BURY RUFC ... 24 HEATON MOOR RUFC... 7

BURY were pleased to welcome their old adversaries Heaton Moor and it somewhat ironic how closely the respective clubs fortunes have mirrored each other over the years.

In the sixties and seventies, both clubs aspired in those pre-league days to make the quantum leap from junior to senior club rugby, both nearly achieved their goals but failed for different reasons and now find themselves, at least for the short term, back in the lower junior ranks.

Bury could have gone behind after three minutes having conceded a penalty from thirty metres out but Heaton Moor failed to convert. The home side responded almost immediately and having won a line-out from seven metres out, hoofed the ball quickly upfield but a sloppy attempt at a one-handed pass with a three-man overlap begging saw the ball knocked forward and Heaton Moor were able to clear their lines from the resulting scrum.

Laughton then crossed the line for a converted try.

Ten minutes later, Bury were to add to their score after a sustained period of pressure from the Bury forwards and when a set-scrum changed to a maul as Heaton Moor were driven backwards hooker Sammy Kelly picked up and dived over in the corner, a good effort and a conversion went begging when the ball struck the upright.

Bury were now in the ascendence but were to concede points in the dying minutes of the half when, having moved the ball across field with an attempt to score in the far corner no advantage accrued to Heaton Moor from a previous off-side decision.

The quick tap penalty from the visitors caught Bury flat-footed and Heaton Moor narrowed the gap to five points with a converted try on the stroke of half-time.

Bury with only a narrow margin, after the re-start, as apart from the momentary blip before the turn it wasn't a question of if but by how many points.

I feel I must make comment on a piece of bizarre Bury tactical adjustments, taking a perfectly fit John Sheppy off the field and brought on Nick Smithson to replace Adam Laughton in the second row and move Laughton to inside-centre knowing full well he was by now carrying a leg injury.

Bury had on their side two first class players who can play anywhere in the three-quarter line in full-back Daryl Stott and Bernard Robinson the change was hard to understand.

Kelly was to add to his pervious score when after a good line-out taken cleanly by Kennedy he scampered over in the 20th minute fro a converted try.

Bury were totally dominant in the pack with prop Ian Marshall outstanding. Not withstanding the advantage it was into the third minute of extra-time when Bury were to wrap the match up.

Bury worked the ball into the right corner, Heaton Moor were adjudged off-side and after having taken a tap from the penalty worked the ball down the line and Laughton scored an unconverted try almost unopposed.

In conclusion, Bury have at last opened their league account, but they should have enjoyed a bigger margin, still it is a start on the right track, and after the debacle of the opening match against De La Salle the improvement is obvious.

The coaching team of John Hargreaves and Frank James, though struggling for players in certain key positions they at least have addressed the basic requirement of the modern game. All the players are definitely fitter than I remember for several years.

TEAM: Marshall, Kelly, Roberts, Kennedy, Laughton, Westwood, Lyndsey-Smith, Robinson, Elliott, Chester, L McDougall, McGarraghy, C Wardle, Sheppy, Stott. Replacements: Smithson (46).