of a shot from almost 40 yards.

That goal shook Sudbury and a minute later Thurrock doubled their lead when Charlie Stimson wrong-footed his marker before firing into the corner of the net.

It was almost three a minute later when former Sudbury player Dave Cowley chipped just over when it seemed easier to score.

Little had been seen of Sudbury as an attacking force but three minutes into the second half, they reduced the deficit when defender Ben Robinson started and finished a sweeping move with a well worked goal.

Hopes of a Sudbury comeback were almost finished a minute later when a fine shot from Lewis Spence saw goal number three.

Jordan Clarke then made it 4-1 from the spot on 61 minutes, after a foul by Robinson, before Thurrock added a fifth goal after 79 minutes when Joe Christou – who was later sent off – finished a sweeping move with a fine strike from the edge of the area.

Ryman North round-up

Elsewhere in the Ryman North on Saturday, Brightlingsea Regent secured a fine 3-0 win over Soham Town Rangers.

Josh Mayhew, Luke Read, and Keiron Baker all scored within the opening 35 minutes as the R’s cruised to a convincing victory.

Two 90th-minute goals from Maldon & Tiptree saw the Essex side rescue a point against Barkingside.

David Wright’s young side were trailing 2-0 heading into the final stages of the match before Femi Akinwande and Darren Mills popped up to salvage a draw.

Jody Brown suffered his first defeat, in his second tenure, as Heybridge Swifts boss, thanks to a single-goal from league-leaders Cray Wanderers.

The Swifts have yet to win a home league game this season.

Witham Town secured a massive and morale-boosting win over fellow strugglers Waltham Abbey.

Town won 1-0, to leave opponents Waltham at the bottom of the league, with Garry Kimble’s men moving up to 18th position.

Ryman Premier Division

Metropolitan Police 1

Needham Market 0

Needham Market fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Metropolitan Police on Saturday.

The Marketmen are still yet to win a league game on the road this season, but made Met Police fight for the points.

New signings Ian Miller, Simon Thomas, and Callum Harrison all made their Needham debuts, but the Marketmen returned to Suffolk empty-handed and still sit in the Ryman Premier Division relegation zone.