5th November 2024
Newmarket Town vs Bury Town @ Tristel Global Stadium - Newmarket
Isthmian League North Division (Step 4)
19:45 KO
£10 entry
Attendance - 536
Half-time score: Newmarket Town 0-0 Bury Town
Goals:
Newmarket Town: Cole - 62'
Bury Town: Ramadan - 83'(P)
Final Score: Newmarket Town 1-1 Bury Town
Tonight saw Bury Town make the short trip along the A14 to face newly promoted Newmarket Town in the reverse fixture of the game played only a couple of months ago in early September. In similar circumstances to that game, Bury Town find themselves near the summit of the table, only 1 point off the top and with a game in hand, whereas today's hosts are struggling down in the relegation zone. Despite this, the reverse game was a close run affair, and although Bury Town won 2-1 Newmarket Town had the better run of the play. Factor in the home advantage and the artificial pitch, it was going to be a tough night for Bury Town at the home of The Jockeys, but climbing back into top spot was the prize on offer.
On the way into the ground I picked up an official match day programme, was pleased to see they are still selling the excellent newprint ltd programmes, good value for £2.
It was a clear and still evening in Newmarket which became chilly into the 2nd half. Into the floodlit evening and in front of a big crowd, both teams lined up in their home colours, Newmarket Town in yellow shirts and white shorts, with Bury Town in their classic all blue kits.
KEY MOMENTS
NT = Newmarket Town
BT = Bury Town
6' - NT - A loose ball ends up in the possession of Ryan Cole, he sets himself and powers in a brilliant strike from 25yrds out, it is heading in but Beckwith is able to make a fantastic diving reaction save to tip the ball onto the upright and out for a corner.
8' - BT - Ramadan is threaded through inside the box, but his effort at the near post is tame and makes for a comfortable save for Young.
9' - BT - Horne plays a firm ball into Brown on the edge of the box, from his touch it spins up into the air and Brown hits a clean strike on the half-volley which forces a good stop from Young.
14' - BT - Upson finds some room and has a dig from 30yrds out, the effort is dropping into the bottom right corner but Young is down well to push the ball out for a corner.
26' - BT - Jolland takes the ball to the byline on the left flank, he cuts the ball back to Ramadan who is sprinting in, he guides a side-footed volley towards he bottom left corner but James Young is down quickly again to push the ball out for a corner, both keepers looking difficult to beat this evening!
45'+1' - NT - In stoppage time a perfect through ball from Romanos dissects the Bury back-line, Josh Lee is on the end of it and shoots with his first touch, but Beckwith was wise to the move and had closed the distance quickly and the effort is straight at him at point-blank range.
48' - BT - Jolland plays Ramadan through down the right, he takes the ball into the box and drives in a powerful effort, but it is rising and skims over the top of the bar.
50' - BT - Upson hits an unreal ball from the right flank, just inside the touchline, it sets Ramadan through on goal, he controls the ball with his first touch but scuffs the shot wide of the far-post, that one should really have been 1-0 to Bury Town.
62' - NT - GOAL (1-0) - Bury are left regretting their earlier miss as Newmarket emphatically take the lead. Newmarket Town star boy Ryan Cole skips through two challenges taking him through 1-on-1 with Beckwith and he slots his shot round him and into the bottom right corner, Newmarket with the spark of inspiration to break the deadlock.
64' - NT - Newmarket very nearly go 2-up moments later, a cleared ball breaks for Cole, he lets it bounce then pulls the trigger on the half-volley, but a Bury defender gets a limb on the ball to deflect it wide for a corner, important block!
75' - NT - Upson appears to be fouled in the middle but the referee indicates play-on, Bury are caught napping and pacey substitute and ex-Bury player de la Paz is through but wildly blazes over, should have at least hit the target with that effort.
76' - BT - Upson goes for a another long-range strike, this time from 20yrds out, but there is not enough dip on it and it flies narrowly over the crossbar.
81' - NT - Substitutes Mingay and Oscar Dean link-up, Mingay is played into space on the right flank, he shoots across goal, but Beckwith is equal to the effort with yet another excellent low diving save.
83' - BT - PENALTY & GOAL (1-1) - Maughn has the ball on the by-line, he beats the defender and sprints towards goal, the defender has a nibble outside the box then another inside the box which sends him sprawling and the referee immediately points to the spot. Bury Town top scorer Cemal Ramadan steps up and makes no mistake to calmly slot the ball into the bottom left corner, game on!
94' - BT - A lot of late Bury pressure but Newmarket stand firm, the best chance coming from a ball whipped into the danger area by Brown, a defender tries to clear and slices the ball towards the goal where it is blocked off the line!
Another close evening game between these two teams, you would never guess that Newmarket Town are languishing near the bottom based on the two games I have seen this season. They more than equalled Bury Town and will be disappointed with the point, and I remain impressed by Ryan Cole, he's some player! The point takes Bury Town top of the Isthmian North on goal difference, however, they will also feel like 2-points have been dropped as the race for the title hots up, blowing their chance to go 2 points clear of Tilbury. As it stands, they done well in the game to play themselves back into it, they looked a bit rattled after the goal, but the excessive time wasting tactics from Newmarket following their goal seemed to disrupt their flow and play into the hands of the visitors as they pressed for their equaliser, and then for the winner which thankfully for them never came. Finally I have to comment on the two excellent goalkeeping performances from Charlie Beckwith and James Young, they certainly kept the score down each making a string of fine saves, each as valuable as a goal. Hopefully there will be more Tuesday night Bury Town games in the future that I can attend, until then my focus remains on Thetford Town in their bid for Step 4 football, but I will be watching the Bury results keenly as they push for promotion to Step 3, all the best to Cole Skuse and his team!
Line-Ups:
NEWMARKET TOWN: James Young, Ben Robinson, Will Gardner, Efraim Romanos, Ash Walter, Jake Eady, Jordan Foster, Joe Robinson (C), Josh Lee, Ally Conway, Ryan Cole. SUBS: Jacob Mingay, Oscar Dean, Tom Williams, Stan Leech, Jose Santa de la Paz.
BURY TOWN: Charlie Beckwith, Joe White, Lewis O'Malley, Ryan Horne, Josh Curry (C), Ed Upson, Max Maughn, Ryan Jolland, Cemal Ramadan, Luke Brown, Mikey Davis. SUBS: Theo Carter, Ethan Mayhew, Alfie Pinyoun, Taylor Parr, Tom Thulborn.
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