Bury Town 1-0 Brightlingsea Regent match report: Ed Upson scores stoppage-time winner to secure Blues’ promotion from the Isthmian League North Division
When Bury Town were promoted to Step 3 for the first time back in 2010, Kieran Leabon was the hero with a hat-trick in the crucial clash against Marlow.
Fast-forward 15 years and today it was Ed Upson's name that will go down in club folklore after he returned the Blues back to that level with a stoppage-time winner in the 1-0 Isthmian League North Division play-off final victory against Brightlingsea Regent at the Getaway Cars Stadium.
As is often the case in games of such magnitude, the first half was a cagey affair. Neither side was prepared to give the other an inch, and consequently it was a relatively comfortable opening 45 minutes for both goalkeepers.
In the 22nd minute the Brightlingsea defence backed off Bury midfielder Ryan Jolland, who drove into the box with intent before sending a low cross that Ethan Mayhew slid in to convert, only for Brightlingsea goalkeeper Lewis Greene to make the block. A scramble then ensued, which quickly came to a halt when referee Craig Charles deemed that Greene had been fouled.
Brightlingsea came closest to breaking the deadlock during the first half – and it was their livewire Fletcher Hubbard that was heavily involved. The number 10 saw his shot from distance glanced on by team-mate Michael Okafor, who saw his effort drift no more than a yard wide of Charlie Beckwith's left-hand post.
As the half drew towards a close Upson was not too far off target with an audacious effort from just inside the Brightlingsea half that had Greene back-pedalling, while moments before the whistle the home side's wing-back Max Maughn was left perplexed after he was booked for simulation after going down under a challenge from Jake Clowsley inside the box.
The tension remained present after the restart, although there was at least a little more attacking action at both ends.
Bury's leading marksman Cemal Ramadan twice went close with very different efforts. In the 62nd minute his intended cross from wide on the left forced a back-pedalling Greene to tip the ball over at the back post, while nine minutes later his hooked shot from Mikey Davis' inswinging corner was cleared off the line by Fin Adams.
That was the start of a busy couple of minutes for the Brightlingsea substitute, who in his side's next attack called Beckwith into action with a left-footed shot from 25 yards out.
Another of the away side's replacements – Teddy Collis – had a good opportunity to end the stalemate with 10 minutes remaining, but he volleyed well over the crossbar from around the penalty spot.
And as clock ticked into stoppage time it appeared that everyone had accepted extra-time as inevitably, only for Upson to have other ideas. Maughn collected a poor clearance from Adam Bailey-Dennis, drove forward and then squared a pass for the midfielder, who bent a left-footed shot into the top corner.
The nerves then ramped up for the five remaining minutes of time added on, but Bury held out and the final whistle was greeted by scenes of wild celebrations as supporters poured on to the pitch.
Bury Town: Beckwith, O'Malley, Curry, Parr, Maughn (White 90'), Davis, Upson, Jolland, Mayhew, Canfer (Brown 58'), Ramadan (Curtis 82')
Brightlingsea Regent: Greene, Andrews (C Collis), Okafor, Bailey-Dennis, Shabazz-Edwards, Durling, McDonald (T Collis 70'), Robinson, Hubbard, Kudiabor, Clowsley (Adams 55')
Attendance: 2,139
