Match Preview | Bury Town (A)
The Yeltz make the long trip over to Suffolk, not Lancashire 🤣 to face Bury Town at Ram Meadow.
Head to Head
There has only been the one known meeting between the two sides, and that match came last November. Unfortunately for the Yeltz, that day was a 2-1 defeat. The hosts took the lead through a seventh minute, as a Mikey Davis cross from the left was headed in by the unmarked Ollie Canfer in the centre of the box. The equaliser followed shortly after, as a mistake from Joe Carroll, saw ex Yeltzman Fin Holmes stick the ball into the roof of the net from yards out. Bury retook the lead, with the eventual winner on 32 minutes, as Tommy Hughes’ smart pass through the Yeltz defence found George Quantrell, who found the bottom left.
Opposition Overview
Manager
Cole Skuse
The 40 year old started out his playing career at Bristol City, in their youth setup, before going on to have a successful eight years in the EFL with Ipswich Town, competing mainly in the Championship. Having retired after ending his playing career with a two year spell at League Two Colchester United in May 2023, he swiftly joined Bury, where he has been ever since.
Goalkeepers
Charlie Beckwith
The 26 year old signed in October 2023 from step 5 side Lakenheath. The shotstopper, formally of Leiston at step 3, featured in 38 of Bury’s 42 league games last season, also keeping 11 clean sheets.
Oliver Kellett Green
The 19 year old has been with the club’s academy for the last two seasons, and earns a much deserved call-up to the first team for the upcoming season, learning from one of the best at this level in Beckwith.
Defenders
Joe Carroll
The 23 year old signed in January 2024 from step 4 Stowmarket Town. The left sided full back, and product of the AFC Sudbury academy, featured just eight times in Bury’s 2024/25 promotion campaign, but was highly influential last season, appearing in all of their league games – 37 in the starting XI.
Mikey Davis
The 26 year old signed in the summer of 2024 from step 4 side Cambridge City. The right back who can also play out on the wing in the attack, scored four goals last season, and was their only player to start all 42 league games.
Lewis O’Malley
The 25 year old signed in the summer of 2022 from step 4 AFC Sudbury. The centre half made 37 league appearances last season, and even though only 26 saw him feature in the starting XI, he still kept a very respectable seven clean sheets.
Tommy Smith
The 36 year old New Zealand international has been in the spotlight in recent weeks, getting into the Kiwi’s 2026 World Cup squad as a step 2 player. He featured as an unused substitute in the friendly against England in June as well. The centre half had an illustrious 11 year stint in the Championship with Ipswich Town, before representing fellow EFL sides, Colchester United, Brentford, Sunderland & MK Dons. Born in England, but with New Zealand roots, he went over to Oceania for two seasons in the Australian first division, before moving to Braintree Town last summer. He made 14 appearances in the National League, before making the switch to Bury this morning.
Joe White
The 29 year old signed for the club all the way back in March 2015. The centre half, who came through their academy, featured in 39 of their league games last season, keeping nine clean sheets in 29 starts.
Midfielders
Ally Conway
The 27 year old signed last summer from step 4 side Newmarket Town. The attacking midfielder scored five goals in 31 league games for Newmarket in the 2024/25 campaign. For his new side, Conway scored twice in 36 league appearances last season.
Tayos Flowers
The 20 year old enjoyed his first taste of senior football last season, having come through the Blues’ academy. The midfielder featured 19 times last season, and even though only one of those was in the starting XI, he gained valuable experience to become a bigger part of their team for the upcoming campaign.
Tom Hughes
The 25 year old signed last summer from step 2 side King’s Lynn Town. The central midfielder scored five and assisted three in 31 National League North games in the 24/25 season. The former Ipswich Town academy man, featured and started in 37 league games last season, scoring twice.
Ryan Jolland
The 29 year old, like White, has been at the club since March 2015. The former Ipswich Town academy man made 25 league appearances last season – 13 in the starting XI.
Ethan Mayhew
The 24 year old signed in the summer of 2023 from step 4 Hadleigh United. The midfielder scored twice, and featured in 37 league games last season – 26 in the starting XI.
Forwards
Ollie Canfer
The 37 year old signed last November from step 4 Stowmarket, but first signed for the club back in October 2015. The veteran striker scored seven goals in their 24/25 promotion campaign. Quickly returning to the Blues late last year, Canfer scored an incredible 11 league goals last season, including one against us. He made 31 league appearances – 20 in the starting XI.
Seth Chambers
The 21 year old signed in the summer from Needham. The young striker scored an impressive six goals in 40 league appearances for the Marketmen, before making the Suffolk switch to Bury.
Harley Curtis
The 23 year old signed in February last year from step 4 Ipswich Wanderers. The winger scored twice and featured in 21 league games last season for the Blues – 10 in the starting XI.
Sam Ford
The 28 year old signed in the summer from step 4 Felixstowe & Walton. In the 24/25 season, he scored 10 goals for the latter, but the striker stepped it up last season, and scored an incredible 18 goals in 39 league games – on route to Felixstowe’s play-off semi-final defeat.
Max Maughn
The 24 year old tricky winger signed in the summer of 2019 after being released by League Two side Colchester United. Maughn scored twice last season, and featured in 39 league games – 38 in the starting XI.
Jamie McGrath
The 27 year old signed last October from Needham Market. The striker missed just five of the Marketmen’s 46 NL North games in the 24/25 season. McGrath scored once in the league for Needham last season, before moving to Bury where he scored 11 goals in just 27 league appearances.
Callum Page
The 24 year old signed in January from fellow Suffolk side Sudbury. The right sided winger scored eight goals in 38 league games in the 24/25 season for the Suds, before notching three goals in 26 league appearances for them last season. Since arriving at Bury, Page scored four goals in 15 league appearances.
George Quantrell
The 24 year old signed last summer from Leiston. The winger scored 13 goals in 40 league games for the latter in the 24/25 season. Last season, Quantrell scored seven league goals, including one against us. He featured in all of the Blues league games – 35 in the starting XI.
Statistical Insight
• Only Spalding United (22), us & Real Bedford (17), and Kettering Town (15) scored more goals in the 15 minute plus stoppage time period before half-time last season in the Southern Premier Central than Bury’s (14).
• Only Worcester City & Stratford Town (8), and Leiston & Harborough Town (9) conceded fewer goals after the 76th minute last season in the Southern Premier Central than Bury (10).
• No other sides in the Southern Premier Central last season scored from the penalty spot fewer times than Bury (1).
• Only Worcester City & Stratford Town (8), and Leiston & Harborough Town (9) conceded fewer goals after the 76th minute last season in the Southern Premier Central than Bury (10).