Bury Town 3 Grays Athletic 0: Cemal Ramadan scores twice in impressive Blues display against 10-man Grays

A goal in each half from Cemal Ramadan added to by a late effort from Max Maughn saw Bury Town overcome 10-man Grays Athletic at Ram Meadow to keep the heat on leaders Felixstowe & Walton United.

Cole Skuse and his side walked off the pitch, having had far too much for their mid-table visitors, believing they were back on top of the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division with the Seasiders drawing 0-0 at Redbridge.

But a last-gasp winner arrived in the 97th minute for Stuart Boardley’s side, via a fierce angled finish from Tom Warren, to ensure it was as you were, with Bury trailing on goal difference and Brentwood Town nestled a point behind following a 4-1 victory at home to second-bottom Sporting Bengal.

Bury, who had ended a four-game winless run (two defeats) with a 4-2 win at basement side Ipswich Wanderers last weekend, showed it was no false dawn of a return to form with a flowing first-half performance which should have really had them out of sight.

As it was, only a cooly dispatched Ramadan penalty half-an-hour in separated the sides, with Grays having seen full-back Alex Moss shown a straight red card five minutes later for denying a goal scoring opportunity to the same player.

The key second goal eventually came via Ramadan’s acrobatic volley in the 68th minute before Max Maughn added the icing on the cake with a third from a low finish with four minutes of the 90 remaining.

There was no chance of Bury’s home supporters seeing their latest recruit, Harvey Curtis, against Grays, with the former Ipswich Town and Chesterfield professional’s registration from Ipswich Wanderers having not come through in time.

But the forward who signed for Needham Market in the summer watched on from the directors’ box as his new side showed why they are up at the top of the table against a side that arrived in 11th position.

Bury created the game’s first meaningful effort four minutes in when Maughn and Luke Brown linked up well down the right to present Ramadan with a sight of goal, but Daniel Sambridge managed to keep it out with his legs before Moss cleared the loose ball.

Charlie Beckwith was soon called into action up the other end to deal with Prince Sikiru’s cut-across effort from outside the box, gathering it at the second attempt.

The referee had a big decision to make in the 10th minute when Grays got Luke Hirst bearing down on goal with Beckwith racing out of his area and with the striker claiming he was caught. But Oliver Potter did not see enough in it, to Beckwith’s relief.

Bury got back into their attacking groove with Williams putting Luke Brown through but a scuffed effort was not troubling the keeper.

The best of the early chances arrived in the 15th minute when Ramadan’s unselfish play saw him tee up Williams in space just inside the area with the Needham Market title winner’s first-time effort tipped over the top corner by Sambridge.

The Grays keeper continued to be tested, fisting away an aerial ball under his crossbar before saving the follow-up effort from Ramadan that was right at him.

The visitors were looking dangerous on the break and after Williams gave the ball away cheaply, Alejandro Machado burst past three defenders before seeing Beckwith get down low to hold onto his left-footed shot.

Bury got themselves ahead on the half-hour mark via a penalty after Williams was pulled down in the box by Sikirou following a corner not being cleared. After what seemed an age, and with some mind games going on with who was lining up to take it, up stepped leading marksman Ramadan who duly found the bottom corner for his 20th league goal of the campaign and 21st in all competitions.

The away side’s chances of avoiding a third straight defeat were dealt a further blow in the 35th minute when full-back Alex Moss was deemed to have prevented a goalscoring opportunity by knocking over Ramadan just outside the area, which didn’t look a cast iron one, with a straight red card his punishment.

Bury passed up two big chances to increase their lead in quick succession with William’s chipping the ball over the defence precisely to find Brown’s run but he could not get a good contact on it before Ramadan was put totally clear from a long ball but he could not lift it over the advanced Sambridge.

Grays appealed for a penalty in stoppage time with Elliott Sartorius going down in the centre of the box as a cross came in, but it looked the right decision not to award it.

Ramadan sliced a half volley wide early in the second half before Luke Hirst hit a wild effort from range up the other end.

The next goal was set to be key as the heavy pitch deteriorated further and Ramadan almost got it in the 54th minute but Sambridge saved his angled effort with his legs.

But the Blues’ marksman did not have to wait too much longer to double his and his side’s tally with what was an eye-catching acrobatic finish in the 68th minute. It came after Brown released Williams down the right with his low delivery whizzing through the six-yard box. Mikey Davis picked it up the other side and Brown flicked on his chipped cross before Ramadan scissor-kicked it beyond Sambridge.

Bury went in search of a third with substitute Jamie Mauge, on for Ramadan, seeing a fierce effort blocked before defender Lewis O’Malley arrowed an effort over the crossbar.

Grays were far from rolling over, having a number of forays forward without a meaningful chance, but they fell three goals behind four minutes from time when their defensive line were caught at sea.

Mauge broke down the right-hand side with purpose and found a perfect pull-back cross for the unmarked Maughn just inside the area who finished with aplomb low into the bottom right-hand corner.

Four minutes were added on but passed without further meaningful incident on what was a display that underlined Skuse’s side are very much back on form at key time.

A trip to seventh-placed Witham Town is up next for the Blues in a week’s time.

Bury: Beckwith, White, O’Malley, Jolland (Horne 69’), Parr, E. Mayhew, Maughn, Williams (Pinyoun 79’), Ramadan (cpt) (Mague 63’), Brown, Davis.

Unused subs: Upson, B. Mayhew (gk).

Booked: White (52’), Jolland (65’), Brown (72’)

Grays: Sambridge, Brampton, Moss, Machado, Finneran (cpt), Gordon, Remi (Gordon 64’), Sikiru, Hirst (Agunbiade 79’), Sartorius, Skarna (Henry Rose 79’).

Unused subs: Williams, Hoskins..

Booked: Moss (red 35’)

Attendance: 603

SuffolkNews Man of the Match: Cemal Ramadan. With regular skipper Josh Curry out he had a dual role and proved an able deputy, leading from the front with his movement and finishing proving too much for the Grays’ defence.