https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/sport/mauge-hungry-for-more-after-landmark-goal-for-bury-on-18th-b-9401592/Ipswich Town loanee Jamie Mauge marked his 18th birthday with his first ever senior goal at Ram Meadow on Tuesday, but admitted it was bittersweet having been unable to deliver title-chasing Bury Town the victory they craved.
The Blues left the field against mid-table Maldon & Tiptree with dour demeanours after learning they had missed an opportunity not only to end a winless run but also to reclaim top spot as a result of Felixstowe & Walton United’s 3-1 defeat at home to Grays Athletic.
Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with The Jammers, having been pegged back in a second half that assistant Paul Musgrove said left them ‘lucky to get a point’ (see page 60), did halve the deficit to a point though ahead of hosting third-placed Brentwood Town tomorrow (3pm).
Mauge, who had former Trinidad & Tobago international and Plymouth Argyle and Bury midfielder Ronnie watching on, had fired the Blues ahead in the 31st minute with a fine angled finish after bursting onto Max Maughn’s precise throughball.But the forward who has captained David Wright’s Ipswich Town Under-18s side on several occasions this season, as well as making an FA Youth Cup appearance, had mixed emotions from his first start, having previously made two substitute appearances since joining on a work experience.
He said: “I'd say not a bad start for me starting in the team. I obviously took my goal well, but I'd say it was (just) alright, good individually for me, but at the end of the day we didn't get the result as a team and that's what matters.
“But I'm happy to get a goal, hopefully I can continue to score and help the team get what we want at the end of the season.”
Mauge revealed he jumped at the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Jack Lankester and Brett McGavin in adjusting his game to men’s football, having become the first outfield player from Ipswich to join under former Blues midfielder Cole Skuse’s tenure.
On whether the approach had been an easy one to accept, he said: “Yes, under-18s is not so much the physical side, it's more technical.
“As a striker, my type of game is holding up the ball, getting up against defenders, really getting into that physical battle.
“So I've been looking for a while now to come to play men's football and I've seen a very, very good team, great club. And it's just an opportunity for me to get much stronger against men, bigger guys, whereas in the under-18s, it's not as physical. So I'd say it's a great opportunity for me to just build muscle, get stronger and be a more
physical player, which is what I want to be.”
Mauge’s debut came off the bench a week ago Tuesday in a 4-1 defeat to their upcoming opponents, Brentwood, whose 1-0 victory at Mildenhall Town on Saturday has seen them close the gap to Bury to four points with a game in hand.
