Bury Town to face league play-off rivals Heybridge Swifts and Aveley within a 48-hour spell this Saturday/Monday

Bury Town boss Ben Chenery admitted it was ‘far from ideal’ to be playing two of his BetVictor Isthmian League North Division side’s most important fixtures within 48 hours at the weekend.

The team in third in the standings are first set to travel to fourth-placed Heybridge Swifts tomorrow (3pm) before visiting second-placed Aveley on Monday night (7.45pm).

With just one point between the three teams – and six points between first and sixth – Bury could find themselves off the play-off pace if they take nothing from the two away fixtures.

Chenery said: “It’s not ideal to have to play fourth and then second in such close proximity, it’s far from ideal in fact.

“But it is what it is. They are both really important games, so winning the first is quite a big thing.

“I’m really looking forward to the Heybridge trip, we have previously done well there. They are a good team with some good players and, although they didn’t seem to start well, have improved. I’m expecting to have to soak up some pressure at the back.”

The Heybridge trip will be their first outing since last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Canvey Island in a performance Chenery described as ‘lethargic’.

“We played last Wednesday and then Saturday, whereas Canvey didn’t have a midweek game,” he said. “And I think that had an impact, especially with the pitch being so heavy.

“We looked leggy and lethargic and never really got going. We probably didn’t deserve to win, but I don’t think we deserved to lose either – a point would have been fair.

“We did have chances, but late on; sometimes I forget how hard it can be to run for 90 minutes on a heavy surface like that.”

He said, on top of the absence of several first-team players through injury, Olly Hughes, Cemal Ramadan and Jake Chambers-Shaw, who was substituted at half-time, have been struggling with tight hamstrings.

“It’s a tough time of year with the pitches, the weather and the number of games,” he said. “So we are trying to nurse a few players and make sure we get them ready for this weekend.

“We have spoken about the lack of bodies in the box costing us; at home you have to get into the box and when we’ve done that this season, we’ve scored.

Bury hosted Canvey in front of 482 spectators – with the Step 4 side averaging 390 spectators per home game – but could not find a way through a solid Canvey defence to get the goal to reward the home faithful.

The home side enjoyed space down the left wing in particular throughout the match but struggled to find bodies in the box to receive the cross.

Hughes and Ryan Jolland forced early first-half saves while Alex Henderson and Ryan Stafford put it wide as it ended goalless after 45 minutes.

Canvey came out the stronger in the second half and Sam Bantick opened their account in the 53rd minute, as he poked the ball into the bottom corner through bodies.

Substitute Colin Oppong then had a shot blocked in the 80th minute, before Jolland’s volley was well saved two minutes later. Canvey almost scored on 88 minutes, with only a top save from Daniel Barden preventing it.

The final two chances both fell to Stafford with almost identical balls, but both were saved by the visiting keeper.

Bury Town: Barden, Stafford, Smith, Hood, Henderson, Gardner (Maughn 74’), Chambers Shaw (Oppong 46’), Jolland, Hughes, Ramadan (Nyadzayo 74’), Crane. Attendance: 482