Bury Town's visit to AFC Sudbury in west Suffolk A134 derby is postponed to aid Blues' FA Cup preparations
The eagerly-anticipated west Suffolk A134 derby between AFC Sudbury and Bury Town will now not take place next Wednesday, the clubs have announced.
Bury's continued involvement in the Emirates FA Cup is the reason behind the latest date change in the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division match at the Yellows.
The return of the historic derby fixture, last played in February in the soon-to-be abandoned 2019/2020 campaign ( 3-0 win to hosting AFC Sudbury ), had originally been scheduled for Tuesday, October 6 when the Isthmian League North Division fixtures were first released in late August.
Sudbury then informed the league they were moving their midweek evening matches to Wednesdays, which worked better for their full-time coaching staff members' working patterns, leading to it being put back 24 hours.
The Turners Hyundai Suffolk Premier Cup second round draw, sending Mark Morsley's AFC side to Hadleigh United on October 6, led to it being shifted back a week in the calendar to October 21.
But with Bury's progression in the FA Cup sealed on Tuesday night with the 2-0 home victory over Nuneaton Borough, they would have missed a training session in the lead up to their fourth qualifying round trip to Banbury United a week on Saturday.
It led to the Isthmian League offering a further postponement of the fixture at Sudbury in aid their preparations, which the Blues have opted to take.
It means Bury will now have a full free week to prepare for the cup tie at the higher-league side after today's FA Trophy match at Loughborough Dynamo (3pm).
At the same time, with Sudbury's involvement in the FA Trophy having ended early, Morsley's side are not due to play again until a week today, when hosting Brentwood Town in the league (3pm). It will be 14 days since their last fixture, a come-from-behind 2-2 draw at Basildon United.
A new date for the west Suffolk derby fixture is set to be announced soon with Sudbury confirming anyone who had purchased tickets for it will via Skiddle will see them roll over, rather than having to rebook them.
Under league regulations, the fixture will be given a new date within 42 days of the original fixture.
The sides are currently at different ends of the early table with AFC Sudbury 18th with one win from their four matches and Bury Town ninth with two wins from two.
* AFC Sudbury can be contacted through their general manager, Darren Theobald, for any queries on it at: darren.theobald@afcsudbury.co.uk
