Bury Town manager Ben Chenery sees a 'dishonest' display in FA Trophy exit to Wisbech Town and expects a reaction at Maldon & Tiptree

Ben Chenery expects his Bury Town players to deliver a positive reaction to Saturday’s disappointing home exit in the Buildbase FA Trophy at fellow promotion hopefuls Maldon & Tiptree on Saturday (3pm).

But the Blues manager also hopes they go on to prove across the rest of the season that a valuable footballing lesson was learnt in the 2-0 second qualifying round defeat to Wisbech Town.

The opening stages of the game suggested the hosts would go on to inflict what would have been a fourth straight defeat - and sixth in their last seven - on the struggling Northern Premier League Midlands Division side.

However, the early energy and zip in Bury’s play appeared to fade with the visitors able to steadily grow into the tie before taking their chances at key times.

A sweeping move ended with Danny Draper guiding home in the 43rd minute before an exquisite long-range chip by Dylan Edge in the 70th minute sealed the Fenmen’s safe passage through.

A toothless display up the other end left goalkeeper Luke Pearson barely troubled across the 90 minutes.

And Chenery certainly felt his players deserved to take the blame.

“It was poor,” he said. “If you talk about performance your performance starts from just having endeavour, passion and desire, that is your staple.

“I thought the first 10 minutes we had that and then some players just thought it would be an easy afternoon and more fool them because they are playing on their reputation today and thinking they are good players. I’ve told them, I’ve been honest, they were nowhere near it.

“It was a real dishonest performance and I don’t say that very often but they were dishonest in the way that they allowed themselves to be bullied, out-worked and out-thought.

“I don’t care if you give the ball away, I don’t care if you make mistakes but what you must do is be competitive and from one to 11 we were not competitive. And that is what disappointed me more than anything.

“It was just a complete lack of hunger and a desire to close the ball down and get on second balls.

“A lack of wanting to defend, wanting to do all the horrible things you have to do as a footballer which has allowed me to have a good football career.”

The Bury boss had named an unchanged line-up from the 4-3 home success against Aveley with Olly Hughes and Ollie Fenn still out injured and Ryan Jolland serving the second of a three-game suspension.

But the goal threat of the previous weekend was conspicuous in its absence. An early glancing header from Baris Altintop, an off-target Jesse Nwabueze effort and a weak shot from Will Gardner was the best the Blues could muster for all their probing in the opening 45 minutes.

Up the other end there was a warning sign when their left-hand side was badly exposed that was not heeded and then exploited again just before half-time for the opener.

Daniel Paez Palacios headed a long ball in behind for Florian Tsaguim, who drove into the box before squaring to find the unmarked Draper to finish from 10 yards.

Bury dominated the ball in the second half but apart from a low save from a Cemal Ramadan near-post effort, Pearson was a virtual spectator.

And they were punished again 20 minutes from time by a sublime measured lob from Edge. The former Thetford Town player brought a long kick down beautifully to turn himself towards goal before catching Sam Blair’s positioning out from a 30-yard plus angle on the right.

Bury’s resolve appeared to have been killed as the visitors pushed for a third with Aaron Hart rounding Blair before finding the side-netting.

Chenery, whose side are sixth in the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division ahead of taking on fourth-placed Maldon & Tiptree, said: “I’m sure they will respond and to be really honest if they were doing this week in and week out they probably wouldn’t be with me.

“And you have to have the harsh reality of that, so they get those dips, but it is the manner of the dips.

“So yes, we will go to Maldon and I’ve no doubt we will put on a really good performance and we will do well. But football is a business where consistency is key.

“As a manager you want to have trust that when they walk on the pitch you know what you are getting from them.”

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