Bury FC
Wythenshawe
Bury FC
Wythenshawe
Bury suffered an agonising late equaliser against Wythenshawe FC in a top-of-the-table clash that could prove costly in their promotion campaign.
There have been quite a few changes in the team since fans were last able to watch the Shakers from the stands and four players were set to make their debut. In goal, Brazilian Andre Mendes was preferred to Harry Wright whilst Keenan Ferguson also made his debut playing at right back. Fellow defender Joe Maguire would have to wait for his introduction as he started the match on the bench while at number 10 Max Harrop made his second Shakers debut. The former youth team graduate had started his career at Bury and had been part of the promotion-winning campaign of 2010/11.
Bury went on the attack from the off. A long ball forward by Billy Reeves was misjudged by Wythenshawe defender Fraser Goodwin allowing Miles Storey to steal the ball from him. Andy Briggs took a quick shot but saw his effort blocked by Goodwin. Bury kept up the attacking impetus with Briggs heading an effort just over the bar from a corner and Keenan Ferguson fired a shot past the far post following a good cross by Harrop.
The home side continued to create chances, especially down the wings with Storey and Harrop sending centres towards the lone frontman Briggs but gradually both in possession and chances created the half turned towards the other side. Wythenshawe had previously been reduced to a couple of long-range hopeful efforts by Ryan Shenton but late in the half they had the Shakers on their heels. Bryan Ly fired a shot over while forward Darrhyl Mason saw a header flash across goal and a shot saved by Mendes. Arron Hevingham came close with a long-range effort and Ly could only find the side netting from a free kick. In response, Bury’s best effort late in the half came from a long-range effort by Harrop that whistled over the bar but had Wythenshawe keeper Kyle Haslam scrambling.
The Shakers went into the second-half with renewed intensity and very nearly got a goal as Storey teed up Andy Scarisbrick. The midfielder couldn’t take a shot immediately and by the time the ball was under his feet his eventual effort was blocked by a defender. Bury came close again from a free-kick, the ball made its way to Tom Moore but his header lacked power. Worse still Wythenshawe counter-attacked with the Ammies dangerman Bryan Ly one on one with Mendes. The forward however fired his shot right at the debutant keeper and the chance was gone.
Moore made up for his earlier spurned chance with the opening goal of the match. A free-kick swung in by Harrop found Moore and the captain did enough to bundle the ball into the Wythenshawe net scoring Bury one hundredth league goal of the campaign.
Bury could have extended their lead, substitute Dec Daniels saw a header well saved by Haslam, the rebound fell to Reeves but his effort rattled the woodwork.
As the match wore on Bury pushed hard for the security of a second goal, substitutes Holland-Wilkinson and Comber forcing saves out of Haslam but not truly testing the visitors.
Late on an injury to Daniels with no other strikers available on the bench forced Dave McNabb to change shape and introduce Joe Maguire to the fray, with Bury struggling to keep the ball away from their half the resurgent Wythenshawe pressed on. Mendes spilled a Saul Henderson shot and nearly allowed Harrison Bickerton to steal the ball from him. Eight minutes of time were added on to a half that hadn’t had any long delays and Bury would have to carry on holding back the Ammies.
Deep into added time Bury could have made sure of the points, Scarisbrick got in behind the defence drawing out Haslam. His squared pass to Comber should have led to an easy tap-in but the Bury man miskicked the effort that spun out of play. From the restart Haslam sent a long ball forward that went all the way to Mason who was felled in the box by Maguire. The referee pointed to the spot just as time ought to have expired.
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The disbelieving Bury crowd could only watch as Ly calmly sent Mendes the wrong way and suffered through goading from the ecstatic away side in their exuberant celebrations. Full-time sounded some time later and with that Bury’s chances of catching their rivals diminished greatly. There is plenty still to play for with five matches remaining and likely playoffs to follow but for the majority of the 4212 in attendance at Gigg Lane the ending was a kick in the teeth. |
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