Two bizarre incidents in the final minutes of the opening game of the new year saw
United robbed of a deserving point in a middle of the table clash at the Bury's
Recreation ground on Saturday.
Bouyed by their 4-0 victory against London Colney a week earlier United's confidence was on a
high and as a result produced one of their better performances of recent months. Forced to
re-shuffle due to the unavailability of centre half Luke Jones with a glandular infection, Martin
Russell was relocated from midfield to partner Simon Catmur at the heart of the defence and the result
was a man of the match performance from Russell and an experienced back line that kept leading Bury
marksmen Matt Maskell and Ben Herod at bay until the final minute of the game.
With both sides trying to accustom themselves to the heavy surface it wasn’t until the 16th minute
that a shot at goal brought the 40+ crowd to life. Bury’s Louis Rose was given a free run at goal
but his low strike was scooped up by United’s keeper Adam Lawrence.
Two minutes later United wing back Nick Stillwell let rip from the edge of the Bury area but
Kris Smithers palmed the ball away for a corner.
The game began to swing from end to end with United playing the better football but they were
never allowed to relax and giving Maskell an inch saw the front man strike from any range.
With defences dominating it was no surprise that the sides went in level at the break.
The second half saw United tip the scales and an early strike from Jake Goodship hit the Bury
side netting and ten minutes later a great strike saw Dan Gaskin saw Smithers deflect the ball
to Goodship but he headed wide.
United were now enjoying much of the possession and good work around the Bury area in the
68th minute saw Michael Scarisbrick step up and fire a long range shot over the crossbar.
Welcoming the arrival of Robbie O’Dell on for the tiring Gaskin and linking well with Craig
Rydeheard the travelling supporters were hoping that it would only be a short wait before
United made the most of their possession. But further chances were squandered and O’Dell
found himself marked out of the game by a disciplined Bury back line.
But then with only a minute of full time left United supporters were left with their heads
in their hands when a rash moment saw Russell attempt a quick free kick in the United area. Straight
out of a scene from the Keystone cops saw the ball ricochet off the back of a retreating Bury player,
bounce off a United player and fall to the boot of Herod who tucked the ball away in to an empty net. The
incident was completely unjust for Russell who had put in an outstanding performance through out.
But worse was to come for the United contingent. An incident in the middle of the park had the Bury
supporters fuming about the man in middle’s decision but in the final second he became their hero
when United substitute Lincoln had his legs taken from underneath him in the Bury area when teeing
up a strike at goal. Even the Bury supporters feared the worst but the referee unbelievably waved all
penalty claims away and as the ball was cleared upfield he blew the final whistle.
This Saturday United entertain Leverstock Green at Second Meadow Kick Off 3pm. And on Tuesday night
United have agreed to bring their home fixture against Harefield United forward to enable their
suspended players to play in the FA Vase. Kick Off 7.45pm.
United: Lawrence, Scarisbrick (Lincoln), Stillwell, Catmur, Russell, Maltay, Thrower, Goodship (Darvall), Rydeheard, Gaskin (O’Dell), Hall.
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