10-man Blues defeat Barking 3-1

Bury Town Development maintained their unbeaten home record after a determined 3-1 success over their Barking counterparts. A game that saw Bury stacked up against it at times led to gutsy determination from the Blues end up worthy victors, after being left with ten men for the best part of an hour.

It was the hosts that started brightly as a superb cross in on the right from Branham Ince narrowly missed the head of Emmanuel Machaya at the near post on 6 minutes- and went just the wrong side of the far post.‬

‪Six minutes later though, Tommy Robinson was surronded on the edge of his own box by Barking players before Uddreen's shot towards the bottom right corner was palmed behind by George Bugg. Emmanuel Machaya was then denied by the keeper on 21 minutes, getting on the end of a ball into the box at the left post, only to be kept out well by the legs of the keeper. Fu-Ad-Uddeen Ibrahim was then set through in the box on the right on 31 minutes, but stabbed his shot just over the bar.‬

‪Bury though took the lead a minute later, free-kick miestro Tommy Robinson with a set-piece on the left wing, which went right through the keeper's hands and into the far corner. The game then stepped up a notch or two, as Joe White was shown a straight red, for what looked like a 50/50 challenge on the half-way line on 36 minutes. ‬

‪Due to that dismissal, Aidan Browne dropped into centre back, and was instrumental in Bury keeping Barking at bay- who took advantage of the man advantage until the break. On 39 minutes, the visitors got through on goal, with Bugg on hand to palm the shot away. Again Barking had a shot at goal on 41 minutes, as the away side squared across goal from the left byline where Silva at the far post shot low and straight at George Bugg. The Barking man then attempted to kick the ball out the Bury keeper's hands before tapping into the net- with the goal ruled out for the foul. Two minutes later, Bugg was again called into action as the visitors' effort went straight to him. That was it for the first half, as Bury held firm to lead at the interval. ‬

Half Time: Bury Town Development 1 Barking Development 0

At the start of the sevond half, Bury were living dangerously but soon settled and enjoyed a lot of success down the right wing. On 46 minutes, Barking got through on the right themselves but was again denied by Bugg with Browne on hand to clear behind. Once more, Barking sent a low shot at goal on the right but hit it straight at Bugg at his near post on 47 minutes. A minute later another Barking low strike, this time from distance was once more easy for Bugg to dive down to his left to gather.

Then after 59 minutes, Barking got through on the left side in the box as Bugg once more kept out the shot at his near post, leaving an open goal for the Barking man in the centre but somehow missed the open target- under pressure from Browne. Three minutes later, Bury doubled their lead, as Tommy Robinson's free-kick 25-yards from goal on the right was a fantastic outswinger into Emmanuel Machaya, leaving the striker an easy nod into the bottom right corner. That second goal fired Bury up for more goals, whilst Barking struggled to keep the Blues at bay.

The home side continued to search for a third and game sealing goal, as Call rounded the keeper on the left side in the box but ran out of space. However, the referee pulled play back for Bury free-kick thirty yards out. Tommy Robinson's free-kick was deflected by the wall but went just wide off the right post on 70 minutes. Three minutes later, a dubious offside call prevented Bury from getting through on goal- after Tanner Call set Emmanuel Machaya clear through on goal, who advanced into the box and was fouled by the sliding keeper. Bury then got a bit of luck on 76 minutes, as a scramble in the box on the right saw a closerange shot blocked by the boot of George Bugg. Barking then shot wildly off target from range on 80 minutes.

Barking then swung a corner in on the left, with Parish at the far post heading towards the top right corner but was headed off the line on 81 minutes. Emmanuel Machaya then went on the counter, following a Barking corner, running from box to box down the left, on 85 minutes. His shot however, from the edge of the box towards the far corner was palmed behind by the keeper. Bury then went 3-0 up with three minutes to go, Tanner Call squaring across goal on the right byline, six-yards out saw substitute Fabien Joe react quickest to finish past the keeper to round off a fine evening's work for Bury. The Blues though continued to look for more goals, shooting low on the left- but straight at the keeper at his near post on 90+1 minutes.

However, Barking did pull a goal back two minutes into stoppage time, as Bradley Allen in space in the left side in the box picked his spot to find the bottom left corner. On 96 minutes, Apperley fires over the top right corner, as Bury ran out 3-1 winners over their Barking counterparts.

‪Full Time: Bury Town Development 3 Barking 1

DREW KENDALL