BURY RUFC...9 BURNLEY...0: WHILE sartorially outmatched by the opposition, who to a man dressed in club jacket and tie, it was Bury who ultimately showed that substance over appearance is what matters.

The home side started at a gallop, and were threatening the opposition in the first minute with Ben McDermott unfortunate not to score when he knocked the ball forward with the line at his mercy.

There was a blow on 15 minutes when the services of Paul McGarraghy were lost after he suffered a serious ankle injury and was later taken to hospital.

Bury continued with 14 men while his injury was being assessed, but when the extent became apparent, prop Tattersall was brought on and the side re-structured.

When the two teams clashed before Christmas, Bury won by the narrow margin of two points. They had problems with the blind side wing forward that game, and he proved a thorn in their collective sides this game.

With his side Burnley penalised for handling on the floor, he saw fit to stamp on McDermott's head. But when the Bury player retaliated the referee decided to reverse the penalty, to everyone's amazement.

In the 32nd minute the home side were offered a shot at goal from 30 metres, but unfortunately it was missed. Nine minutes later, however, Smith was successful from 20 metres head-on to the sticks, and narrowly missed from 40 metres in added time. giving rhe home side a three point interval lead .

Bury resumed after the interval with the enthusiasm that they showed in the first period, and a couple of superb moves, combining both the three-quarters and back row, were unlucky to go unrewarded.

Second row Smithson covered 50 metres, only to get stopped 15 metres short of the line, and minutes later linking with Jason Smythe, Bernard Robinson stamped his authority on the game, with two Smith penalties due reward for the effort.

Adam Laughton scored what appeared to be a perfectly good try near the end, but the official disallowed it for being held up.

Bury's victory was based on two simple premises: take the kicks for goal when offered, and tackle anything and everything in an opposition shirt, irrespective of size,

Both full-back Mike Livesey weighing perhaps 12 stone on a good day, and wing Liam McDougal 42 years young, did just that.

Elsewhere young hooker John Sheppey continues to impress, while captain John Westwood, particularly in the second half, led by example.

BURY: Holland, Sheppey, Smythe, Laughton, Smithson, Westwood, McDermott, Robinson, Smith-Webb, McGarraghy, Fielding, Elliott, McDougall, Livesey. Replacements: Smythe (for McGarraghy, 15).