Former Colchester United striker Tom Stagg signs for title-chasing Bury Town from Isthmian League North rivals Witham Town

Bury Town boss Cole Skuse has boosted his frontline further for the title run-in with the addition of a former Colchester United professional Tom Stagg.

The 22-year-old striker links up with the west Suffolk club following a short spell with fellow Pitching In Isthmian League North Division side Witham Town. He scored in each of his two appearances for the north Essex side, including registering on his debut in the 4-1 home defeat to Bury on February 15.

After rising through the youth ranks at Colchester’s academy, Stagg made his only professional appearance for the U’s as an 84th-minute substitute on the final day of the 2020/21 season, in a 0-0 draw with Tranmere Rovers.

He was released from the Community Stadium club at the end of that campaign and went on to play in the Vanarama National League South with both Billericay Town (21/22) and then Weymouth (23/24) as well as taking in spells with Carshalton Athletic, Bowers & Pitsea, Hashtag United and Concord Rangers.

Skuse, who has also added forwards Curtis Harvey and Jamie Mauge (work experience loan) since the turn of the year to his Blues squad, has recently been critical of his side not making the most of their chances in front of goal.

Of left-footed Stagg’s arrival, he told the club’s website: "I know Tommy from my time at Colchester United and he is a talented player who will very much be an asset to us for what will be a vital run-in towards the end of the season."

Harlow-born Stagg,who has already trained with Bury ahead of his arrival being confirmed in the wake of Saturday's 2-1 home win against play-off chasing Tilbury, is in line to make his debut away to fifth-placed Brightlingsea & Regent on Saturday (3pm).

Bury go into that game having gone up to second in the table and three points off leaders Brentwood Town - who scored all their goals in the 5-0 home win against Newmarket Town in the second half - with seven matches to play. Felixstowe & Walton United are one point behind Bury in third after drawing 1-1 away at fourth-placed Waltham Abbey.

Saturday’s return to winning ways for Bury, after two draws sandwiching a defeat, came courtesy of second-half goals from Cemal Ramadan - his 24th in the league this season - and Lewis O’Malley either side of the hour mark.

But Alex Hernandez made it an uncomfortable wait for victory to be confirmed after halving the deficit with 21 minutes to play.

“They can probably rightly so drive back down to Tilbury slightly disappointed not to take something from the game, certainly off their chances they had in the second half,” he told BBC Radio Suffolk.

“I thought Charlie (Beckwith) in goal pulled off some really good saves and all-round his game was very good.

“But the first half was what the first-half was, for a neutral it might have been slightly dull but from a personal perspective I was pleased with so many aspects. I felt we were thoroughly in control of the first half, we had loads of possession without really causing a threat which was a little bit we spoke about at half-time.

“I thought second half we played with far better purpose, we looked far more of a threat and rightly so took the lead through a great finish from Cemal and then the second goal was something we have been craving for all season really. From dead-ball situations we’ve got delivery from people like Mikey Davis and Ed Upson and our conversion rate is lower than we want throughout the season. So to get Lewis on the end of a dead-ball situation was brilliant for us.

“Then we never make life easy for ourselves. We concede but then I thought our game management was really, really good.”

He added: “They can maybe go away feeling they should have took something from the game but I’m just delighted to get the three points for us that keeps us in a real good spot.”