After completing 2019 unbeaten at home, Bury found themselves up against a very strong North Walsham side seeking to gain revenge for the last minute defeat Bury had inflicted back in September. With temperatures hovering around 8 degrees Celsius and a clear and dry forecast the day was set for a fine and open game of running rugby and both teams duly delivered. Eleven tries were scored in total and the match result was in doubt right up until the final whistle.

A positive and sweaty training session on Friday night had perhaps lulled the coaches into a false impression that any Christmas excess was out of the squad’s collective system – this was quickly dispelled as North Walsham charged into an early 10-0 lead with two impressive tries. The North Walsham backline were dominating these early proceedings and only some great tackling from Josh Grigg-Pettitt and Nico Marchini denied them any further scores.

With almost a third of the game already gone, Bury started to lumber into gear. As often seems to be the case, it was a charging run from Vincent La Starza that stirred the home side and, despite the ball being ripped off him as he neared the try line, Bury had remembered how to go forwards again. A long clearance kick bounced dangerously near Bury’s own line, but fullback Joshua Grigg-Pettitt made the collection look easy and passed off to Billy Reid almost under his own posts. He looked up and saw the opportunity to run the ball away from trouble but his lightning pace soon did much, much more. He ate up ground down the right-hand side of the pitch, taking him deep into the opposition half. The covering Walsham defence looked as though it might be arriving just in time, but just as quickly Billy expertly side-stepped them both and sped in to score an excellent individual try. Freddie Dean converted from the angle and Bury had their opening.

The home side started to increase the intensity and for the rest of the half North Walsham suddenly found it difficult to live with. Captain Finlay Blair led by example with some quick-thinking moves and the whole team were suddenly in the match. Josh Grigg-Pettitt was again on hand to expertly keep a clearance penalty kick just in the field of play and he fed Vincent La Starza on the right-hand side around 30 metres out. This time there was no holding him back and he charged his way over to score. Just before half time the new-found pressure worked again, with some big tackling from Charlie Burrows and Jack Griggs applying the squeeze and Tom Dye spotting the chance for an interception on half way. He showed great pace to run away and score under the posts. Ben Hewitt added the extras on his welcome return to action after injury and suddenly Bury were leading 19-10 going into half-time.

After some controlled and skilful rugby in the first period, both sides came out at the start of the second half with the bit between their teeth and determined to further increase the intensity. This resulted in some excellent exchanges as both teams tore into each other. North Walsham scored first after quick turnover ball to narrow the gap before Bury responded with some consistent recycling phase play. Despite not making much ground the home side kept their composure and when Freddie Dean made the break Vincent La Starza was on hand to run away and score from near the halfway line.

On eight minutes Bury extended their lead to 29-17 when Nico Marchini was held up just short of the tryline. Finlay Blair passed the ball away from the base of the resultant ruck to Reuben Sorosshian at fly-half. Reuben shaped to pass the ball away from contact before taking a lovely, unstoppable line back inside and scoring a great try.

At this point most other teams would tend to fall away, but North Walsham are made of sterner stuff and they stormed back with another expertly turned over tackle and then a breakaway both leading to tries under the posts. The score was tied at 29-29 with still a third of the match remaining. Injuries started to take their toll on both sides but Bury probably dealt with the pressure slightly better and looked marginally the more likely to break the deadlock. The home scrum was starting to win the odd set piece against the head and from one such turnover Jack Griggs peeled away at number eight to feed Finlay Blair who was bundled into touch agonisingly short of the try line.

With eight minutes left on the clock first Henry Cain and then Gus Pirt charged forwards, carrying deep into Walsham territory. Bury were applying pressure across the field and Nico Marchini was most alive to the broken play opportunity and ran away to score a great try which Billy Reid converted. Most of the remaining time was spent in Bury’s half as North Walsham drove forwards and the home side did their best to repel the attacks with a green wall of defence. Time and again Walsham knocked on the door and time and again Bury just about held firm, working as a team and forcing the ball to be moved out wide or chances to be snatched at. After what seemed like an eternity for the coaches and spectators the final whistle went and another home win could be chalked up.

This was Bury’s toughest test of the season so far as North Walsham are an excellent side with at least three or four stand-out talents in their ranks. Whilst the final result was obviously welcome, it should be the manner of the performance that helps further strengthen the home squad’s self-belief and resilience. In rugby things do not always go to plan and it is encouraging when players like Freddie Dean step up to the plate and evolve their play based on what they are seeing in front of them. In the forwards Thomas Treneman and Sam Green both had excellent games and Tom Dye is proving a real asset to the squad. The whole team can continue to be very proud of their efforts as they continue to face any new challenges head on and invariably find a way to overcome them.

Man of the Match (Forwards): Tom Dye
Man of the Match (Backs): Freddie Dean
Most improved (Forwards): Sam Green
Most improved (Backs): Joshua Grigg-Pettitt