Cambridge City 1 Bury Town 2

East Anglian Daily Times: Cambridge City keeper Dan George makes sure that this Bury Town cross is flying harmlessly over the bar. Picture: CARL MARSTONCambridge City keeper Dan George makes sure that this Bury Town cross is flying harmlessly over the bar. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Cemal Ramadan turned villain to hero as he smashed home a glorious winner for promotion-chasing Bury Town, away at Cambridge City on a muddy pitch at Histon's Bridge Road this afternoon.

Leading scorer Ramadan missed a first-half penalty, for third-placed Bury, but made amends by thumping home a sensational winning goal from 25 yards out, in the 76th minute.

Ramadan's match-clincher came after Ryan Jolland's close-range 65th minute opener had been followed by Chris Regis' 71st minute leveller for City.

Bury had the better of the early exchanges and Ross Crane fired high and wide from 20 yards out, in the sixth minute, before Ramadan failed to convert a penalty on 17 minutes.

East Anglian Daily Times: The scene at Bridge Road, Histon, where sections of the muddy pitch were protected with sand as Cambridge City played host to Bury Town. Picture: CARL MARSTONThe scene at Bridge Road, Histon, where sections of the muddy pitch were protected with sand as Cambridge City played host to Bury Town. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Crane was tripped inside the box for a stonewall penalty, but Ramdan, usually reliable from the spot, skied the penalty with the ball grazing the bar and keeper Dan George not required to make a save.

Cambridge enjoyed a purple patch, midway through the first half, and big centre forward Nicki Dembelle shrugged off the challenge of Jake Chambers-Shaw before drilling his shot narrowly wide of target with the hosts' first goal attempt on 20 minutes.

Shortly afterwards and Ryan Sharman smashed in a goalbound shot, from a narrow angle, which was deflected wide, while City threatened from a couple of corners on the 34-minute mark.

Dembelle headed on Luke Knight's first delivery, with Sharman's shot again diverted wide off a defender, and from the second corner, centre-half Jordan Gent nodded inches wide of the far post.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich Town loanee, Alex Henderson, wins this header against Ryan Sharman during Bury Town's Isthmian North match away at Cambridge City. Picture: CARL MARSTONIpswich Town loanee, Alex Henderson, wins this header against Ryan Sharman during Bury Town's Isthmian North match away at Cambridge City. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Bury had one good chance to break the deadlock before half-time. Ollie Hughes nearly squeezed the ball home from the edge of the six-yard box, before Joe Hood cracked the rebound just off target from point blank range, although the angle was tight.

The Blues were thwarted by an offside flag, five minutes into the second half. Hughes steamed in to sweep home Ramadan's precision cross, but the assistant referee had already raised his flag.

Jolland and Hughes also peppered the target, before the hour mark, as the visitors stepped up a gear, and they duly took the lead in the 65th minute.

Jolland was in the right place to steer home a cross, delivered from the left, for a scrappy but all-important goal.

City equalised in the 72nd minute, substitute Regis finding the back of the net with a shot-on-the-turn from 15 yards out, after Dembelle had robbed Ryan Stafford inside the penalty area.

But Ramadan then came up trumps with a stunning goal, just four minutes later, curling home a delightful 25-yarder into the roof of the net.

Ramadan nearly added a third, in the 78th minute, again springing the offside trap before seeing his shot skid just wide of the far upright.

City were reduced to 10 men by skipper Luke Knight's late red card, for a professional foul on substitute Cruise Nyadzayo.

Squads

CAMBRIDGE CITY: George, Gardiner, Simpson, Knight, Gent, Ubah, Robson, Maynard (sub Michael, 81), Dembelle, Sharman (sub Regis, 48), Olukanmi (sub Gyasi, 66). Unused subs: Rigby, Midgley.

BURY TOWN: Barden, Stafford, Smith, Hood, Henderson, Gardner, Chambers-Shaw (sub Maughn, 89), Jolland, Hughes, Ramadan (sub Nuadzayo, 81), Crane (sub Castro, 90+3). Unused subs: Machaya, Bugg.