Bury Town 2 Felixstowe & Walton 0: Ryan Jolland and Cemal Ramadan score in each half as Blues take control of the title race

Bury Town scored an unanswered goal in each half against Suffolk rivals Felixstowe & Walton United to take control of the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division title race with an assured display as they moved three points clear of their fellow promotion-hunting opponents.

Cole Skuse’s side had gone into the blockbuster re-arranged New Year’s Day clash in west Suffolk as the second-placed side but only on goal difference.

Both sides were clearly leaving no stone unturned in their bid to wrestle an advantage for the second half of the season as they both announced a big signing each in the last few hours leading up to kick-off.

Felixstowe went first with the news of Ipswich Town youngster Ashton Boxwell signing on loan before Bury responded with Needham Market title winner Dylan Williams.

Both started among the substitutes and it was Bury who flew out of the traps, getting themselves off to the perfect start to warm up their fans with the game’s first chance yielding the opener in the ninth minute.

Homegrown profuct Jolland flicked the ball wonderfully around the corner to set Max Maughn on a run down the right-hand side before going on to time his run into the box perfectly to slide home his chipped coss before he showed exactly what it meant to the crowd with a screaming celebration bursting with emotion.

It was a lead that was not far off being doubled in the 13th minute but Ollie Canfer sent his near post header over the crossbar.

The Seasiders went in search of a response but Rob Harvey’s flicked effort as the ball dropped over his shoulder ended up some way wide.

Jolland scooped an effort well over before Felixstowe went close with Charlie Warren’s low shot whistling wide in the 23rd minute.

A first half of few clear-cut chances ended with another Charlie Warren angled effort going not far wide of the post while Canfer sent a header off target from a corner in stoppage time.

Felixstowe were denied the equaliser early in the second half as Lewis O’Malley deflected away a goalbound effort in a crowded box before former AFC Sudbury midfielder Billy Holland saw his celebrations from a close-range header cut short by the offside flag.

And within two minutes it was Bury who were celebrating doubling their lead. Maughn went on a driving run into the box before finding Jolland who laid it off neatly into the path of Ramadan who fired low beyond Harry Wright for his 18th league goal of the season.

From there on in the Blues never looked in doubt of relinquishing their grip on the game which began to drift such was their control of it.

After a spell which had seen Bury confidently popping the ball around the midfield, Felixstowe earned themselves a corner with substitute Samuel Ford’s dangerous delivery seeing Beckwith come to fist it away.

Felixstowe’s night was summed up with a little over 15 minutes to go when Cameron Forde-Brown fizzed in a low ball from deep for Charlie Warren but after letting it go across his body well he watched his flicked effort go well wide of the left-hand post.

While prepared to sit in, Bury were still looking strong on the counter and after another strong carry from Maughn, substitute Luke Brown hit a snapshot over the bar.

The game was waiting to reignite with a visiting goal but the closest they came was with two minutes left when, after a low Samuel Ford effort spun back off the right-hand post, Tom Warren blazed over at the far post, leaving his head in his hands.

Five minutes of stoppage time saw a late free kick fired into the wall before Beckwith confidently claimed a hanging cross amid a congested box before the final whistle was greeted by home cheers.

Both sets of players and coaching staff were involved in a heated exchange in the centre circle following a game-ending late challenge on Brown that went unpunished but it could not spoil the sense of a big three points for the hosting club. How big it is will only be known in May when the last ball has been kicked but for now, it is advantage Bury.

While the Blues will look to back it up at the same venue against Maldon & Tiptree on Saturday, Felistowe go to Heybridge looking to bounce back at the first attempt (both 3pm).

Bury: Beckwith, White, O’Malley, Upson (Mayhew 75’),Curry (cpt) (Parr 86’), Horne (Pinyoun 88’), Maughn, Jolland (Williams 86’), Ramadan (Brown 71’), Canfer, Davis.

Booked: Curry (30’), White (34’).

Felixstowe: Wright, Caley-Brown, T Warren, Holland, Cullum (Claxton 86’), J Ainsley (cpt), Clemons (Boswell 57’), Forde-Brown, Harvey, Harrison (Ford 57’), C Warren.

Unused sub: S Ainsley.

Booked: Holland (45+1’).

Attendance: 803.

SuffolkNews Man of the Match: A few contenders for Bury but hard to look further than Ryan Jolland after scoring one and setting up the other. He also helped provide a controlling influence in the midfield along with Ed Upson and Ryan Horne. Max Maughn was a close second.