Improved performance but Development Team still pointless

Bury Town Under-23s fall to a frustrating 2-0 home defeat to Ware Under-23s as the hosts didn't take their chances despite a good performance from the Blues.

Bury had a chance as early as the second minute, Emmanuel Machaya got through on the left in the box but hit low and straight at the keeper at his near post. Ware though got through down the centre two minutes later, George Bugg however was off his line well to get down well and save the shot down to his left. Ware's Linton then ran through down the right onto the near side in the box to shoot low at the bottom far corner only to be saved well by Bugg who palmed away diving down on 6 minutes. Machaya then tried his luck at goal on the left edge of the box but skrewed his shot comfortably wide of the bottom near corner on 7 minutes. The striker then took a low free-kick on the left edge of the box towards the bottom far corner and looked to be creeping inside the post but a defender cleared away, only as far as Charlie Cook on the left edge of the box who volleyed narrowly over the top near corner on 16 minutes. A minute later, good link up play between Emmanuel Machaya and Aaron McGuckin saw the former set through onto the left byline in the penalty area to shoot low at the near corner though the keeper dived down well to palm away before preventing the corner. Ware then broke the deadlock on 21 minutes, the free-kick on the right wing found Campbell at the far post whose diving header found the bottom right corner, 0-1 Ware.

Bury though looked to respond the minute after, Emmanuel Machaya's low strike at goal was gathered by the keeper at his left post. The Blues then had a great chance on 24 minutes, Machaya was once more found on the left byline in the box to square across the six yard box, providing a tap-in for Harry Brown sliding in who just couldn't make contact. The hosts then struck low and fiercely at goal on the right, as the keeper did well to dive down and palm behind his near post. A minute later, the visiting stopper then denied Bury again as a shot at the bottom left corner was palmed away by the keeper, falling to Machaya a yard out but shot straight at the keeper still grounded from a yard out. Bury continued to respond positively to going a goal behind on 27 minutes as the Blues went agonisingly close to equalising- captain Charlie Cook's curling strike on the edge of the box beat the keeper but not the face off the right side of the crossbar with the ball rebounding back into play. Cook then whipped in a free-kick on the left wing 4 minutes later as Machaya headed wide six yards out at the near post. Ten minutes before half-time, Ware's Rockard shot low at goal from the edge of the box as Bugg comfortably parried away and collected the loose ball. Bury then went close again on 37 minutes, this time Cruise Nyadzayo and Ryan Stafford exchanged passes well on the right, as the latter got on the end of the return pass to cross into the box, Machaya though turned it wide from close range at the near post.

A minute later, Ware had a free header on the right in the box but headed wide of the near post, before the visitors doubled their lead 4 minutes later, Wolf's free-kick on the right wing was headed at the far post by Eghwrudje into the bottom right corner, 0-2 Ware. The first half then drew to a close, with Nyadzayo's long range shot being blocked for the final notable action on 43 minutes as Ware led 0-2 at the break.

Half Time: Bury Town 0 Ware 2

Five minutes after the break Nyadzayo crossed the ball in on the right as the keeper spilled posssession with Maxwell Maughn crossing in on the opposite flank towards the striker though Daniels intercepted slicing his clearance almost towards his own net as his teammate was on hand to clear away- preventing a corner. On 52 minutes, Ware had a shot a goal on the right edge of the box, though a Bury defender deflected it well behind the far corner for a corner. The resulting set-piece then saw the away side go close as the header at the near post was blocked off the line at the bottom right corner. Ware then briefly thought they had a third goal on 59 minutes, Rockard lobbed Bugg from long range on the right into the far corner but the flag was already up for offside. Bury then went close on 62 minutes, a great Charlie Cook curling strike at the top left corner from 20-yards out was deflected narrowly past the post. Five minutes later though, Awoyemi shot at goal from 25-yards out on the left but hit well wide of the bottom far corner.

Ware then swung a free-kick into the box from the left on 69 minutes, as the shot at the near post was was blocked off the line at the nesr post as the rebound went across the face of gosl and away to safety. Bury then went close seven minutes later, Machaya's low cross in on the left found substitute Harry French at the near post whose attempt was deflected behind for a corner. Ware were then reduced to 10 men for the final few moments, as McQueen was sin binned for dissent after conceding a free-kick in Bury's half on 82 minutes. Bury though couldn't take advantage of the extra man, despite going close on 84 minutes as Nyadzayo curled a 25-yard free-kick over the wall but narrowly over the bar. Ware were then reduced down to 9 men with 4 minutes remaining, Macauley was originally booked for unnnecessarily booting the ball away before being also sent to the sin bin for dissent at the decision. Bury were awarded a penalty on 87 minutes as Ryan Stafford was fouled just inside the box, up stepped Machaya whose penalty was saved well by the keeper down to his left but from close range put the rebound hit his second shot wide of the near left post with 2 minutes remaining. The striker then had the last chance of the evening, as Machaya's shot from 18-yards was blocked on 89 minutes. Ware held onto see out a 0-2 victory, though Bury will rue their missed chances on a frustrating night for the Blues.‪ ‬

Full Time: Bury Town 0 Ware 2

DREW KENDALL