Bury Town 4-0 Waltham Abbey match report: Blues set up Isthmian League North Division play-off final against Brightlingsea Regent

Bury Town went some way to righting the wrongs of 12 months ago with tonight's 4-0 victory over Waltham Abbey in the semi-finals of the Isthmian League North Division play-offs.

Prior to kick off at the Getaway Cars Stadium, assistant manager Paul Musgrove had encouraged the Blues to use the disappointment of last season's defeat at the same stage to Brentwood Town as motivation for this evening's encounter.

And it was very much a case of message received as Bury booked their place in Saturday's final, for which they will have home advantage after Brightlingsea Regent won 3-1 at fellow Suffolk side Felixstowe & Walton United.

With so much at stake, it was perhaps not surprising that the first half played out in such cagey fashion.

The majority of Bury's best moments early on came from crosses. There was 10 minutes on the clock when Taylor Parr headed Mikey Davis' right-wing corner into the hands of Bradley Robinson, who also held on to Lewis O'Malley's glancing effort six minutes later.

At the other end Charlie Beckwith was largely unworked until the 35th minute when he was left flailing at thin air. It was Waltham's leading goalscorer Prince Domafriyie that unleashed a swerving effort from 30 yards that got the better of Bury's number one, but the crossbar came to the rescue.

And that looked like being the last significant piece of action of the opening period until the 45th minute when Bury broke the deadlock. It started with the half's best passage of football involving the likes of Ethan Mayhew, Mikey Davis and Cemal Ramadan. The move eventually broke down inside the Waltham box, but with the away side's defence somewhat hesitant to clear their lines, Ollie Canfer pounced to fire in from close range.

Now with a deficit to bridge, Waltham, who had done the league double over Bury this season, came out for the second half on the front foot. They forced a couple of early corners and from one of those Edwin Mensah's goalbound header in the 53rd minute was cleared by Bury skipper Josh Curry.

That proved to be one of the game’s crucial moments because 60 seconds later the hosts extended their advantage. Ryan Jolland sent in a cross from the right which was met by Davis, who lashed an emphatic left footed shot beyond Robinson.

Goal number three arrived in the 61st minute. O'Malley was first to try his luck from an inswinging corner and when the ball broke loose, a determined Parr was on hand to force the ball home from six yards out.

It could have got even better for Bury three minutes later through another of their defensive unit. This time it was skipper Curry that glanced a low header no more than a yard off target from Ed Upson's deep inswinging free-kick.

For a period after that it was all about game management. Waltham had plenty of the possession but Bury remained resolute, with Beckwith in goal largely untroubled.

And they were rewarded with a fourth goal 10 minutes from time. Upson did well to keep the ball alive at the back post with a back-heel that found Maughn. It appeared that the chance had gone when the midfielder opted against shooting with his left foot, but he managed to squeeze the ball through for Canfer, who made no mistake to double his tally for the night.

That was Canfer’s last involvement and his replacement – Tommy Stagg – had a good opportunity within seconds of entering the field but his low shot from 12 yards out was thwarted by Robinson.

Bury: Beckwith, Parr (White 81'), O'Malley, Curry (C), Davis, Maughn, Upson (Brown 82'), Jolland (Horne 79'), Mayhew, Canfer (Stagg 81'), Ramadan (Curtis 74')

Waltham Abbey: Robinson, Robbins, Mensah, Spence (Laurent 80'), Cathline (Nalbant 74'), Koranteng, Bansal-McNulty (Rydings 56'), Eyoma, Baker (Hallett 63'), Thomas (Williams 63'), Domafriyie

Attendance: 1,315