Turner brace helps Bury get back to winning ways

Bury Town Under-18s get back to winning ways after a quickfire second half comeback, courtesy of a brace from Jack Turner and a goal from Jack Hurrell.

Striker Turner, had the first chance early on for the young Blues after just 2 minutes, firing a low strike from the right-hand edge of the box just wide of the bottom near corner.

Turner went similarly close a minute later, after being teed up by Ethan Flack, who'd cleverly intercepted the goalkeeper's kick, the former fired just over the gaping top right-hand corner from 26-yards out.

Saffron Walden though had a great chance on 10 minutes, the ball into the box was headed away as far as Joel McGuinness on the edge of the box, who fired a well taken volley just over the top left hand corner.

Bury meanwhile went close again after 15 minutes, Ben Haddoch fizzed a dangerous right wing free-kick just outside the six yard box, finding Jack Turner whose flick on was cleared back to him, although the forward could only fire his shot narrowly wide of the bottom near corner.

The visitors however struck first on 17 minutes, as Niam Khier's bending left wing effort nestled into the bottom far corner.

In response, Bury went close to drawing back level seven minutes later, after driving into space Jack Hurrell flashed a dangerous 30-yard shot narrowly wide of the bottom far corner.

A great save from goalkeeper Ollie Lindsell though denied the young Blues on 25 minutes. Ethan Flack's cutback found Clinton Frank from eight yards outz, whose fierce strike required a strong hand from the goalkeeper to parry it over the crossbar.

Only three minutes had past when the visiting shot-stopper was required to deny the hosts twice in succession, first Ben Haddoch's fierce 30-yard fierce low strike was just too much for Lindsell to keep hold off, although Flack's follow up effort from point blank range was well smothered by the goalkeeper. The latter then looked to square it across to Kushinga Benyu, who just couldn't quite latch onto it.

At the other end, the visitors almost doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark, when a crucial deflection on a Saffron Walden strike from inside the box diverted the ball just over via the top of the crossbar.

Bury were arguably unlucky not to restore parity, with Saffron Walden providing a stern test, with the Blues again going close on 37 minutes. This time a cross in from a clever short corner picked out captain Tom Gee at the back post, whose header back into the danger area drew Lindsell off his line - only to be beaten to it by Jack Turner whose towering header went just wide of the bottom far corner.

Gee then went close himself to drawing his side back level, on the stroke of half-time, on this occasion the centre-back leapt highest to meet a pinpoint Ben Haddoch right wing corner, but could only loop his header over from close range.

In the second half, the Blues efforts were rewarded, with 2 goals arriving in quickfire fashion, both being taken impressively by striker Jack Turner - taking his Under-18 season tally to 12 goals in 14 matches, with the first arriving after 52 minutes.

The ball fell to Turner inside the box, who expertly fired home the equaliser into the bottom left hand corner.

And three minutes later, Turner quickly notched his brace, rifling a beautiful strike home into the bottom far corner, from the edge of the box.

The goalscorer could've netted a hat-trick in the 57th minute, but his header from Utting's cross was claimed by Lindsell.

Clinton Frank meanwhile proved too quick for the visiting defence, as the winger latched onto a dangerous long ball over the top, although the goalkeeper was first to gather his dangerous low cross into the six yard box on 63 minutes.

The chances continued to flow for the home side, who firmly had their tails up, as the hosts fired a powerful strike just over the crossbar, with 64 minutes on the clock.

Just a minute later, Jack Turner went close to adding to his own and his side's goal tally, the striker's powerful 30-yard free-kick beat the wall, but landed on the roof of the net.

The forward had another good opportunity in the 71st minute, Ben Haddoch's dangerous left wing free-kick picked out Turner inside the six yard box, whose flick towards goal was blocked by the goalkeeper, rebounding back off Turner and just wide for a goal kick.

Seconds later, Jack Hurrell almost got on the scoresheet himself, only to see his clever shot with the outside of his foot curl agonisingly wide off the bottom far corner.

Then with 74 minutes on the clock, Ethan Flack latched onto a great ball over the defence before holding the ball up smartly inside the box to create the space to shoot, only to watch his strike go just wide of the bottom left-hand corner.

Bury though did extend their lead to 3-1 in the 76th minute, excellent pressure from Ethan Flack allowed Jack Turner to pick the pocket off the defender to run on into the box, the striker's shot however was well smothered by Lindsell off his line. The rebound fell to Jack Hurrell, who volleyed ferociously home into the bottom left-hand corner, to give his side some much needed breathing space.

Just as the game headed towards stoppage time, George Talbot nearly added the gloss onto a great second half performance from the Blues, the midfielder kept the ball brilliantly just outside the Walden penalty area, he then worked space to shoot, bending a sumptuous shot towards the top far corner, only for Lindsell to be well placed to leap and claim it well.

Three minutes into added time, Benyu tried his luck at goal, and got power behind it but fired his effort wide off the bottom corner.

And with the last action, some clever quick thinking from Ben Haddoch almost paid off as the playmaker spun well before noticing the goalkeeper off his line, and almost catching him out, with his fierce 60-yard strike gathered well by the recovering Lindsell.

The young Blues are next in home action on Thursday 21st April, when they take on Royston Town (7:45pm).

Bury Town:-
1 Oliver Kellett-Green
2 Jack Utting
3 Jake Cobbold
4 Jack Hurrell
5 Tom Gee (c)
6 Max Willcox
7 Ben Haddoch
8 Clinton Frank
9 Jack Turner
10 Ethan Flack
11 Kushinga Benyu
Subs:
12 Jack Jolland
14 George Talbot
15 Mikhim Bhujel
16 Elliott Lacey
17 Ethan Hynes

Saffron Walden:-
1 Ollie Lindsell
2 Adam Hall
3 Dan Johnson
4 Frank Sullivan
5 Alex Taylor
6 Joel McGuiness
7 Henry Huxter
8 Ryan Porter
9 Jack Winner
10 Jadon Keogh
11 Niam Khier
Subs:
14 Eliot Stephens
15 Finn Pluck
16 Ted Peggs
17 Gabriel Mangoni

Booked: Lindsell (70').

Goals: Turner (52', 55'), Hurrell (76'); Khier (17').