Rustam Stepans’ second half strike was all Bury needed to claim all three points against Runcorn Linnets on Tuesday night. The 1-0 scoreline belying what was a comfortable victory in the end for the Shakers.
There was only one change from the Bury team that won on Saturday, with Aiden Walker’s suspension now served he returned to the starting lineup at the expense of Josh Gregory who dropped to the bench. In opposition they faced a Linnets team yet to taste defeat in league or cup in this still early season.
The home side quickly established themselves with early chances to score. A Rustam Stepans cross fell to Kieran Glynn his goalbound shot was deflected over after a Runcorn player threw himself in the way of the shot. Kai Evans volleyed wide when played in by the resulting corner kick.
Evans came close to scoring again. Good play on the Bury right between Stepans and Bebeto Gomes saw the latter cut inside and lay the ball off to Bury’s number 7. Evans spun around and took a shot that just went wide of the Runcorn goal.
The hosts continued to look the side most likely to break the deadlock with Louis Isherwood seeing a header blocked, Stepans forcing a good save out of Linnets keeper Bayleigh Passant while an Evans free kick was too tame to trouble the busy goalkeeper.
The home side were creating a lot of chances but not putting any of them away. This nearly came back to haunt them as a Naim Arsan free kick seemed destined for the top corner of the Bury goal but fizzed past the far post instead.
The search for the opening goal continued. Connor Pye forced a great save out of Bassant as he claimed the ball from a partially cleared corner and fired on goal. Bury keeper Mitch Allen then nearly claimed an assist as his long clearance was missed by the opposition goalkeeper who had come out to clear the high ball. Kai Evans slipped chasing a ball that would have presented him with an open goal. He did later manage to force a good save out of Passant after getting on the end of a Stepans cross and just before halftime Evans again at the centre of the action laid the ball off for Cam Fogerty to shoot but the Shakers midfielder put his effort well over the bar.
Bury may have been disappointed not to have taken the lead in the opening half but they didn’t have to wait long to remedy the situation. Kieran Glynn slipped the ball to Kai Evans who was shepherded away from goal before he could take a shot and was then fouled on the right hand side of the pitch. From the free kick Bobby Carroll pulled the ball back to Rustam Stepans who from the edge of the box fired a shot into the crowded area. Despite the numbers the ball managed to elude everyone and nestle into the far bottom corner to give Bury a deserved lead. Stepans wheeled off to celebrate, last season’s joint top goalscorer claiming his first of this campaign.
Now having to chase the game Runcorn Linnets suddenly began to press forward more often. Declan McLoughlin swung a free kick at the Bury goal forcing a good save from Mitch Allen. While Naim Arsan fired over the bar after the Yellows intercepted a pass in the Bury half.
The visitors were growing into the contest and beginning to test the Bury defence. An Oskar Rosenblatt cross caused chaos in the Bury area but it was at last scrambled clear while a quick counterattack nearly gave them an equaliser, the eventual shot deflected out for a corner.
The Shakers needed to find a second goal for safety and came close to finding it. A Kai Evans header from a corner had to be headed off the line while a Gabe Johnson cross to DJ Pedro missed the substitute by a whisker. A Kai Evans cross was nearly turned into his own net by Peter Wylie while Passant spilled an Aiden Walker header and was forced to push it away for a corner.
In the dying moments of the match Linnets had their best chance of the evening. A cross into the box found the unmarked Chester loanee Oskar Rosenblatt who nearly made it a debut to remember with a header from point blank range. Mitch Allen, who had to work very hard for his clean sheet, produced a super save to deny the Runcorn forward.
Seeing out the match the Shakers managed to cling on to their one goal lead and claim the win their efforts deserved. A third home match in a week awaits on Saturday as Bury hope to turn their recent good form into a pattern of success that will continue into the rest of the season.
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