MATCH-WINNER Mark Coulson said his 30-yard rocket that won the Ryman League Cup for Bury Town is not the best goal he has scored.

The unlikely hero, who has not scored since October 2010, fired home the only goal of the game in the 59th minute against fellow Premier Division side East Thurrock United to secure the Alan Boon Cup, as it is now known, on Wednesday night.

Bury dominated the match on a good playing surface at Staines Town’s well-appointed Wheatsheaf Lane ground to become the first Suffolk side to win the competition, AFC Sudbury having lost the 2007/08 final 5-4 on penalties to Ramsgate following a 0-0 draw at Dartford.

Coulson said of his thunderbolt: “I don’t know where that came from really. I have been waiting a year-and-a-half since scoring against Staines last season in the FA Cup. Sometimes you hit them and you know they are going in.

“Two seasons ago I hit a better one which went in the top corner.”

Coulson was selected at left back ahead of emerging teenager Connor Hall, who was named on the bench even though he had played for West Suffolk College that afternoon.

He said: “Connor is a great player and has a terrific future in front of him. When you know you have got someone as good as that behind you, you pick up your game even more.”

Coulson predicted a bright future for Bury when he added: “The way the club has developed over the years is immense and people are starting to realise what we are capable of.”

Manager Richard Wilkins said: “It was a very solid defensive performance and also a very positive offensive performance with the amount of chances we created.

“I thought it was going to be another night like last week when their goalkeeper was man-of-the-match,” he said referring to the 2-1 Premier Division defeat at East Thurrock the previous Tuesday when Richard Wray produced an outstanding display.

“It was a lovely strike and didn’t move above a metre off the ground. He (Mark Coulson) deserves that as he puts in a decent shift every week.

“Hopefully we can now push on and make the play-offs, and we have another final to come in the Suffolk Premier Cup against Lowestoft.”

Skipper Tom Bullard said: “It is an absolutely amazing feeling to win the cup. We were always confident we could do it, even though we didn’t take our chances. The goal when it came from Mark Coulson was a screamer.

“Our supporters were great and really got behind us.”

Chairman Russell Ward said: “I am very pleased for everyone connected with the club. We have won one final, we have got the Suffolk Premier Cup final to look forward to and hopefully we have got the play-offs to come as well - it could turn into a memorable treble.”