Bury St Edmunds continue winning start to new National League 2 East season with 36-27 home victory over North Walsham
Bury St Edmunds made it two wins from two at the start of the new National League 2 East season with a 36-27 victory over North Walsham on Saturday.
The Wolfpack were pushed all the way in their first home game of the campaign, as their newly-promoted visitors took the lead twice at The Greene King IPA Haberden.
First-half tries from Ruaraidh Williams, Shaq Meyers and Ben Cooper had helped Bury to a slender 19-17 advantage at the interval, before a Matt Hodgson penalty edged North Walsham in front early on in the second half.
But from 20-19 behind the hosts rallied, with a brace of tries from Mike Stanway, in-between Yas Browne crossing the line, sealing Bury's first five-point haul of the season.
Fresh from recording their first-ever victory over the Henley Hawks on the opening day last time out, the Wolfpack were back in front of their home supporters for their maiden home game of the 2022/23 campaign.
Newly-promoted North Walsham were the visitors to The Greene King IPA Haberden, with the Norfolk outfit having enjoyed a rapid rise up the rugby union pyramid over the last three years.
After being crowned London 1 North champions in 2019/20, North Walsham then finished third in last season's London & South East Premier to earn a second promotion in as many seasons, and a move up to the newly-formed National League 2 East.
It was the visitors who got off to a more confident start, with Bury having to soak up some early pressure before Hodgson opened the scoring with an eighth-minute penalty to give North Walsham a 3-0 lead.
The Wolfpack responded well to the early set back and two tries in the space of five minutes gave the majority of the large crowd at The Greene King IPA Haberden something to cheer about.
Williams went over in the 15th minute, with Meyers following suit just four minutes later, and Kodie Drury-Hawkins converted both of the tries to hand Bury a 14-3 advantage midway through the first half.
But the plucky visitors never once looked like rolling over, as James Riley crossed the line for a try on 24 minutes, converted by Hodgson, to keep his side in touch.
Ben Cooper burst through in the 34th minute for Bury, but again North Walsham had an almost immediate answer.
Chris Godwin weaved his way through a minute before half time and, after his try was converted by Hodgson, it left Bury with only a two-point lead heading into the second half.
Hodgson's second penalty on 47 minutes saw North Walsham back in front, but their stubborn defensive effort at the other end was finally breached again when Stanway scored the first of his two tries to edge the home side ahead.
Browne gave Bury some breathing space when he went over for the Wolfpack's fifth try of the afternoon on 68 minutes, which was converted by Drury-Hawkins to make it 31-20.
Substitute Ethan Sikorski's try a minute from time, converted by Hodgson, set up a nervy final minute for Bury, but those nerves were quickly squashed when Stanway notched his second try with only a handful of seconds left on the clock.
It is the first time Bury have started a season with two wins from their first two games since moving up to rugby union's fourth tier in 2015, with the pair of victories placing the Wolfpack third in the fledgling National League 2 East table.
Jacob Ford's charges now prepare for a trip to Tonbridge Juddians next Saturday (3pm).
Bury St Edmunds: Affleck, Stanway, Varela, Kharbouch, Roper, Drury-Hawkins, Leeson, Hill, Kingdon, Cooper, Conquest, Browne, Bursey (c), Meyers, Williams. Replacements: McCartney, Strainge, Stevenson, Grigg-Pettitt, Martin.
