Bury Town got their long-awaited season underway with an away trip to Aveley to face Grays Athletic. A definite game of two halves with two stunning goals made for a very interesting afternoon
Bury started on the attack and won a series of free kicks in good areas just outside the box but Grays defended them all well. Grays were soon on the attack themselves on 8 minutes with Freddy Moncur getting close to the edge of the box but lashing his shot wide of the foot of the far post.
On 13 minutes Grays broke in to the Bury box with Anointed Chukwu putting a sweet through ball into Moncur but poor control led to the ball going out of play. Bury’s first real chance came on 16 minutes with Ryan Stafford putting a high ball into the box for Cemal Ramadan, but again poor control saw the ball go harmlessly high and wide.
As the half went on Grays took control of the game and attacked and defended well. On 22 minutes Dave Knight played a decent cross into the box for Grays which was met by the head of Danny Gould put his header went the wrong side of the far post. A sweet strike from Gould on 27 minutes hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced close to the goal line but Bury managed to clear the danger.
Grays made the breakthrough on 39 minutes when a ball into the box fell to the feet of Joe Paxman who kept a cool head to slot home the opening goal. A minute later Grays were two goals to the good when Ryan Sammons picked up the ball a long way outside the box and hit a tremendous strike which thumped against the far post and into the net. Grays were on top and in control as the game went into the break.
Half Time: Grays Athletic 2 Bury Town 0
The second half saw Bury more offensive and had the better of the chances as they went in search of goals. On 50 minutes Ryan Jolland picked up the ball in midfield and hit a shot from distance that was defected just wide of the post. The resulting corner was whipped into the box by Jake Chambers Shaw and Will Gardner headed just wide from close range.
On 55 minutes Bury won a free kick which was hit by Gardner and Grays keeper Danny Sambridge did well to get a hand to the ball to turn it around the post. Bury kept probing forward looking for any opportunity and on 68 minutes Jake Chambers Shaw saw the keeper off his line and launched an outrageous ball from distance high over the keeper, under the bar and into the empty net to get Bury back in the game.
On 70 minutes another Bury free kick was crossed into the box but Ryan Jolland and Bury substitute Taylor Hastings headed wide from close range at the far post.
Grays broke forward on 75 minutes with Junior Nkwonta winning the ball deep in his own half and powering on into the Bury box only to put his low driven shot inches wide of the far post. Bury were fighting hard looking for the equaliser. On 77 minutes Gardner had his curling effort to the far post saved well by Sambridge.
With the game into injury time Bury went close twice with Joe Hood shooting from distance, which was deflected just wide, the corner was put into the danger area by Jolland and a defensive header looped the ball up and it hit the top of the crossbar but went over. Grays held on to take the win but Bury fought hard to get something from this game right up to the final whistle.
Full Time: Grays Athletic 2 Bury Town 1
The David Longman Man of the Match: Jake Chambers Shaw
Match Rating: 3
Attendance: 274