Match Report- Tuesday 10th October 2017- Thurlow Nunn League- First Division
Swaffham Town 4-1 Team Bury
Pearson 23’, Keylock 43’,
Woodcock 53’, 62’,
Champion 84’.

First Half Report:
Team Bury concede three goals in the second half, which saw them fall to defeat against a very attacking Swaffham side, despite a positive start to the match. The hosts started on the front foot, which the visitors coped with superbly. The pressure was on from the first minute as Goulding caught a shot, that was hit straight at him from close range, before the visiting ‘keeper was called into action again two minutes later, as he claimed a long ball downfield after the hosts’ had a cross from the right wing cleared.

The next opportunity came with 5 minutes played, as Goulding gathered a scuffed shot hit from the edge of the box.

Swaffham’s relentless and continuous probing was matched by a strong defensive response, as a cross from the left was palmed behind for a corner by Goulding at his near post, before Moore was forced to clear a header off the line- that was heading towards the far corner from the far post, with the rebound fired wide, with 7 minutes on the clock. Bury did create chances of their own on 10 minutes, however, as a free-kick from inside the centre circle was headed wide by Moore at the far post. Both sides then went on to have a chance each, 3 minutes later, as the hosts’ free-kick from range on the right went out for a goal-kick, whilst the visitors’ long ball towards Tuwizana had to be palmed away by the keeper just inside his 18-yard box- but couldn’t take advantage as the rebound was fired wide.

The next opportunity came on 16 minutes, as the visitors tried to unlock the Blues’ defence with an attempted defence splitting pass was overhit, ending up in Goulding’s welcoming gloves.

The hosts kept the pressure on, a minute later, as a volley from 20-yards out was fired wide of Goulding’s left post. Swaffham’s next chance came on 18 minutes, as they saw a weak rebound shot blocked after the hosts had a cross blocked. Three minutes later, Swaffham saw another corner palmed away by Goulding at his near post, before shooting wide of the Bury goal. Swaffham did eventually make their pressure count, as a free-kick on the right was headed past Goulding and into the bottom right corner by Pearson, to give the hosts the advantage- despite Bury’s determined defensive display. Swaffham then had two chances to make it 2-0 on 24 minutes, with the first resulting in Goulding coming out of his area to clear a long ball down on the left wing out for a throw-in, with the hosts’ seeing a shot blocked with the second.

Two minutes later, Goulding was called into action once again, as he kept out a shot from the edge of the box down to his right. Bury then started to get a foothold back into the game, as the Blues’ saw a corner cleared on 28 minutes. Two minutes later, however, Swaffham hit a cross from the right over the bar for a goal-kick to the visitors. Bury got straight back on the attack on 32 minutes, as a freekick from the left just goes past a Bury player at the far post.

Two minutes later, Bury went close again as, Paton’s shot from distance went just over the top right corner, before the Blues saw a free-kick on the left headed away to safety a minute later. Swaffham did have a mini-chance of their own in response, though, as Goulding caught the hosts’ cross from the left with 36 minutes gone.

Bury’s search for an equaliser continued on 39 minutes, as Proctor headed Bowyer’s corner on the left, wide of the target at the far post. The hosts were restricted to half chances towards the end of the half, as a Swaffham cross from the right was claimed by Goulding- with five minutes of the first half to go.

Bowyer was instrumental for Bury, down the left, as he won his side a corner after getting through, on 41 minutes. The resulting corner, which was taken a minute later by Bowyer, fell to Keylock on the edge of the penalty area- who found Tuwizana through on goal, only to hit his strike straight at the ‘keeper. Bury won the ball instantly, however, as Paton won a corner after his cross was blocked out on the right. It was from this corner that Bury equalized on 43 minutes, as the corner found Keylock at the back post who half-volleyed the cross through a crowd of bodies and into the bottom left corner of the hosts’ goal.

Swaffham then reacted quickly to going behind, as a free-kick on the right was headed across goal at the back post, before going wide with 44 minutes on the clock. The hosts tried again a minute later, as a ball squared from the left into the box had to be cleared after being deflected towards goal. Bury were then forced into some great defending, as Revell’s pressure and Proctor’s ability to read the game allowed the Bury centre-back to dispossess the hosts. That was the last action of what was an entertaining opening 45 minutes, as the two sides went in level at the break.

Half Time Score: Swaffham Town 1-1 Team Bury

Second Half Report:
The second half started just like the first, as Goulding was forced into a great diving save towards the top right corner from a shot from range, just sixty seconds into the second half. Then, with 47 minutes played the visitors saw a shot at the far post, after a corner on the left, blocked on the line by a Bury defender before the rebound was fired wide of the target. Bury responded, though, as a Last free-kick inside his own half won his side a corner- two minutes later. Bowyer’s corner fell to Revell from at least 20-yards out, who fired wide of the bottom right corner of the hosts’ goal.

Swaffham, then went straight back on the attack, as Goulding gathered a free-kick from just inside the Blues’ half. Swaffham did take the lead, however, with their next opportunity, as Goulding was forced to palm away Vincent’s squared pass at the right byline (across the six-yard box) where Woodcock was on hand to tap home at the back post from barely two yards out with 53 minutes on the clock.

Bury were determined to equalise, despite this setback, when a Bury free-kick (two minutes later) inside their own half went straight through to the Swaffham goalkeeper. Before Revell tried to release Paton through on the right, but his pass was overhit and went out for a goal-kick. Bury wouldn’t give up without a fight, as

Paton found Keylock through on goal, on 56 minutes, only for the Bury player to be ruled offside. Swaffham then had the next chance, with the first coming with 59 minutes gone, as they saw a shot from the edge of the box hit straight at Goulding in the visitor’s goal. The Blues then went straight down the other end, a minute later, as a free-kick from the visitors was headed away before the resulting pass ending up in the goalkeeper’s gloves.

Swaffham made Bury rue their missed chances, with 62 minutes played, however- as Woodcock’s shot from close range at the left sideline went into the Bury net off the underside side of the crossbar to make it 3-1 to Swaffham. Bury did have an opportunity (a minute later) to pull a goal back, though, as Bowyer saw his cross claimed by the ‘keeper.

The next opportunity of an entertaining game fell to Swaffham on 69 minutes, as a shot from distance out on the left was hacked wide of the Blues’ goal. Two minutes later, Swaffham won a corner after an attempt on goal from the left sideline was deflected behind for a corner, which resulted in a shot hit wide at the far post. There were hearts in Bury mouths on 74 minutes, as Swaffham fired wide of the target after some pinball in the Bury box, although these nerves were comforted further by fact that the linesman’s flag was up for offside.

Bury substitute Cook came on and tried to make an impact, as his great pass down the left wing towards Tuwizana won Bury a throw-in, which led to a cross from Keylock being cleared with ten minutes of the game remaining. A minute later, the hosts went back on the attack, as their striker got through to the edge of the box only to shoot wide of the bottom right corner of the Bury goal.

The hosts then concluded the goalscoring on 84 minutes, as Champion’s volley from 18-yards from goal found the top right corner of the Bury net, via the crossbar.

Bury had two chances in response, though despite the three goal deficit, as Tuwizana’s shot from close range was blocked on the left on 85 minutes, with the second (three minutes later) seeing the Blues almost get the Bury striker through on goal, but almost scored through an own goal as a Swaffham defender cleared just over his own crossbar.

The resulting corner, on the left, found its way to Westcott at the back post, whose strike which was heading for the left corner of the hosts’ goal was palmed behind for a Bury corner. The hosts then searched for their fifth goal, as a shot from the left wing had to be tipped over the bar superbly by Goulding for a corner to Swaffham on the right, which Bury managed to clear with a minute of normal time remaining.

The action did not disappoint even in added time, as Goulding claimed a Swaffham cross from the right, on 90 minutes- with Gillies’ cross from the right going straight into the ‘keeper’s welcoming hands down the other end a minute later. Goulding was called into action once more, with three minutes of stoppage time played, as he denied a shot from the left side of the box- although he wasn’t to know that the Swaffham player was offside.

That was to be the last chance in an end-to-end game, which saw Bury lose by three goals on a night where they played well and made their opponents fight for the three points.

Full Time Result: Swaffham Town 4-1 Team Bury