Bury Town assistant manager Paul Musgrove ‘really proud’ of league-leading players after picking up four points in 48-hour period against Cambridge City and Newmarket Town

Assistant manager Paul Musgrove was ‘really proud’ of the way that his Bury Town players coped with their recent hectic schedule.

On Sunday afternoon the Blues went behind twice before winning 4-2 away at Cambridge City, who continue to groundshare with St Ives Town.

And within 48 hours they were back in derby action versus Newmarket Town, against whom Cemal Ramadan scored a late penalty to secure a 1-1 draw that moved Bury to the top of the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division on goal difference.

Speaking after the clash at Newmarket, Musgrove said: “We were really good in possession and created some good chances that we didn’t convert.

“As long as people are still getting into the right positions then that will come.

“Fair play to Shinny (Michael Shinn, manager) and Newmarket, they’re very aggressive and they get up against you and make it tough.

“We wanted people to be brave on the ball and play through it, which I think they did.

“Obviously with trying to play that way mistakes will happen and they did tonight, but fair play to the lads because they kept calm.

“We didn’t lose the game - that’s the main thing. It was very physical, very nitty gritty and broken down with a lot of stop-starts in the second half.

“Overall we’re really proud of the lads for the turnaround in 48 hours - it isn’t easy.

“The game was played at such a pace that if you weren’t at it as a player you would have seen it, but all of our lads stepped up really well.

“The turnaround was ridiculous, it’s not great at all for the lads at non-league level.”

On Tuesday night it was a case of chances going begging for Bury, with the usually reliable Ramadan squandering three presentable openings either side of half-time.

And Cole Skuse’s side looked to be staring down the barrel of a defeat when Ryan Cole, who is on trial with Wycombe Wanderers next week, broke into the penalty box and fired beyond Charlie Beckwith to give Newmarket the lead in 62nd minute.

But with time running out Max Maughn was fouled inside the box by Jockeys midfielder Efraim Romanos and this time Ramadan made no mistake from the penalty spot to end his barren spell after four games without a goal.

The result edged Bury above second-placed Tilbury ahead of tomorrow’s home encounter against Basildon United (3pm) and a trip to Haringey Borough on Tuesday (7.45pm).

“It’s where you want to be, isn’t it? We’re in a good place and we could have been even more points better off,” added Musgrove.

“The league is really tough at the top and it’s now straightening itself out, and it will continue to do so.

“You got to have a bit of luck with injuries and turnarounds like we’ve just had don’t help that, but we’ll deal with it and make sure that our processes off the pitch are as good as they can be.

“But overall yes we’re happy and the lads are incredibly fit, incredibly brave and extremely dedicated in terms of how we’re asking them to play. It’s a very brave way of playing football.”

Against Cambridge City at the weekend, Bury twice fell behind to goals scored by Marcel Lewis and former AFC Sudbury striker Shane Temple.

However, a Jayden Gipson own goal and Ed Upson twice drew the visitors level before the points were sealed by goals from striker Luke Brown and Maughn.