THIS WEEKEND’S MATCH PREVIEW – BURY TOWN (AWAY) FA TROPHY FIRST ROUND PROPER

Familiar territory for Dulwich Hamlet as they head north for Bury St Edmunds & Ram Meadow, home of the Blues, with a Second Round Trophy trip at stake

Dulwich last made the long trip to Bury Town back on Valentine’s Day last season, and though the two teams were set on vastly differing paths to the end of that campaign, it was not the easiest of afternoon’s for Gavin Rose’s men. The Hamlet may have been embroiled in the battle for promotion to Conference South, Bury Town on an inexorable tumble into the abyss of relegation but with a difficult pitch and stubborn opposition it took a defensive howler of monumental proportions to finally break the Blues’ resistance. Though Bury Town thought they had taken the lead through Chris Benjamin’s finish he was rather harshly adjudged to have fouled Michael Kamara, leaving Serge Makofo to open the scoring for Dulwich shortly before the break. Remi Garrett’s early second half strike gave the hosts a fillip and for a time it looked as if an upset was on the cards. However, with a quarter hour left on the watch, a slipshod back pass allowed Harry Ottaway to force home Hamlet’s second. Ethan Pinnock’s goal not long after put daylight between the two teams but there were still scary moments before Dulwich departed victorious. Come the season’s end the Blues would find themselves rock-bottom, 20 points shy of safety, and on the way back to Division One North.

It was a far cry from heady days of seasons not long passed. A decade earlier they had reached the quarter finals of the FA Vase, had climbed out of the Eastern Counties League, lifted the Southern League Midlands Division in 2010, oh and dispatched Dulwich Hamlet from the FA Trophy on a run from Preliminary Round to First Round Proper eventually ending at a Havant & Waterlooville team that had almost shocked Liverpool at Anfield a year earlier.

On their arrival in the Ryman Premier League there was no shilly-shallying about as they finished in third spot to claim a playoff spot, only to go in the semi-final at home to Lowestoft Town. Compensation came in the form of Suffolk Premier Cup, won for a tenth time. Proving this was no fluke the Blues again challenged the following season finishing fifth but again the playoffs proved the stumbling block as AFC Hornchurch dispatched them in the semi-final. However, there was still something to show for all their efforts as they overturned East Thurrock United to lift Alan Boon (Isthmian League) Cup at Staines Town winning 3-1. Though Bury Town were within touch of the playoff positions the following year, it was to be a disappointing finish as they ended up four points adrift of the last invite to the postseason playoff party. 15th spot in 2013-2014 was followed by relegation last season as financial difficulties beset the club.

However, the return to Division One North has given the club time to regroup and under former Cambridge United and Luton Town defender Ben Chenery’s management things are starting to look up again. It was a flying start for the Blues as they marked opening day of the season with a big 5-1 win over Aveley and goals continued to flow in August, a 4-4 draw at home to Witham and a 5-3 win away to Thetford Town in the FA Cup giving plenty for the fans to enjoy. The only blip saw a perhaps not unexpected early exit from the Alan Turvey Trophy, beaten 3-0 away to one of the Premier Division early pacesetters Leiston. The promotion challenge continued apace, September saw the unbeaten league run continue though dreams of FA Cup glory were ended by National League South Hemel Hempstead at the 2nd Qualifying Round stage.

October began with a FA Trophy win over Faversham Town, themselves challenging for promotion to the Ryman League Premier Division, albeit via the South route. The game at Salters Lane looked to deadlocked even after the hosts were reduced to ten men but with 13 minutes left Remi Garrett got on the end of a fine team move to settle the contest. Something of a hangover three days later as the Blues were at last beaten in league combat as Heybridge Swifts profited from Bury Town’s inability to convert their opportunities, bagging two second half goals after the teams could not be separated at 1-1 at the interval. Though the promotion challenge stuttered a little with back-to-back draws against Soham Town Rangers and Cray Wanderers, blazing a trail in top spot, Chenery’s men remained fiercely in contention. Yet that draw against Cray must have seemed like lost points after the Wands were forced to play with ten men for more than 90% of the match after Ben Payne early dismissal. With just over an hour gone Bury were in the driving seat at 3-1 up but then Michael Frieter pulled one back for the ten men of Cray before a penalty was dispatched by Grant Basey with less than four minutes left to square things up. More goal scoring madness in the Suffolk Premier Cup as the Blues won through in a penalty shootout at Kirkley and Pakefield after the teams had shared TEN goals through normal time, extra time and plenty of stoppage time which saw Kirkley and Pakefield make it 5-5 on 124 minutes.

The next round of the FA Trophy was to be more straightforward as Bradley Barber’s brace sent the Blues on to a clash with Herne Bay that would live in the memory of both clubs for some time. Between these league at home to Barkingside and away at Phoenix Sports were safely negotiated, 4-1 and 1-0 respectively as Bury Town cemented their place in the playoff places. Things looked to going all wrong as the Blues trailed to a Liam Quinn goal early in the second half before ‘keeper Neil O’Sullivan was sent off late on. Midfielder Craig Nurse took over between the sticks but it was at the other end that he was to earn his place in the club’s folklore, coming up to smash home a 94th minute equaliser. The following Tuesday the clubs met again down in Kent, again inseparable at 1-1 and so a penalty shootout was required. Level at 3 apiece O’Sullivan battered out Herne Bay’s final spot kick Phil Weavers completing the task as dispatched his penalty to send Bury Town through.

Cemal Ramadan’s debut goal away to Waltham Abbey bagged another key three points in the league before the Blues triumphed in yet another penalty shootout this time in the Suffolk Premier Club as they triumphed 6-5 on spot kicks after their quarter final at Felixstowe & Walton United had finished 3-3 after extra time, Bury Town having blown a 3-0 lead after half an hour.

A fortnight ago Bury Town clinched their place in the First Round Proper with a game of the proverbial two halves at home to Thurrock. Though the Fleet trailed to Ollie Hughes’ opener, they had the better of the first 45 minutes but could not make that dominance tell until the stroke of halftime when Michel Toner tapped in. However, the pendulum swung in the favour of Bury Town after the break as goals from Noel Aitkens, Cemal Ramadan, and Phil Weavers put Bury firmly in charge of the tie. Toner did find the net again late on for Thurrock but it served as no more than a consolation, the Essex men departing Ram Meadow beaten and out.

More to celebrate at the end of the month as Ben Chenery picked up the Manager of the Month but as more often than not it proved a poisoned chalice as 3 goals in the space of 9 first half minutes condemned the Blues to their heaviest league defeat of the campaign so far. Still despite that the Blues remain ensconced in 5th, the last playoff spot.

Bury Town Football Club play at Ram Meadow – address is Cotton Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1XP. Directions to the ground can be found by clicking here

Kick-off is 3.00pm sharp. If the teams cannot be separated there will not be extra time, instead there will be a replay at Champion Hill to decide who progresses.

Match day admission prices

• Adult £9
• Concession £5 (Seniors 60+ & Students with Valid ID)
• Children 10-16 £2
• Under 10 Free

Programmes £2