Bury 2 Macclesfield 0: GRAHAM Barrow has already started planning for next season after Bury managed to avoid their lowest-ever league finish.

The Shakers boss announced his list of retained players on Monday after his team ended a run of four matches without a win by beating Macclesfield.

Goals in the last six minutes from Chris Porter and Simon Whaley - the teenage midfielder's first in senior football - ensured the Shakers finished the campaign with a win.

The victory meant that Barrow's men ended the campaign 12th in Division Three, avoiding the unwanted record of finishing below their worst-ever final placing - set in 1984 when they came 15th at the same level.

Barrow said: "It was a good effort by the lads and I'm just glad that we didn't take the record. It's not a thing you want to be tarnished with."

The match appeared to be heading for a goalless draw until Macclesfield centre-back Matt Carragher was sent off 13 minutes from the end for a professional foul on David Nugent.

Macclesfield argued that Carragher was not the last man when he brought down the youngster, but referee Mike Pike brandished the Silkmen's tenth red card of the season.

Within seven minutes, Bury had taken the lead thanks to two of their substitutes. Harpal Singh dispossessed Danny Whitaker down the left hand side and crossed low for Chris Porter to turn in his tenth goal of the season from six yards.

Bury made sure of the win with pretty much the last kick of the match, when Whaley, making only his third start for the Shakers, was allowed to run 20 yards unchallenged before firing a low shot into the corner. But Barrow was quick to pay tribute to goalkeeper Glyn Garner, the Shakers' player of the year, who made three vital saves to keep the scoreline blank before Porter and Whaley struck.

The manager said: "Glyn Garner has justified his player of the season awards with some vital saves. I hope that next season those sorts of saves will become match-winning saves."

Garner twice made great stops to deny Jon Parkin in the first half, and was then quickly off his line to block out Paul Harsley after the break when the midfielder was clean through.

Barrow said afterwards: "I said six months ago that the only way we can succeed is if we all work together, and I think it showed at the end of the game that we are all together now. That's the way we have to be in August."

BURY FORM GUIDE

Garner 7, Unsworth 6, Cartledge 7, Woodthorpe 7, Barrass 6, Whaley 6, Flitcroft 6, Dunfield 5 (Singh 81), Kennedy 6, Seddon 5 (Porter 69, 7), Nugent 7 (O'Neill 87). Not used: Solly, Duxbury.

Referee: Mike Pike (Barrow-in-Furness)

Attendance: 3,569