Last updated on .From the section Football

David Worrall started his career at Bury

Winger David Worrall scored a superb free-kick to defeat Bury and keep alive Southend's hopes of gaining automatic promotion from League Two.

Ex-Bury man Worrall curled in from 25 yards to take his side level on points with third-placed Wycombe Wanderers.

Tom Soares, Joe Riley and Danny Rose went close for Bury, who had started the game a point ahead of the visitors.

But they could not find a goal despite the backing of more than 8,000 fans who were all admitted for free.

The offer was made after the original fixture was abandoned in March because of heavy rain with less than 10 minutes played and the club's biggest home crowd for nearly 18 years turned up.

Despite Bury having the better of the first half, Southend forced their way into the game and substitute Worrall made the decisive intervention in the 74th minute after Kelvin Etuhu fouled Jack Payne.

Nathan Cameron had a chance to equalise late on but headed wide before Ryan Lowe was denied by goalkeeper Daniel Bentley, who ensured his and Southend's seventh successive clean sheet.