A third defeat in five matches underlines what has been a frustrating pattern for Bury early this season. All the irresistible attacking play of 48 hours earlier disappeared and two defensive lapses condemned the Shakers to a 2-1 loss away to Hyde United.
Looking to make an immediate impact Kai Evans sent in a cross that had to be well picked out by Hyde keeper Jordan Eastham with Mo Touray lurking.
Touray was in the thick of it again holding the ball up well in the penalty area and playing the ball off for Bailey Sloane to shoot. The strike deflected wide for a corner.
It seemed Bury were destined to score when on an attack a slick backheel by Tom Carr left Evans with an open sight of goal, his shot however was well saved by Eastham.
Despite the early promise it was the home team that opened the scoring. On their first attack a long ball down the middle found Max McCarthy, on loan from Radcliffe, who rounded the keeper and finished into an empty net. Despite Bury protests the linesman’s flag stayed down.
The offence taken by the offside flag not going up was compounded minutes later when Tom Carr burst down the left wing squaring to Kai Evans to score only to see the other assistant referee had raised his flag for what looked to be a well timed run.
Despite their efforts it looked as though Bury would go in a the break trailing but a moment of magic in midfield levelled the sides. George Glendon, usually content to hold back and let play develop, went on a long solo run. He weaved in and out of defenders trying to bring him down before he shot towards the bottom corner out of reach for Eastham and claimed a deserved equaliser for the visitors.
After halftime Bury came out of the traps well. Tom Carr was nearly through but for a one on one tussle with Will Hall. The Tigers centre back did enough to steer the ball away from danger.
Mo Touray and Owen Robison worked well together Robinson teeing up Touray who shot wide while when returning the favour later Robinson’s effort from Touray deflected and was saved.
The home defence was tiring, sitting deeper and getting increasingly desperate with their clearances. Leo Graham burst into the box and forced another good save from Eastham while a James Neild cross was headed wide by Carr.
Yet time wore on and no goal materialised. The momentum slowed to a stall and from nowhere the hosts scored again. Max McCarthy at the centre of it all got to a loose ball ahead of Bailey Sloane and suddenly Bury were on their heels and forced to defend a two on one situation. Louis Isherwood rushed to cut off McCarthy but that left former Blackpool man Jack Redshaw unmarked and he easily powered his effort to bottom corner.
Immediately attacking options from the bench were added in Anthony Dudley, Luca Navarro and Jes Uchegbulam. The subs nearly made the perfect start, Dudley crossed the ball to Navarro who shot over the bar from a very tight angle.
Still reeling Bury nearly fell three behind had Yann Songo’o done better with a shot saved low by Allen and a looping effort that went over the bar.
As has been the case in other matches the Shakers struggled to break down opposing defences packed deeply in their own half. A Leo Graham cross from the right flashed across the box, three or four Bury players had a chance to get to it but all missed the connection.
There was one moment Bury got in behind the Hyde defence. Jes Uchegbulam latching onto a ball forward, picked his moment and struck a thumping effort that beat Eastham but crashed against the near post.
At the end of five minutes of added time a cross from the left was headed on by Uchegbulam straight into the path of Graham. With the whole goal open to him his header was straight at Eastham who gladly accepted it in the last meaningful action of a disappointing match for Bury.
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