Bury St Edmunds secure East Anglian derby spoils with victory over Colchester at the Greene King IPA Haberden

It will not be their prettiest display of the campaign but Bury St Edmunds claimed the bragging rights against East Anglian rivals Colchester at a packed Greene King IPA Haberden on Saturday.

The hosts ran out 34-22 winners to record their second victory of the National League 2 East campaign and bounce back from their 47-27 defeat at Dorking last weekend.

The Wolfpack controlled the majority of the first league fixture between the two sides for 13 years and boasted a 12-3 lead at the break, courtesy of tries from Henri Lavin and William Metcalfe. Following a half that they dominated, Bury extended their advantage through Metcalfe and Will Affleck but allowed their rivals back into the contest.

Leroy O’Neil (2) and Joe Colcomb gave the newly-promoted visitors an inkling of hope, who have now suffered five straight defeats, however Samir Kharbouch and Euan Rees both crossed the whitewash to secure victory for Bury.

The visitors made a bright start to proceedings and Bury struggled to get out of their own half in the opening five minutes, but after poor handling from Corey Button, the hosts were able to craft together their first attack. Bury kept hold of the ball well, moving it quickly from right to left, trying to grind down the Colchester back line, and while Riggington went close on two occasions, it was Henry Lavin who bundled the ball over the line.

Riddington looked destined to add the extras from range, but his conversion struck both posts before agonisingly bouncing out.

After breaking the deadlock, Bury found their groove. They tore through their opposition with a quick passing move that saw Aidan Shortall break free to tee up Metcalfe, who completed the simplest of tasks, bursting in unchallenged before crossing the whitewash. Riggington made no mistake adding the extras.

Although Colchester got three points on the board via a penalty, that Corey Button struck between the posts, it was the home side that continued to apply the pressure.

The Wolfpack looked destined to chalk up another five points when Iain Carmichael-Fraser excellently rode a Colchester challenge but was unable to get the ball over the line. Moments later, George Loose displayed excellent trickery to set up a golden chance for Bury and although they did dot the ball down, the referee adjudged there to be a forward pass in the build up.

Ben Kelland then came close with one minute of the first period remaining, but he was shut out just before crossing the whitewash as the Wolfpack headed into the break 12-3 to the good.

And Bury’s tally should have increased inside the opening three minutes of the second half when, not for the first time in the contest, Shortall broke away with only two Colchester men to beat. However, the full-back’s pass to the onrushing Loose was short and Colchester were able to regain possession.

But after they were awarded a penalty, Bury did extend their lead as Metcalfe picked the ball up from the scrum and darted forward, his power taking him past two visiting players, before dotting down. The score ticked over to 19-3 as Riddington comfortably completed the conversion.

The Wolfpack’s fourth try of the afternoon came on 50 minutes when an intelligent kick from Riddington found Affleck and the Bury winger squeezed the ball home in the left corner. While the former was receiving treatment for a knock he picked up in the process, Shortall was handed conversion duties and he produced a fantastic, looping effort from a tight angle that put Bury 26-3 ahead.

With their first attack of the second period, Colchester hit back through Joe Colcomb and then after an uneventful spell, they crossed the whitewash again – this time through replacement Leroy O’Neil. However, both tries were not converted.

With 10 minutes left on the clock, Bury had to respond to to put their East Anglian rivals at bay. They duly did so, when Kharbouch dotted down which made O’Neil’s try seven minutes later less dangerous to the scoreline. The victory was signed, sealed and delivered after the clock ticked past 80 when Rees went on a surging run with the ball at his feet and crossing the whitewash.

Director of rugby Jacob Ford will hope his side can pick up their first away win of the season at Sevenoaks on Saturday (3pm).

Bury St Edmunds: Shorthall, Rees, Loose, Kharbouch, Affleck, Riddington, Metcalfe, Carmichael-Fraser, McCartney, Cooper, Kelland, Harrison, Lavin, Grigg-Pettitt, Williams.

Replacements: Stone, Robinson, Sams, Guy, McPhun.

Colchester: Varela, Stanway, Bodkin, Lloyd, Taylor, Button, Creighton, C. Jeffery, Rossouw, L. Jeffery, Lewis, Friend. Pickett, Whitemam, Tabuatamata.

Replacements: Turner, Colcomb, O’Neil, Kerr, Parry.

Coach’s Player of the Match: Aidan Shortall.