BURY Town will have the chance to avenge last season’s Veo Suffolk U18 Midweek Cup Final defeat on Thursday.

They travel to The New Croft in this season’s quarter-finals to face Haverhill Rovers, who beat Bury 3-2 in that final at Colchester United FC.

That was the second time that Bury had lost in the final since it was decided to have separate competitions for the U18 Midweek Cup and Sunday Cup for the 2014-15 season.

Bury lost 3-1 to AFC Sudbury, also at Colchester United FC, in the 2017-18 season, which was the third of AFC Sudbury’s seven straight successes in the competition.

It was, of course, Bury who brought AFC Sudbury’s winning sequence to an end last season when they won 2-1 in their semi-final meeting at Stowmarket Town FC.

AFC Sudbury will be keen to regain their crown, but in order to do so will first have to progress past Walsham-le-Willows, last season’s other losing semi-finalists.

Walsham have a good record in the competition and have twice previously reached the final, losing to AFC Sudbury on both occasions, first in 2016-17 and again two years later.

Needham Market’s only appearance in the final came in the 2022-23 season when they went down 5-1 to AFC Sudbury, but they have the chance to move a step closer to this season’s final when they host Lowestoft Town in the last eight.

The other tie sees two sides yet to previously feature in the final meet at the Millfield as Hadleigh United take on Kirkley & Pakefield.

Action is pictured above from last season’s final between Haverhill Rovers (red shirts) and Bury Town (blue shirts) at Colchester United FC.

Midweek Fixtures

Thursday

Kick-offs 7.45pm

Veo Suffolk U18 Midweek Cup Quarter-Finals: Hadleigh Utd v Kirkley & Pakefield, Haverhill Rovers v Bury Town, Needham Market v Lowestoft Town, Walsham-le-Willows v AFC Sudbury.