Bury Town pick up a well-earned point in difficult conditions as the rain took its toll on the pitch in the later stages of the game.
The game got underway on a rain-soaked afternoon. Bishops Stortford had a couple of early chances both of which fell to Obi Onyeagwara, but he could not make them count. Bury had an opportunity on 10 minutes when Max Maughn’s shot from the edge of the box was saved. A minute later a good ball forward from Bury almost fell in front of Jamie Mcgrath in the box but some excellent cover from Jake Thompson won the ball back for the hosts. On 13 minutes Max Maughn sent a good ball into the box for Bury but was just too high to be of use. On 17 minutes Bishops Stortford had a chance when Saleem Akanbi found Obi Onyeagwara in space and his shot was saved by Charlie Beckwith. Bishops Stortford won a free kick on 32 minutes which Cole DaSilva sent to the top corner, and Charlie Beckwith made a good save. Bury had a great chance to go in front on 39 minutes when George Quantrell worked the ball into the box and put a perfect pass to Max Maughn who was on his own in the box, but his shot went wide. Max Maughn had another chance on 43 minutes when he got to the edge of the box but in the slippery conditions mishit his strike and put the ball well wide of the target. In added time Jack Smith tried a shot from distance for Bishops Stortford which sailed high and wide.
Half Time: Bishops Stortford 0 Bury Town 0
Second half the pouring rain continued to fall and pitch conditions deteriorated quickly. On 48 minutes Mikey Davis set up Ally Conway to shoot but his shot was blocked. On 50 minutes a Bishops Stortford free kick played in from the wing found Charlie Alexander and he tried to flick the ball in at the near post, but Charlie Beckwith read the play well and was there to collect the ball. On 52 minutes Bury were on the attack with Max Maughn sending the ball into the box for Jamie Mcgrath but with his back to goal the defence soon made the challenge and cleared the ball. Bury had a chance on 56 minutes when Ally Conway got to a loose ball just outside the box but shot straight at the keeper. On 61 minutes Nahum Melvin Lambert broke forward and got into the Bury box, but his shot was well wide of the mark. Bury were on top but the rain was saturating the pitch making for a very difficult playing surface. On 88 minutes Bury had another good chance when a free kick sent into the box by Mikey Davis was half cleared out to Taylor Parr inside the box and he but the ball high over the bar. Bury almost got caught out in added time when Harry Forde put a cross to the near post that nearly squeezed in to the top corner, but Charlie Beckwith got enough of the ball to turn it around the post. A tricky afternoon for both sides in appalling conditions ended in a goalless draw and Bury Town picked up another valuable point.
Full Time: Bishops Stortford 0 Bury Town 0
The David Longman Man of the Match: Max Maughn
Match Rating: 3/5
Attendance: 395