Bury Town’s Ryman League Premier play-off hopes have faded dramatically in recent weeks and the Blues face another tough test today, at home to fourth-placed Bognor.

Bury are 18 points off the top five, courtesy of a wretched run that has seen them lose eight of their last nine games, including a 3-0 home defeat to Kingstonian in midweek.

Richard Wilkins’ men will also have to do without star defender Adam Bailey-Dennis who has joined Bromley.

Elsewhere, in the Premier, Lowestoft, two points off the play-off places, travel to 17th-placed Margate.

In Ryman League Division One North, AFC Sudbury and Needham Market host Romford and Waltham Abbey respectively, while Witham Town travel to Burnham Ramblers, Heybridge Swifts go to Aveley and Maldon & Tiptree travel to Tilbury.

Sudbury have not picked up a victory in their last six and are nine points adrift of the final play-off position, which is occupied by Soham Town Rangers, albeit with four games in hand.

Their opponents Romford are a further seven points behind the Suffolk side. Needham, in eighth, also have four games in hand on Soham, but have five more points than Sudbury.

Today they entertain Waltham Abbey, who are 17th in the table on 41 points.

Second-placed Witham are two points off leaders VCD, but have two games in hand, Heybridge are three points outside the play-offs, while Maldon are stuck in mid-table.