National League Two South Bury St Edmunds 37 Worthing 30 A late flurry of points could not deny Bury a deserved win, writes Simon Lord.
15 points in the last five minutes earned the visitors two bonus points but in truth Bury had done more than enough to take the spoils after a poor start that saw them fall 15-3 behind.
In the closing moments of the half Bury managed to get two scores of their own to gain parity at the break. First an attacking line-out close to the Raiders line saw Dan Swithenbank react first to an over throw, gleefully diving over from seven metres. Then a penalty was kicked to the corner and again although the throw in gusty conditions did not go to hand, Will Scholes was on hand to tidy up and send Bury rumbling for the line.
Talismanic flank forward Sean Stapleton burst through a ruck to go for the line and his outstretched arm just got the ball over. Liam McBride’s conversion sent the sides in all square at the interval.
Worthing’s kick-off did not go 10 metres and from the resulting scrum the Raiders were penalised, immediately putting them under pressure in their own 22.
Bury won the line out, drove in field three four times before cleverly switching the ball back for McBride and Kohler to show good hands to get Dwayne Corcoran in by the corner flag.
Then McBride’s high kick was well chased setting Bury off another speedy attack. Quick hands from the line out almost saw Conan Osborne score but he was bundled into touch by desperate Worthing defenders.
However the Raiders respite was short lived as Boyd Rouse was on hand to force the ball down. A McBride penalty added to the lead.
Worthing continued to plug away with their back line always looking dangerous, but a combination of silly mistakes allied to tigerish Bury defence brought no return.
On 70 minutes Bury thought they had put the game to bed when they scored their fifth try. A line out on the Worthing 25 was driven in field. Harrison spun off the side of the maul before deftly flicking a reverse pass for the on rushing Corcoran to race in for his second try and make it 37-15 with ten minutes to go.
The proverbial foot was taken off the pedal and Worthing got some consolation scores, but Bury’s work was done.
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