Last-gasp Bury take the prize

The sold out signs were raised over Ram Meadow- aka the Getaway Cars Stadium- on Friday, so we knew that this afternoon’s fixture would be watched by two thousand, one hundred people-each hoping that their side could tread the thin line between triumph and disaster and end up on the right side of it. The margins were so slim; last night, Sittingbourne, who reached one hundred and one points to take second place in Pitching In Isthmian South East, lost a Play Off match in front of their own fans for the second season in a row, Burgess Hill Town earning their promotion after a penalty shootout. 

Over one hundred and twenty minutes, Hill deserved their victory. They handled the nerves of the occasion better than their hosts, particularly in the second half and afterwards- perhaps exemplified by the fact that out of ten penalties taken, five were missed, three by the Brickies- held themselves together just fractionally better. We suspect they’ll still be celebrating now, but it’s always tough for the losing side, particularly if they finished in second place during the regular season and were in front of their own supporters. So often the hosting side in our Final comes up short- home advantage only seems to help, in recent history certainly, only around fifty percent of the time. The 21-22 season, for example, saw three of the four home teams lose, whilst it was two of four last season. 
 

Bury Town, our hosts today, of course grasped second place on the last day of the season, and then demolished Waltham Abbey in the Semi-Finals in midweek. The Abbotts had defeated Town home and away during the regular season, so revenge must have been rather sweet, and set them up superbly for the Final. Visitors Brightlingsea Regent also won handsomely, defeating home performance kings- and Bury’s local rivals- Felixstowe and Walton United with aplomb, starting like a speedboat (there’s more chance of seeing one of those in Brightlingsea than an express train), two up within seven minutes, and finally winning three-one. 

Regent arrived filled with confidence; not only because of their midweek win but because they defeated their hosts both home and away this season- although, as the home fans would undoubtedly point out, that didn’t do Waltham Abbey much good! The last nine meetings between the sides saw Regent emerge ahead, five-three, with only one draw- nearly ten years ago. 

We suspected that we might be in for a long afternoon. The last four North Finals had gone to extra time and/or penalties; indeed the last time a Final had been won within ninety minutes was 2017-18, when Haringey Borough defeated Canvey Island. The sides looked closely matched. We were expecting a real battle.
 

The gates at Ram Meadow were scheduled to open at 1PM. Twenty five minutes prior to that a queue had already formed at the turnstiles. The car park outside was already, for want of a better word, ‘rammed.’ By half past one a large number of the seats were filled, and a few hundred individuals were already enjoying a refreshing beverage in a club crested cup. The community- indeed both communities, as a smattering of Regent fans were already enjoying themselves too- were certainly invested in the occasion. Tea huts and bars were already doing a roaring trade.

It was only a couple of years since Regent had suffered relegation from our top flight after their first- six year- stay. The impact of manager Ryan Salter, who only took over in mid season, has been immense; the form of his side, who have lost only three of their last nineteen fixtures, impressive. Bury Town’s Cole Skuse guided the side to the Play Off Semi-Finals in his first season,  but the club were desperate to return to our top flight- or perhaps a Southern League top flight- after ten years away. Ten years is a long time for a club of this size, with such a big support base, to be outside Step Three- and it is only under Skuse that they’ve even made the Play Offs. The home fans were hopeful that their side would take that as a challenge, the way they did on Tuesday evening, rather than feeling the weight of expectation. 

The players walked out to a packed, noisy stadium a few minutes before kick off, as lots of people, including the official photographers, pointed cameras in their direction. One photographer who wasn’t able to do that, sadly, was Regent’s fabulous snapper, Neil Payne, who is rather unwell. The occasion suffered from your absence, Neil, and we all suffer from not having your fine photographs! Get well soon, from all at the League. 

Regent got us underway, attacking the end containing their own fans, and the sides gave us an energetic but rather scrappy first few minutes, both sides struggling to keep the ball. On six minutes Cemal Ramadan decided to try and do it all on his own, a marauding run which saw him hauled down to the right of the box. The free kick was pulled back to Mikey Davis, but the effort curled harmlessly into the arms of Lewis Greene in the Regent goal.

At the other end Regent sent a free kick into the box and that was immediately followed by two corners, but keeper Charlie Beckwith remained untroubled. A couple of Regent crosses found nobody to receive them, and we reached the fifteen minute mark with neither keeper facing a significant test.
 

In the twenty first minute Ryan Jolland received the ball in his own half and charged down the left, into the Regent box, and delivered a cross which just needed turning home but instead ended with a goalmouth scramble and keeper Greene requiring treatment. At the other end a shot- or was it a cross- from Fletcher Hubbard glanced off the head of Michael Okafor but dropped just wide. 

The match moved from end to end, no shortage of attacking intent but a number of niggly fouls getting in the way. Hubbard, Regents main threat so far, had another go on thirty three minutes, but it cleared the bar after he slipped whilst shooting. The visitors were beginning to dominate, and they had the next chance, too, a header from Louie Kudiabor too gentle to trouble the keeper. Another cross, a header from Harry McDonald, and Beckwith was again called into action without having to exert himself too much. 

Six minutes before the break a nice move by Town saw the ball fall to Ramadan. Normally reliable, indeed deadly, his effort was both high and wide, to the groans of the fans behind the goal. His next effort was far better, a shot blocked, the follow up blocked again for a corner, and what followed was a period of home pressure which ended when the referee called out Max Maughn for a dive. Our view suggested that the referee had a point, despite protestations when the yellow card was waved. Another home attack came to naught, and the half came to an end. 

The football had been entertaining, but neither keeper had really been troubled. We hoped for better after the break.

Half time: Bury Town 0 Brightlingsea Regent 0

Regent were out five minutes before their hosts for the second half, and spent their time warming up. There was reason why a warm up was required; the sun had departed and a chilly breeze was whistling around Ram Meadow, rippling the trees that line two sides of the ground. Those fans who had arrived without a jumper had suddenly remembered that they lived in England and that their sartorial choices had been a triumph of optimism over experience. 

Regent gave Beckwith some work in the forty ninth minute, the keeper having to get down sharply to save to his right after McDonald aimed a grass cutter towards the corner of the net. They kept up the pressure, and Bury were unable to keep the ball or escape their own half for a sustained period.

Just after the hour Lewis Greene was called into action. Was it a shot or a cross? Either way, Ramadan’s effort needed a full length dive to tip it over. At the other end it was Beckwith’s turn to make a save, but with twenty five minutes left we were still without a goal.

Davis tried to change that, jinking into the Regent box, but a well timed tackle brought a corner, a defensive header another, and that one ended in a goal kick. Another attempt for Regent brought another save from Beckwith, but again it was hardly testing the home keeper. 
 

On seventy four minutes the best chance of the game so far, a shot from Adams forcing a full length save from Beckwith. The resulting corner caused some concern for the hosts, but eventually went out for a goal kick. It began a period of Regent pressure, but we were no nearer a goal when we entered the last ten minutes.
 

A goalkeeping error gave the visitors a corner, and that was followed by another. The second led to a chance for Teddy Collis, but his volley from twelve yards cleared the bar and left the ground. That somehow summed up the afternoon so far.
 

The board went up. Only three added minutes before more. 
 

Three minutes and eleven seconds had been played. And then, pandemonium! Finally, a chance. Ed Upson on the edge of the box. His finish was perfect. GOAL!
 

Goal: Bury Town1 Brightlingsea Regent 0, ninety + three, Ed Upson.

Regent lined up every player on the half way line for the restart. It didn’t help. Soon we’d played ninety seven minutes, and still no whistle. But, finally, it was over! Bury were promoted.

Final score: Bury Town 1 Brightlingsea Regent 0

You had to feel for Regent. They had, perhaps, shaded the contest, but they left with nothing but pride- although they deserved considerable amounts of that. But this had been a match which had showcased defensive solidity more than attacking flair, and only once did at attacking player find a way past a seemingly impenetrable object. 

Congratulations to Bury Town. If you stay with us, we’ll look forward to seeing you in our Premier Division next season, if you leave, we’ll miss you. Go well and have much more success.