Like a fine wine , removed carefully from Alan Dures cellar, this fixture just gets better and better.
Played in Suffolk Spring Sunshine and once more at Culford School, soon to become the permanent home to Bury, the LX team looked , well…angelic in their all white outfit .
It soon became apparent that Bury , boasting a number of LX stalwarts , such as George Hazell, Norman Ballard, John Grinham and Mark Hollingsworth and under the watchful eye of manager Dures were not here for a Sunday stroll. They had enjoyed another successful season and were not going to let it fall apart at this stage.
Ian Knox, Steve Seymour and Paul Edwards were having to work hard in midfield , whilst the defence of Henrik Kjellin, Graham Ramsden, David Young and Roger Girling were using their experience to contain an enthusiastic Bury front line.
After 30 minutes however, a short corner resulted in Mark Dykes striking home a screamer before Cliff Peck had a chance to close his legs!
Peter Danson and Mike Surridge gave some good width to the LX play up front and David Brampton was holding the ball up well . With no further score by half time, LX took the game to Bury more in the second half and bizarrely it was from an LX short corner that Bury scored again. A fast break saw Hollingsworth cross to Richard Dyball who touched home to score.
There’s nothing like a wounded animal and back came LX . With the ball bobbling about again in the Bury D, Kjellin, teeth bared and hair tousled stormed through from his defensive role to take control and slammed the ball in to the back of the Bury net to a resounding whoop, whoop from the LX fans.
There was no further score but the game continued to be played in great competitive spirit and with everybody having a smile on their face at the final whistle, having enjoyed another close encounter.
A sociable meal washed down by the obligatory beer at a local hostelry brought the days proceedings to an end - until next year , that is.
LX team : Cliff Peck, Henrik Kjellin, David Young, Graham Ramsden, Roger Girling, Ian Knox, Steve Seymour, Paul Edwards, Peter Danson, David Brampton, Mike Surridge.