Paul Musgrove calls on Bury Town players to show their ruthless side against Walthamstow to avoid falling away in the Isthmian League North Division title race

Paul Musgrove has called on Bury Town to show their ruthless side ahead of hosting Walthamstow tomorrow (3pm) – to avoid the title and automatic promotion slipping from their grasp.

The third-placed Blues are three points off Pitching In Isthmian League North Division leaders Brentwood Town going into the final six matches.

But they saw a golden chance to draw level at the summit pass them by on Saturday as they ended up conceding in the 82nd minute at fifth-placed Brightlingsea Regent to lose 1-0. It came as Brentwood (2-0 defeat) and Felixstowe & Walton United (1-1 draw), who they are now tied in second with, slipped up.

It left Cole Skuse’s side - who have seen two players depart this week in Dylan Williams and Ben Curtis - down in 13th place in the six-game form table, with two wins, two draws and two defeats.

And assistant manager Musgrove, who felt there was ‘nothing in the game’ at an impressive Brightlingsea side where a draw would have been fair, believes now is the time the Blues players must show their promotion credentials, or accept they are waiting for the play-offs to arrive.

Heading into the game against eighth-placed Walthamstow, who Bury drew 1-1 with in January’s reverse fixture, he said: “They’re a good team, quite a direct physical team. So, again, it’s another task for us to deal with.

“We’ve six games to go and we’ve got to find a way of breaking people down and trying to the three points however that comes because we can’t keep dropping points and expect to be talking about being in the title race.

“Yes, I know other people dropped points last weekend, but it’s down to us and what we do.

“We need to be more ruthless in the final third. And we need to be getting more crosses in the box, more shots off where we can.

“With the quality we’ve got that we should be fine.”

Former Colchester United striker Tom Stagg is set to make his home debut, having come off the bench for his first Blues outing on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Mildenhall Town bounced back from their midweek disappointment with a 3-0 home win over Sporting Bengal United on Saturday.

Phil Weavers’ men were beaten by a stoppage-time penalty away at high-flying Tilbury during their previous outing in the Isthmian League North Division.

But they responded at the first time of asking to open up a 12-point gap to the relegation zone with six games left to play.

For the second weekend running, Jarid Robson was the leading source of goals as he helped himself to a brace.

The attacking midfielder has now found the back of the net on four occasions since returning to the club from a short stint on dual registration terms with Haverhill Rovers.

Jordan Nicholson was also on target in front of a crowd of 250 at The Riverside Stadium.

Mildenhall will now aim to put a dent in league-leading Brentwood Town’s title hopes when they travel to The Arena tomorrow (3pm).

The table-toppers, who are three points clear of Felixstowe & Walton United and Bury in second and third position respectively, won the reverse fixture 1-0.