Development Side fall to frustrating home defeat against Barking

Bury Town Under-23s kick off 2020 action with a 2-3 defeat after a disappointing last half hour at the Denny Bros Stadium.

Bury went close just two minutes in, Cruise Nyadzayo got through down the right wing to square dangerously across the six-yard box in search of Emmanuel Machaya running in at the far post, but was just behind his fellow forward. Bury then had a great chance five minutes later, Max Maughn's free-kick into the box from the left wing in towards Kerrin Lawrence at the far post but the ball went just wide. Bury were then awarded a penalty on the tenth minute coming after Emmanuel Machaya cut in from the right wing into the, same side on the box, passing the ball onto Harry Brown who beat two defenders before being sent to the ground as the referee pointed to the spot. The striker stepped up himself to dispatch into the bottom left corner a minute later, 1-0 Bury. At the other end, George Bugg was forced into a good save in the 13th minute as the stopper beat away a Barking shot at his left corner. Two minutes later, Max Maughn's corner in on the left saw Bury have another good chance, the ball into a crowd of players in and around the six-yard line saw the keeper come off his line to punch only to miss the ball with a Bury head getting to the ball to head goal wards only to be prevented from getting close to the target by a Barking head. Emmanuel Machaya then had another shot at goal on the left edge of the box on 16 minutes, but the shot was easy for the keeper next to his near post.

Bury then doubled their lead a minute later through Machaya. The forward found the head of Amin Mohammed on the edge of the box who flicked the ball on backwards in return to the former now running through in the box to go onto shoot past reaching the fingertips of the keeper, who got a feint touch but not enough to prevent it going into the top right corner, 2-0 Bury. Bury then had another good opportunity on 21 minutes, Kyran Cooper's header on found Amin Mohammed on the near left hand side in the box whose header found Emmanuel Machaya on the same edge of the box, whose shot was blocked. Bury meanwhile had another chance five minutes later, a great sliding challenge from Joe Hogg midway through his own half to go onto find Max Maughn through down the left wing to return the favour to Hogg now on the edge of the box, with the latter's shot going wide of the bottom left corner.

Barking on the other hand had another rare opportunity in the opening 45 minutes, Kadima's shot on the left edge of the box thiugh was low and straight at George Bugg at his near post on 35 minutes. At the other end two minutes later, good play from Bury saw Emmanuel Machaya set running through into the box on the left-hand side to see his cross deflected behind the near post for a corner. Max Maughn's set-piece in then found the head of Harry Brown eight yards out but could only direct wide of the near post, despite Barking being awarded a, freekick regardless. The Blues then had another great chance on 39 minutes, Cruise Nyadzayo ran through down the left wing, finding Emmanuel Machaya on the, left edge of the box only to have his shot blocked, falling to Harry Brown on the right edge of the box, although his strike was straight at the keeper at his near post. Barking then hit an attempt on the right into Bugg's chest at his near post a minute later, whilst a great Bury sliding challenge ensured a Barking shot in the box was blocked well two minutes later. A minute before the interval Bury had another great chance as Harry Brown found Emmanuel Machaya, who in turn fed Amin Mohammed around the, edge of the box who was dispossessed just before being able to shoot. The hosts then won a corner on 45 minutes, after an attempt on the right was deflected wide of the far post as Max Maughn's great set-piece in forced the keeper to tip the ball away inside his six-yard box.

Two minutes into first half stoppage time Emmanuel Machaya saw a freekick on the right edge of the box deflected behind off the wall for a corner on the far side, prior to another good Maughn set-piece seeing Bury go close a minute later. Maughn's corner finding Joe Hogg close to goal at the back post to head towards the top left corner, although the keeper was able to palm away and gather the loose ball, as Bury led by 2 goals to nil at the break.

HALF TIME: Bury Town 2-0 Barking

The first notable action of the second half went the way of the home side on 53 minutes, Bury feeding Emmanuel Machaya through down the right wing to cut into the same side of the area and shoot low at goal but went straight at the keeper to gather at his near post. His opposite number, George Bugg was also called into action a minute later, getting down to palm behind a shot that looked to be creeping inside his bottom right corner, with the resulting corner seeing Barking head over the top left corner from close range. Great play from Bury meanwhile saw the young Blues go close in the fifty-sixth minute, Cruise Nyadzayo setting through Emmanuel Machaya through down the right-hand side in the box with a great ball past the full-back. Machaya in turn crossed low in towards Harry Brown running in a yard out at the back post who tapped an inch wide of the same post.

Barking then pulled a goal back in the sixty-first minute, the home defence giving away too much space on the edge of the box allowing the away side to find Dobson through on the left in space to find the bottom far corner. Bury however did have a good chance to restore their two goal lead four minutes later, Amin Mohammed feeding Emmanuel Machaya with a great crossfield ball across to the right wing, as Machaya then slot through Cruise Nyadzayo on the same side who kept the ball before returning possession to Machaya who crossed into the box low, falling to Joe Hogg on the right edge of the box, the midfielder's shot taking a deflection as the keeper caught with ease at his top left corner.

On 74 minutes Barking had a good opportunity to draw level, Hawkes shot on the left hand side in the box was blocked behind the near post well by a Bury defender sliding across. Barking then had anther chance two minutes later, heading a corner in on the left over the top near corner. Hawkes though restored parity for the away side with 13 minutes to go, a ball in on the left found Hawkes on the right-hand side in the box as Bugg came off his line to intercept but was beaten to it as the visiting man tapped home into the gaping bottom left corner, 2-2. Barking though went in front four minutes later after a moment to forget for Bugg in the Bury goal, a pass back from a Bury defender was misjudged by Bugg as the ball ended up in the bottom right corner, 2-3 in unfortunate circumstances for the home side. Barking then had an attempt denied in the 87th minute, whilst a fierce freekick on the left wing was caught well by Bugg at his top far corner a minute into added time, followed by a Barking shot on the right going well wide of the same post whilst off balance on 92 minutes. Bury then had appeals for a penalty waved away three minutes later as Emmanuel Machaya was fed through on the left byline before going down, though the referee was unmoved. The final chance of the evening then went the way of the visitors a minute after, a close range shot on the right narrowly going over the crossbar. The full-time whistle then went as Bury fell to a frustrating defeat having surrendered a 2 goal lead.

FULL TIME: Bury Town 2-3 Barking