- Bury Town have been playing a high-tempo, high-pressing game under Cole Skuse
- Worcester City have conceded just 0.89 goals per away match.
- Worcester City have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five league games
Worcester to make life tough for free-flowing Bury
Friday’s fixture in the Southern League Premier Division Central between 13th-placed Bury Town FC (50 points from 37 games) and 8th-placed Worcester City (57 from 37) should be a close affair between two teams with similar, but contrasting styles. Bury Town boss Cole Skuse has installed a high-energy, possession-based system at The Shakers in which a fluid midfield rotates players into wide areas in an effort to expose the opposition’s defence. A focus on set-piece delivery and Jamie McGrath’s prowess in front of goal is what’s made Bury tick this season.
Worcester City have been the best away side in the division this season, winning nine, drawing four and losing only six times on their travels. They concede just 0.89 goals on average away from home and are a solid but unspectacular team on their day. Chris Cornes has installed a structure-first style at Worcester in which organisation, particularly in defence, is key. They don’t like pressing high up the pitch or having the ball for sustained periods, instead preferring to stay compact and rely on set-piece quality to unlock the opposition.
Stalemate on the cards
Bury Town are unbeaten in three at home, although they have drawn two of those games. They have won seven, drawn six and lost five at home in the league this term, conceding just 1.11 goals on average. However, Worcester have gone winless in their last three away games, with one draw and two defeats. These two teams are very evenly matched and a stalemate looks likely.
However, the odds for this game make Worcester the favourites at 63/50, with Bury at 163/100 and the draw at 61/25. That’s not right, as both these teams have excellent defensive records, and given recent scoring trends the ‘Under 2.5 goals’ market at 93/100 looks very attractive.
The head-to-head between these teams also offers some guidance, as they played out a 2-2 draw at Worcester City's ground earlier in the season, when both sides were in a similar position in the table. Backing the visitors to take the spoils by a single goal is tempting, as they have been so solid on the road this term.
