Derby Day on New Years day at King’s Marsh and at the end of it both teams went away with a point for their afternoons efforts. An AFC goal midway through the first half was countered by a Bury goal late in the game following a penalty.

AFC went into the game with Manager Mark Morsley making one change from the previous one with Reece Dobson left out after being sent off and Mekhi McKenzie taking over the main striker role. Bury for their part include six ex-AFC players in their seventeen man squad.

In front of a season’s best crowd of 514 Tevan Allen had the first chance for Bury but drove his shot into the side netting with Jake Jessup in the Sudbury goal making his home debut ready to pounce.

Joe White for Bury was booked after a foul on McKenzie, it seemed a harsh decision. Ollie Hughes forced Jessup to save while at the other end Ollie Peters had a shot blocked.

It was Peters who was to be the scorer of the first goal of the game on twenty-two minutes. A long goal clearance by Jessup found the head of McKenzie who flicked it on and Ryan Horne did well to get the ball into the box and there Ollie Peters forced the ball home.

Ben Hunter was adjudged to have committed a foul, it may well have been but certainly did not warrant a yellow card.

AFC were having the better of the game but the visitors were always dangerous on the break and just before the interval had a couple of chances. Tommy Robinson fired over the bar and the Hughes got away and pinpointed a pass to Cemal Ramadan but his shot was weak and easily saved by Jessup.

Half time: - AFC Sudbury 1 Bury Town 0

The second half was certainly end-to-end with the visitors probably having the better of it, but that said the AFC defence stood up well.

Kane Munday for AFC had a shot that was blocked and went for a corner and then following a McKenzie pass Peters fired wide.

On the hour mark Robinson went off for Bury and Darren Mills took over and his presence made a difference with his hustle and bustle. Allen forced Jessup to punch clear while at the other end Peters had a shot that deflected off Kyran Clements for a corner.

Mills had a shot that went wide but at the other end a Joe Whight free kick was well saved by Tibbles. Tom Dettmar for AFC replaced Munday with four minutes left.

With the game into the ninetieth minute there was a lifeline for the visitors, they were awarded a penalty. It appeared that following a ball into the box Jessup had saved low down and a number of players ended up in a heap around him. It transpired that Ramadan was allegedly pulled back before the melee and a spot kick was given. Jessup was booked for removing the ball from the penalty spot before Ramadan stepped up and shot. Jessup save his effort but he followed up to put the ball into the AFC net.

So it finished a goal apiece and a point apiece.

YNOT