Bury Town 2, Maldon & Tiptree 0

Maldon & Tiptree, who welcomed midfielder Evan Collard to their squad, kicked off their Isthmian North league game at Bury St Edmunds with Bury looking up and Jammers rooted to the bottom of the table.

The first half was an entertaining and even game as both teams created chances. The first major chance when the ball fell to Maldon's Sam Coombes but he fired his shot a few feet wide of goal. At the other end an overhead kick brought a super save from Maldon keeper Tom Middlehurst. Middlehurst was brought into action shortly after when he made another top save from a Bury free kick.

The best chance of the half came after 25 minutes when Maldon's Roman Campell flicked on a header and Harvey Sayer found himself clean through on goal only about 12 yards out. He steadied himself only to fire straight at the Bury keeper who made a relatively comfortable save.

The better chances continued to fall to Maldon and Laste Dombaxe and Campell had further chances before half time came with the match goalless.

Bury came out after the break like a different team and for the first 15 minutes there was incessant action in the Maldon half. Bury created some half chances, the best of which was from a corner and after a scramble Burys striker fired the ball over. Middlehurst was solid in the Maldon goal through this period of pressure and they e back into the game. Sayer had a fierce left foot shot superbly tipped over the goal by the Bury goalkeeper

The game changed on 65 minutes when an innocuous forward pass by Bury was completely messed up by Joe Turpin and that left Bury player Ramadan clean through on goal. He ran in from 30 yards and coolly slotted home to put Bury 1-0 up.  

Maldon were now left to chase the game as chances continued to fall for both teams. Half chances came for Maldon's Coombes and two headers for Brad Ihionvien from a Jammers corner..

With Maldon not creating any of their chances it felt inevitable that a good Bury side would score at the other end. This Bury goal came on 78 minutes when Watkins found himself in plenty of space just outside the Maldon box and he curled a left foot shot past Middlehurst.

This second goal effectively killed off the game and Bury comfortably saw the game out, taking a 2-0 victory at the final whistle.

Credit should go to both keepers who between them made some fine saves and to the large crowd who gave the game a good atmosphere.

Maldon next face another team at the lower end of the league table, as they entertain Basildon on Saturday, 5 November.