Bury Town are by no means a one-man band – they have the core potential to be a very successful team this season – but Carlos Edwards has added that missing ingredient at Ram Meadow.
Former Ipswich Town star Edwards, who celebrates his 42nd birthday later this month (on October 24), delivered a man-of-the-match display in the middle of the park during Saturday’s FA Cup 4-1 triumph over Waltham Abbey.
The Blues have been drawn at home to Nuneaton Borough in the third qualifying round of the competition, following Saturday’s success achieved in front of a Covid-19 restrictions capacity crowd of 400. Nuneaton play in the Southern League Premier Central.
Fellow Suffolk club Leiston’s reward for a 2-1 win at Leighton Town in Saturday’s second qualifying round is a home match against AFC Telford United, of the National League North.
The draw was made this lunchtime.
Bury will fear no one, after a terrific start to the season, helped by Edwards’ calming influence in midfield – he signed up with the Blues this summer, after parting ways with Woodbridge Town, where he was a joint player-manager.
“Carlos does all the simple things so well. He’s such a calming influence on the pitch,” enthused Bury boss Ben Chenery.
“I think it gives the players a huge lift when Carlos is playing, because they feel as though they gain confidence from him.
“He’s been there, seen it and done it.
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“He has time on the ball. He played further forward to start with (against Waltham Abbey), and then sat further back later in the game.
“I’m just amazed he hasn’t scored yet! But he’s getting closer,” added Chenery.
The Blues are attracting all-ticket capacity crowds at the moment – that was the case on Saturday, and also applied to the previous midweek league clash with Witham Town, which ended in such controversy.
That game was called off due to fog, with Bury leading 5-0 with just seven minutes remaining. The Blues are still hoping that the Isthmian League will decide that the result should stand, rather than insist on a replay.
“We have submitted our report, and so has the referee,” explained Chenery.
“The League meets again in another month, when we hope that common sense will prevail.”
As regards the all-round strength and potential of his squad this season, Chenery explained: “It takes time to build something special.
“We are building something here and we are improving all the time.
“The players have put something back into the club with this cup run, and this will go some way to making the club sustainable during some very difficult times.
“We are getting 400 fans to every game – the fans are turning up in their droves.
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“It’s funny really. We could probably have got 600 in here (for the FA Cup tie against Waltham Abbey), because there is so much interest in the club.
“I thank the supporters. They are creating the buzz, they are buying the tickets and they are coming through the gate.
“The club is in a very healthy position, but I am fully aware that we have to make sure we stay humble ,and that we keep our foot flat on the pedal.
“We must not change from our identity; we stay focussed.
“I feel there is a good buzz in the camp, and I have built a core group.
“The likes of Carlos Edwards, Ollie Snaith, and Baris Altintop have come in and improved us still further for this season,” added Chenery.
Bury still have a number of injured players waiting to come back, experienced players like Ryan Stafford, Ryan Jolland, Joe White, Ollie Fenn and Ryan Horne,
The Blues are home to Dereham Town in the Isthmian League North this Saturday.
Meanwhile, there was plenty of action in county cup competitions, and in the league, this evening.
IPSWICH WANDERERS were crowned Suffolk Senior Cup champions tonight, following a hard-earned 1-0 victory over COPLESTONIANS at Humber Doucy Lane.
The final was decided by the only goal of the game on the half-hour mark, in front of an all-ticket crowd.
Connor Field was the goalscorer diverting home a free-kick by Severy at the near post.
Cops searched for an equaliser in the second half, and Wanderers keeper Brand made several good saves, including from Godbold on the hour mark, and from Rutterford shortly afterwards.
But Wanderers protected their slender lead and almost netted a second in the last minute, keeper Houchill saving from Taylor.
Wanderers therefore lifted the Suffolk Senior Cup for the second time in their history, after winning in 2012-13 following a penalty shoot-out success over Whitton United in the final.
Meanwhile, in the second round of the Suffolk Premier Cup, STOWMARKET TOWN thrashed WHITTON UNITED 10-0 at King George V Playing Field.
Josh Mayhew scored four goals in the first half as Stow led 5-0 at half-time. Mayhew tucked home an eighth minute opener from a rebound after Anton Clarke’s effort had been blocked, and the Stow striker doubled the lead on 28 minutes.
Dom Docherty slammed home a terrific third in the 37th minute, before Mayhew headed his hat-trick goal on 41 minutes and then scored his side’s fifth in first-half stoppage time by converting Jack Ainsleys cross.
Clarke bagged a brace in the 62nd and 67th minute and, after Evan Collard had extended the lead to 9-0, Clarke duly completed his hat-trick from Robbie Sweeney’s 80th minute delivery.
Also in the Suffolk Premier Cup, FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UNITED eased to a 6-2 away win at BRANTHAM ATHLETIC, thanks to four goals in the last quarter of the game from George Clarke.
The Seasiders were 2-0 up through an own goal and an effort by Armani Schaar, before Johnny Lee headed home a free-kick to halve the deficit before half-time.
Ex-Brantham favourite Clarke, on as a substitute following a long injury lay-off, then scored twice in the second-half to make it 4-1, before Johnny Lee netted his second of the game.
But there was still time for Clarke to score two more goals to boost his tally to four in just 20 minutes.
At Millfield, the score ended 1-1 between HADLEIGH UNITED and AFC SUDBURY. Jake Eady deflected home Matt Paine’s 75th minute effort, only for Billy Holland to head home an equaliser in the second minute of injury time.
But Hadleigh United then won a thrilling penalty shoot-out 5-4 during sudden death, home keeper Punter saving from O’Malley to secure a passage through to the quarter-finals.
In the Southern League Premier Central, LEISTON drew 2-2 against AFC RUSHEN & DIAMONDS in an incident packed match at Victory Road.
Dylan Sitters fired home a long-range shot which flew in vai the underside of the bar to put Leiston 1-0 up in the 20th minute, but the visitors equalised through Tom Lorraine (34) before beinge reduced to 10 men when Jack Ashton was sent off just before half-time.
Leiston restored their lead through Will Davies’ smart finish from George Keys’ cross, only for Harry Knights to be sent off in the 71st minute with Lorrell Smith converting the penalty to make it 2-2.
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