Max Maughn and Cemal Ramadan score for Bury Town in 2-2 draw with high-flying Bowers & Pitsea

Bury Town came from behind twice to claim a point at home to third-placed Bowers & Pitsea in an entertaining affair between the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division’s form sides at the OCS Ram Meadow Stadium.

Max Maughn converted after Cemal Ramadan’s header came back off the post three minutes following Ben Williamson firing the visitors ahead in the 39th minute.

The Blues felt aggrieved not to be leading at the interval after Tom Thulborn was controversially ruled offside after his cross was turned into his own net by Geoffrey Okonkwo in stoppage time.

A goalkeeping error by debutant James Philp allowed Matt Price to head Bowers back in front against the run of play before the hour mark but Ramadan converted a 64th minute penalty to get his side level again.

Bury had some good pressure thereafter but were unable to test keeper David Hughes while Price was thwarted when one-one-one by a good save 16 minutes from time.

The point ended a four-match winning run for the hosts but extended their unbeaten spell to eight matches (including six wins) to leave Cole Skuse’s side in eighth place and from three to four points from the play-off zone.

Bowers remain third but lost ground to second-placed Felixstowe & Walton United, going three points behind, after the Seasiders beat leaders Lowestoft Town 3-0 to close the gap to the summit to two points.

With Charlie Beckwith out with a groin injury, Skuse had brought in goalkeeper Philp as cover with the player who won the title with Hashtag United last season having had a similar spell helping out AFC Sudbury in October.

The former Haverhill Rovers shot-stopper was the only change from the 5-0 win at New Salamis in north London on Sunday though there was a place among the substitutes for another new addition in young defender Joe Carroll from Stowmarket Town.

The player who graduated from AFC Sudbury’s academy in the summer took the place of Ryan Jolland with the midfielder beginning a four-game suspension following a second red card of the season.

Bowers & Pitsea – who had won seven of their last eight and three on the spin – arrived with depleted numbers with five players unavailable, four through illness and one through suspension. Manager James Collins was absent himself with Covid.

There was a hairy moment for Bury inside the opening 30 seconds with Bowers breaking down the left and, after a dangerous cross came in, Ollie Yun had to head clear from under Philp’s crossbar.

After a stoppage for a clash of heads between Lewis O’Malley and Matt Price, the hosts created their first opening in the sixth minute, but Luke Brown was unable to direct a header from Cemal Radamadan’s deep cross on target.

Bowers were stringing together some promising passages of play in the opening stages but were twice thwarted by blocks in the box from O’Malley.

Up the other end Brown forced a save out of former AFC Sudbury promotion winner Hughes with an angled shot in the 13th minute while he was also equal to a Yun effort from range as the hosts began to see more of the ball.

Some slick Bury interplay on the edge of the area midway through the half ended with Brown’s shot on the turn being well blocked.

Ramadan headed just wide from Brown’s cross after good work from Thulborn in the 27th minute before a long goal kick had Price closing in on goal but he dragged his shot well wide.

Price did have the ball in the net shortly after via a looping header from a deep free kick but the celebrations were cut short by the offside flag.

Thulborn sent a header, running in on Brown’s cross, inches wide of the far post as Bury went close to breaking the deadlock themselves in the 34th minute.

But it was Bowers who got themselves in front five minutes later with Price getting into the box after winning a long ball and squaring for the free Williamson who tucked the ball into the bottom corner.

The Blues got back in terms within three minutes though as Maughn fired in low with an angled effort after Ramadan's header from Thulborn's cross had come back off the right post.

The lively Thulborn thought he had helped his side into a half-time lead in stoppage time but was controversially given offside after his low cross was turned into his own net by Geoffrey Okonkwo.

Ramadan was slipped in behind the defence early in the second half but ended up being out-muscled by the centre-backs in the area.

It had been all Bury asking the questions since the restart but Bowers were gifted back the lead in the 57th minute when debutant Philp saw Benas Vaivada’s shot from range spin up out of his hands and Price was on hand to head home the rebound.

It was another lead that did not last long though as the referee signalled for a penalty for the home side when Ramadan went down under the attentions of Chris Millar receiving Yun’s pass with his back to goal.

Ramadan himself sent Hughes the wrong way from the 64th minute spot-kick for what was his 13th goal of the season.

Canfer had a shot blocked in the area as Bury piled on the pressure looking to press home the momentum.

Up the other end Price climbed above the defence from a deep cross but sent his header wide.

Bowers looked set to re-take the lead in the 74th minute but after Vaivada broke clear from Yun from a long ball out of defence he was denied by a strong one-handed save by Philp.

Bury continued to press but were unable to force Hughes into action as the final ball proved to be lacking.

Okonkwo headed wide from a deep free kick for Bowers as the game enter four minutes of stoppage time.

A late rally from Bury saw Louie Arnold’s late cross cut out ahead of a last-gasp corner seeing fellow substitute White’s shot blocked just ahead of the final whistle sounding.

Bury Town: Philp, Yun, O’Malley, Mayhew, Curry (cpt) (White 80’), Horne, Maughn (Arnold 86’), Canfer (Upson 75’), Ramadan, Brown, Thulborn.

Unused subs: Carroll, Curtis.

Booked: Curry (28’),

Bowers & Pitsea: Hughes, Cane, Okonkwo, Reeve, Williamson (cpt), Vaivada, Popo, Howard, Price, Millar, Hyman.

Unused subs: Cassandra, Chambers, Ajayi.

Booked: Williamson (88’), Price (89’)

Attendance: 529

SuffolkNews Man of the Match: Tom Thulborn. Bowers could not get close to him as he caused havoc down the left-hand side. Supporters around him were adamant he was onside when his cross ended up in the back of the net at the end of the first half.