Bury 1 Notts County 0: SOMETIMES results are more important than the performance and this was one occasion when that was definitely the case.

The Shakers have played better and lost this season but the three points they picked up against a gutsy County side were vital to keep them in touch with the Coca Cola League Two pacesetters.

Chris Porter got the all-important goal, and even that was a scrappy affair, but as manager Graham Barrow said he'd take plenty more like it.

County, under newly-appointed player-boss Ian Richardson, scrapped for everything and as a spectacle a video of the game wouldn't be high on anyone's list of Christmas presents.

Despite going down to ten men in the 70th minute after Glynn Hurst was dismissed for dissent, the Magpies refused to capitulate indeed they were in the ascendancy in the latter stages of the match.

But it's one defeat in eight now for Barrow's men who coped well without influential injured skipper Dave Challinor.

Matt Barrass got the nod in centre of defence over Paul Scott and the decision to play the adaptable local lad was totally vindicated.

"We had a good talk about

Fresh from last week's five goal routing of Vauxhall Motors in the FA Cup, the Shakers started well and took the game to the visitors at every opportunity.

Leading scorer Dave Nugent was brought down just outside the box by County keeper Shaun Deeney in the ninth minute and from the subsequent free-kick Brian Barry-Murphy's effort was blocked by the visitors' wall.

Dave Flitcroft also had a 25-yard effort that cleared the bar and shortly afterwards Nugent fired tamely at Deeney from a similar distance.

The deadlock was broken in the 20th minute when Porter converted his seventh goal of the season from six yards, following a scramble.

Deeney did his level best to keep the Shakers' striker's scuffed effort out but only succeeded in palming it into the back of the net.

If the home supporters thought there would be a repeat of the first half goal glut they enjoyed last week they were to be sorely disappointed.

In fact but for some woeful finishing and a magnificent save from Andy Marriott the visitors might have gone in at the interval in the lead.

Two minutes after Porter's goal Glynn Hurst rattled the Bury crossbar from close range after getting on the end of a long ball from Shane McFaul.

A minute later Hurst again had a gilt-edged chance of levelling but this time he headed a cross from Richardson well wide with the goal at his mercy.

Then after 35 minutes the same player brought a superb one-handed stop from Marriott with a point blank effort that looked harder to miss.

Between those chances was near post header from Porter that just went wide following good work down the right by Dwayne Mattis and Lee Unsworth.

After the interval the Shakers started much the better team and both Mattis and Nugent went close inside the opening minutes of the period.

The game was held up for seven minutes midway through the half when Notts utility man McFaul landed awkwardly and was left prostrate in the Bury box with a neck injury.

Unaware of the severity of McFaul's problem Cumbrian referee Mike Pike initially allowed play to continue much to the chagrin of Hurst who overstepped the mark while remonstrating with the official.

To round off a thoroughly miserable afternoon for the former Ayr and Chesterfield man received a red card for his outburst and made more trouble for himself by gesticulating to the Shakers fans in the main stand while leaving the field before putting his foot through the fourth official's illuminated number sign in the tunnel.

As is often the case it was the ten men that had the edge for the remainder of the match.

But although County threw caution to the wind the Shakers back line never looked likely to be breached and held firm for a welcome win despite several minutes added time.

"The sending off changed the pattern of the game and put a little bit of spirit into Notts and we had to see that off," said Barrow.

"They were an energetic side that we had to work hard to overcome, but I was pleased with what I saw even though we've played better and lost.

"It would be nice to score four or five every week but it's not as easy as that, I knew they'd roll their sleeves up under Ian Richardson, he's that kind of player and will demand the same from his team."