Bury Town assistant manager Paul Musgrove expecting twists and turns in Isthmian League North Division title race with Felixstowe & Walton United

The weather denied them the chance to inflict damage on to one another, but Bury Town and Felixstowe & Walton United look set to be locked in a battle over the coming months.

The two sides had been due to meet in a top-of-the-table encounter at the Getaway Cars Stadium on New Year’s Day, only for the heavy rain to have rendered the playing surface unplayable.

As a result, second-placed Bury remain three points adrift of their Suffolk rivals, who moved to the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division summit over the festive period.

And Blues assistant boss Paul Musgrove is expecting there to be plenty of twists and turns in the race for the top prize.

“I’ve been in the game long enough to know that we’ll lose games of football and they will also lose games of football,” said Musgrove, whose side boast a game in hand.

“At this level you’re going to lose games that people will think is a bit bizarre. When you’re at the top people on the outside expect you to win every week, but we don’t because we know how strong the league is.

“Lots of things are going to impact what happens between now and the end of the season.

“Injuries and suspensions will play a big part and even call-offs like we’ve just had. That game will now be played on a Tuesday night and that can have an impact.

“Brentwood (in third place, five points behind Bury) are having a good season and you can’t rule anything out, but I don’t see us or Felixstowe falling too far away. It looks like we’re are going to push each other along.”

Having been granted a break with the Felixstowe postponement, Bury, who beat Concord Rangers 3-2 last weekend, will be back in action tomorrow at 14th-placed Redbridge (3pm).

The unexpected free time presented Bury with the chance to cast an eye over their hosts, who started 2025 with a 3-0 defeat away at Newmarket Town on Wednesday afternoon.

Musgrove added: “We had a couple of people watching the game at Newmarket and we also speak to a couple of contacts to find out bits of information.

“They’ve changed from a grass pitch to a 4G at home so it will be interesting to see if that’s altered the way they play at all.

“The Christmas period has been busy but we had fully tuned into the Felixstowe game and was ready to play.

“But this little break has hopefully done us some good going into the game at the weekend.”

Manager Cole Skuse is set to have the luxury of a fully fit squad at his disposal for the trip to the Oakside Stadium.

Meanwhile, defender Joe Carroll, who made his Bury debut last term against Redbridge, is set to leave the club on loan in a bid to build up his match fitness following an injury.

Carroll has made seven appearances in all competitions this term, the last of which came on September 21 in a 2-1 win over Gorleston.