BRANTHAM ATHLETIC suffered Suffolk Premier Cup heartache after a 3-1 defeat at home to Bury Town tonight.

The sides met in a quarter-final showdown but it was the visitors who booked their place in the last four after netting all their goals in the first half.

The key moment came in the 25th minute when Imps player and joint-boss Michael Brothers was alleged to have tugged back Oliver Dunlop.

He was deemed to be the last man so, in addition to pointing to the spot, Brothers was sent off. Cemal Ramadan then converted the penalty.

Bostik League Bury added their second ten minutes later when home goalkeeper Callum Robinson’s attempted clearance from a back-pass struck Dunlop.

The ball trickled into the net to put the visitors firmly in control.

They added their third just before the break, thanks to a tap-in from Bradley Barber.

Brantham, who handed a debut to new signing Jake Kioussis, threw themselves a lifeline from a penalty of their own in the 73rd minute.

Ben Newson was brought down after driving into the box and skipper Ed Nobbs slotted home from the spot, sending a low effort to keeper Luis Tibble’s left.

However, it was the end of the scoring and so Bury progressed.

Elsewhere tonight, there were some matches in the Thurlow Nunn League first division as Holland FC romped to a 4-0 victory at Leiston Reserves and BRAINTREE TOWN RESERVES won 1-0 at home to AFC Sudbury Reserves.

In Bostik League division north, promotion-chasing MALDON AND TIPTREE won 3-2 at Cheshunt thanks to goals from James Shepherd (four minutes), Oluwole Akinsanya (39) and Ryan Clampin (65).

The hosts’ strikes came from an own goal by Joe Ellul, which at the time made it 1-1, and a late second from Kyle Roberts.

WITHAM TOWN went down 2-0 at Mildenhall Town.

Thomas Debenham gave the hosts an early lead before Jake Chambers-Shaw gave them breathing space in the 33rd minute.

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS were left without a game following the postponement of their fixture at Norwich United.

FC CLACTON won 7-1 in a friendly at Burnham Ramblers.

Billy Wales scored a hat-trick and there were two goals apiece for Kevin Coyle and Charlie Thompson.