Bury v Stafford Rangers

REPORT

A last-minute winner from Rustams Stepans denied Stafford Rangers a valuable point on the road at Gigg Lane.

Following a poor showing in the FA Trophy a week earlier, Neil Kitching made three changes, including handing Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi his debut. Also returning to the starting XI were Kaiman Anderson and Ash Fallon with Zidan Sutherland, James McQuilkin and Callum Wilson dropping to the bench. Joe Cuff was still missing through injury while Joe Thomas and Mason Rees were in action elsewhere having signed dual registration forms.

It was Bury who started the brighter of the two teams and Callum Smith was called into action a few times in the first quarter of the game, firstly by Bebeto Gomes and then, in the 11th minute, the dangerous Kai Evans flicked the ball into the path of Gomes and Smith was forced to make the save with his feet. Soon after, Evans tested Smith but saw his shot go straight at the Stafford keeper.

Rangers stunned the home fans when they took the lead in the 20th minute. James O’Neill’s long throw was only half cleared by the Bury defence and fell into the path of Jack Birch who controlled then fired his shot into the back of the net.

Bury were soon pushing for an equalizer and DJ Pedro broke into the area but his first touch let him down and his low centre was easily gathered by Smith.

At the other end, Rangers had chances to double their lead. Another long throw from O’Neill fell to the feet of Anderson but his shot didn’t trouble Mitchell Allen in the Bury goal then the keeper had to turn Jack Sherratt’s corner over the bar.

Bury started the second half as the better of the two teams and they got their equalizer in the 51st minute when Evans’ mazy run and exchange with Kieran Glynn took him past two Rangers players before he side-footed it past Smith.

Bury nearly got their second goal of the game when Gomes was free at the back post and Callum Smith pulled off a great close range save before O’Neill cleared the lines.

Jack Sherratt tested Allen with a shot from 25 yards out before Rangers regained the lead in the 59th minute.

Ben O’Hanlon’s long clearance found Dan Cockerline, who held up the ball and then turned his man to curl in a shot from the edge of the box which beat Allen’s dive.

Bury got their second equaliser of the game on 67 mins when substitute Gabriel Johnson headed Regan Riley’s cross looping into the top corner, less than a minute after joining the action.

In the 71st minute, a Jack Sherratt corner found Scott Wara in the box but his goal-bound header was blocked.

Bury pressed to get a winner and Johnson’s low centre just eluded Pedro, Tyler James shot wide while Smith was called into action to save from Gavin Massey.

Bury got the winner in added time when Rustams Stepans worked himself a yard of space on the edge of the box and curled a left footer into the top corner of Smith’s goal.

Bury: 1 Mitchell Allen, 2 Bebeto Gomes (15 Rustam Stepans 89m), 3 Conner Pye, 4 Joshua Gregory, 5 Louis Isherwood, 6 Cameron Fogerty (17 Gabriel Johnson 66m), 7 Gavin Massey (12 Arron Chalmers 90m), 8 Regan Riley, 9 DJ Pedro, 10 Kieran Glynn 14 Reece Kendall 90m), 11 Kai Evans (16 Tyler James 78m).

Stafford Rangers: 1 Callum Smith, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Ben O’Hanlon (16 Callum Wilson 81m), 4 Jack Sherratt , 5 Jimmy O’Neill, 6 Scott Wara, 7 Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi (15 John Atherton 75m) 8 Jack Birch, 9 Dan Cockerline, 10 Kaiman Anderson, 11 Ashley Fallon (12 Zidan Sutherland 90+6m) Unused subs: 13 Arron Davies, 14 James McQuilkin

Goals: Bury: Evans 51m, Johnson 67m, Stepans 90+2m Stafford: Birch 21m, Cockerline 63m

Referee: Thomas Swift Assistants: Christopher Hooper and Adrian Duicu

Cautions: Stepans (Bury), Fallon, Sherratt, Wara, Amos (Stafford)

Att: 3,509

Report by Mark Bennett