Bury 1-1 Wythenshawe, Saturday 30th March 2024

Bury 1-1 Wythenshawe, North West Counties League Premier, Gigg Lane, att. 4,212

Easter is often cited as the time when promotion and relegation issues become a lot clearer, but in the North West Counties League Premier Division, it really is the case. 3 sides, Wythenshawe Town, Wythenshawe and Bury, are chasing the one automatic place going into the Easter weekend and the former two are playing each other on the Monday. Today, 3rd plays host to 2nd (Bury v Wythenshawe) while Town put their feet up and rest. The pre-match table looks like this:

Pld Pts GD
1. Wythenshawe Town 42 86 +45
2. Wythenshawe 40 84 +58
3. Bury 40 81 +54

Darlo Kev turns down the opportunity to come. He’s depressed after the Quakers result yesterday and is off to the seaside (hopefully not to top himself). I’m similarly down after my own side, Barnsley, lost at home yesterday to a side who’d lost 6 in 7 (one draw), killing any aspirations of the top 2. Let this proto-promotion decider perk me up!

I was keen to visit Bury as they hang around the dead men of the 9th tier. What’s it like playing in a division where crowds are often around the 300 mark? Last time I was at Gigg Lane they were happily overspending in the 3rd tier. I wonder how that panned out? I’m not worried about getting in, after all, the capacity is 12,500, isn’t it? And even though it’s a top of the table clash, I’m not envisioning a sellout. Dangerous.

It turns out huge swathes of Gigg Lane aren’t open to fans. ‘Who do you blame?’ ‘The council’ says a helpful lady, as she encourages me to get in the Cemetery End ASAP, as she ‘doesn’t want me to miss out after coming all this way’ (a 40 minute drive over the Pennines). The South and Main Stands are sold out and the Manchester Road End closed to the public. The Main Stand is maybe at 20% capacity, the South Stand 80%, but rules is rules. I head for the Cemetery End.

I’m incredibly early, there’s an hour to kick-off. But I thought I’d get parked (which turns out to be in a side street a couple of hundred metres from the ground) and perhaps have a pre-match snifter. There are signs to a bar on the Main Stand side, but, of course, I can’t get into that bit. So I head under the Cemetery End to see what’s on offer in the concourse. It is AWFUL in there, a massed queue down a dingy corridor, half of it closed off. With a bumper crowd here today (Bury’s 2nd highest of the season after their Boxing Day fixture), the interval is worse, as there’s space for half a dozen blokes at a time in the loos to have a ‘comfort break’.

I peruse the alcoholic offerings. Strongbow, Strongbow Dark Fruits and Carling. So nothing drinkable there then, so I head into the stand, back row, to read my programme. Or programmes. The game was previously postponed in February, so I get the original programme as well as an updated 16 page inlay. Excellent. I learn that Wythenshawe were formed in 1946 and they’re currently playing at their highest ever level, in stark contrast to the Shakers.

It’s actually quite cosy, the Cemetary End, as the roof wraps around to the South Stand. There’s also no pillars in my way, though it’s been built a number of yards behind the goal. Perhaps there’s a reason they didn’t build it closer, thereby also giving themselves more space to have a concourse, rather than a corridor, under the stand? The other three stands all have pillars, though the enclosed nature of the ground, the blue seats and even the corrugated roof fascias all bring to mind a smaller version of Loftus Road. It’s dated (without being historic) but snug. I am also pleased to hear ‘Olympic’ by 808 State (better known as the theme tune to The Word) pre-match. There is not enough 808 State played at football these days.

The match is keenly fought, as one would expect, though Bury have the upper hand for the most part, as they should. A side with over four thousand here today ought to be too much for a side with a usual crowd of less than one-tenth that. They go ahead in the 63rd minute as Captain Tom Moore (no, not that one) bundles home a free kick. Reward then for his constant moaning on at the ref for not booking the free kick’s original miscreant (ignoring that his own player then kicked out at said visitor).

Bury are in total control, barring the odd counter. Even then, Wythenshawe don’t have the courage of their convictions to actually test the home keeper. Time is running out, fans are leaving. The board shows 8 minutes of injury time. 6 mins in, there’s still no sign of the Ammies causing an upset. I head down the steps, seeing others stood at the pitch perimeter, ready for a quick getaway. By the time I join them, all hell’s broken loose. What’s going on? It’s a penalty to Wythenshawe. Although I never took my eye off the pitch, it’s at the far end and by now I’m at pitch level.

By the time Bryan Ly steps up to take it, we’re past the 8 minutes. There’s no doubt time’s up. Is the pressure of playing in front of his biggest crowd of the season too much pressure for Ly? Or does it help that there’s no fans behind that goal? He steps up, scores, and the Wythenshawe 100 in one corner of the Cemetery End go wild. They can’t believe it. Not only has David grabbed a draw at Goliath, it’s put Wythenshawe in control of their own destiny at the top end of the North West Counties League. The ref blows for full-time and their players race to the aforementioned corner to celebrate. Good luck to ‘em.

The Damage: £10 ent £3 programme = £13

*2 days later, on Easter Monday, Wythanshawe lose the derby at Town 2-1, in front of 1200. The table now looks like this:

Pld Pts GD
1. Wythenshawe Town 43 89 +46
2. Wythenshawe 42 85 +57
3. Bury 42 85 +55

It is, as they say, ‘all to play for’! (46 matches in the season.)