Bury Town see perfect start come to an end in four goal draw with Romford

A hard-fought match at Ram Meadow saw Bury Town's 100 per cent league record come to an end with a 2-2 draw against Romford.

The Blues fell behind to Lee Newton's ninth minute opener but Cemal Ramadan had provided a telling touch to bring them level midway through the first half.

Ryan Jolland's excellent strike from the edge of the area in the 79th minute looked like it was going to send them to another Pitching In Isthmian League North Division victory.

But they were caught out on the break within two minutes with Malaki Toussaint providing a finish of similar quality.

Bury went into the game boosted by the news earlier in the day that the Isthmian League board had decided to award them the 5-0 victory from the late abandoned match with Witham Town on September 29. It moved them 10 places up the table to sixth with three wins from three matches.

Their opponents owned and manager by the colourful Glenn Tamplin, who continued his absence through reported ill health, came into the game in 14th with two wins from seven. Their last match had seen them earn a pleasing 2-1 victory at then second-placed Histon on Monday.

Ben Chenery made no chances to his starting XI who he had sent out in the heartbreaking FA Cup 2-1 defeat at Banbury United a week ago, with the Blues' Tuesday home game with Felixstowe & Walton United having fallen victim to a waterlogged pitch.

But there was a first appearance on the bench for midfielder Ryan Horne, following his long-term absence with an ACL knee injury.

A lapse in concentration at the back saw the hosts fall behind in the ninth minute. Amid the driving rain, Ridwan Asaca dispossessed one of the centre-backs and passed across the area for Newton who drilled a low angled effort past the advancing Joe Rose.

The Blues looked for a quick response with Ramadan firing a speculative effort wide Ollie Snaith's attempt to convert his cross was volleyed clear.

Bury lost midfielder Max Maughn to a head injury in the 19th minute with Ryan Jolland make an earlier-than-expected return from injury from the substitutes bench.

But with the home pressure continuing, they drew level in the 21st minute.

An initial shot was only cleared as far as Snaith on the edge of the box and his low returned effort was steered in from close-range by an unmarked Ramadan, for whome it was a sixth goal of the season from 12 games.

Asaca got a glimpse of goal up the other end but fired over under pressure while a smart Will Gardner cross was volleyed wide on the run by Ramadan.

The Blues continued to see more of the ball to the end of the half with Jake Chambers Shaw firing wide from outside the box, while Snaith was fortunate to go unpunished for a lunging recovery on the heavy pitch.

It was Romford was came out of the traps strongly in the second half with Toussaint firing wide while Carlos Edwards' lost possession to Asaca near the edge of the box and his shot was palmed up into the air by keeper Rose before being cleared.

Taylor Hastings was next to give cheap possession away with substitute Destiny Oladipo denied by a low save from the Bury number one.

Approaching the hour mark Romford captain Sean Bonnett-Johnson curled a well positioned free kick not far wide before the same player sent a fierce angled effort wide of the left-hand post.

With 20 minutes to go Bury began to see more of the ball and saw an appeal for handball from a venomous Edwards' shot turned down.

But from the resulting corner in the 79th minute, they took the lead. Boro were unable to get the ball clear and it was played into Jolland in a central position who drove towards the edge of the area before shimming to create some space ahead of firing a powerful low effort with his left foot that flew into the bottom right-hand corner.

The celebrations had barely died down in front of another 400 pandemic-restricted capacity though before they were picking the ball out of their own net.

Jesse Olukolu broke down the left wing and was able to put a ball into the box which picked out the unmarked Toussaint on the right edge of the area and the number seven arrowed a low shot inside the left-hand post.

Bury almost got back in front soon after but Ramadan's shot from inside the area,following a deep cross, was well blocked by goalkeeper Matthew Cafer.

It had become an end-to-end finish with the dangerous Touissant sending another rasping shot wide while Olukou also fired over for the visitors from a quick breakaway.

At the end of four minutes of added time a Bury corner saw Chambers Sahw fired the ball at goal with Ramadan turning it into the net, only for the offside flag to rule it out and the referee follow it with the full-time whistle.

In the end a point was probably a fair reflection of the game for both teams, with neither quite imposing themselves enough on the game to claim more.

For Bury, who were undoubtedly some way below their best, it was a hard-earned point on their tally which keeps them unbeaten after four matches and sees them end the day in fourth place, despite having games in hand.

News towards the final whistle of a second national lockdown looks to have halted their progress for now though.

Bury: Rose, Hood, Gardner, Edwards, Altintop, Hastings, Chambers Shaw, Snaith (Nyadzayo 62'), Hughes (c), Ramadan, Maughn (Jolland 19'). Unused subs: Mills, White, Horne.

Suffolk News Man of the Match: Ryan Jolland. Had been out injured since early in the campaign but took his chance on his return, showing the quality he has with the ball at his feet. On another day his moment of magic could have provided the winner.