Bury Town 3, Gorleston 0

Gorleston went out of the FA Cup against a 10-man Bury Town from the Ryman League.

Manager Richard Daniels changed the system, going for a back three of Eddie Thompson, Adam Thurtle and Andy Howell, with Reece Hunn and Remy Gordon playing as wing backs, and two up front, Ali McKenna and Bradley Hough.

The change seemed to work at first as the Greens had the better of the opening exchanges and perhaps should have gone ahead in the second minute, writes DAVID HARDY.

A Steve Taylor cross found Hough with a clear shot at goal but Bury keeper Marcus Garnham dived to his left to turn it out for a corner.

It wasn’t long, however, before Bury got into their stride and Elliot Pride was called into action making three saves in close succession first from a free kick, then a Lee Reed shot and then a header.

Four minutes later, Reed arrived in the box untracked from a cross but blasted over and then Tom Bullard peeled off the back of a defender to head goalwards but Pride tipped it over. From that corner Pride once again denied the same player.

Gorleston’s man of the match Pride denied Reed again and was being overworked, with it seeming just a matter of time before Bury would score.

Sure enough the goal came in the 20th minute when a deep corner was headed in by Reed. Although Gorleston didn’t look out of their depth there were a few too many high balls, which the big defenders were winning every time, but when the Greens did get the ball down they were playing well. Gorleston looked to have been dealt a helping hand in the 38th minute. After Richard Woodrow challenged Bullard the big Bury defender kicked out at him off the ball while he was on the ground. The referee spotted it and brandished a red card. Gordon and Hunn swapped flanks for the second half and, perhaps not surprisingly against the ten men, the Greens had more possession, although Bury seemed content to let the Greens have it in their own half closing down quickly once the halfway line was crossed.

Despite the extra possession chances were limited. Chris Sandford had a low shot from the edge of the box saved and then McKenna scuffed a chance after Hunn had pulled the ball back.

The killer blow came in the 77th minute, immediately after manager Daniels had made a double substitution, with Gorleston defending a free kick just inside their own half. The kick was hit deep into the box and Roscoe Hipperson rose to head it home. This knocked the stuffing out of the Greens with Pride once more repelling two efforts before Lee Smith put the gloss on the victory, scoring the third with seven minutes remaining and ensuring his side’s progression to the next round where they will play Redbridge.

Team: Elliot Pride, Remy Gordon, Reece Hunn, Andy Howell, Adam Thurtle, Eddie Thompson, Chris Sandford (Gary Williams 76), Bradley Hough (Scott Woodgate 76), Ali McKenna, Steve Taylor, Richard Woodrow (Liam Harvey-Cooper 78)

n GORLESTON Reserves progressed into the second round of the Norfolk Junior Cup last week with 6-0 victory at Worstead. In the draw for the second round the Greens will be at home to The Albion (Gorleston).

Tomorrow the Reserves return to league action hoping to keep up their 100 per cent record when they travel to Needham Market. On Wednesday night they are on their travels again in the league, this time off to Dereham.

n GORLESTON U18 bowed out of the Ridgeons Youth Cup last week losing 4-0 at Kirkley & Pakefield. On Thursday September 29 they return to league action with a game at North Walsham.