THE Northern Alliance Cup Final day at Astley and Tyldesley's Gin Pit village track had just about everything.

The highs and lows of the emotional extremes, high drama and controversy. In short, it was just about the best cup final day ever.

The sun shone as Bury-Pedal Sport prepared for the action, but the drama started even before a wheel was turned.

As match time of 12 noon approached, the Bury junior team was incomplete. Ben Scranage arrived and reported a major delay near Little Hulton as a diversion petered out when the signs disappeared, leaving travellers in limbo. Robert Pearce was on his way, but lost.

A sporting gesture by the Sheffield team and the referee allowed an extra 15 minutes, but they were rapidly ticking away. With around two minutes to go, great relief as the team became complete and got ready to attempt to retain the trophy they have won for the last two years.

The match started well enough with Bury taking a comfortable lead 38-31 by heat seven, but Sheffield hit back strongly with 7-3 in the race before the interval.

If that race was a shock for Bury, the first after the re-start was a disaster with another maximum heat defeat and they were a point down for the first time in the match.

There still wasn't any hint of what was to follow, but a 6-4 to Sheffield, and an exclusion to the battling Tom Doyle, left Bury in a desperate situation -- four points down with two heats to go.

If heat 14 was lost it would all be over, but a 5-5 shared heat set up a nail-biting final heat.

Both teams had their best two riders on the grid. Simon Gamble and 'Johnno' Birks for Sheffield on inside starts. Robert Pearce and Ben Scranage knew that only first and second would do to save the day.

Amid loud encouragement from both sides, the first bend action was all important and it was the Bury contingent who cheered as the red and black clad 'newcomers' raced into the lead, and took command for the very tense four laps before the chequered flag was waved -- to great relief, 74-74.

What now? The only rule for a team tie-breaker was based on an 18-heat, eight-a-side match, but this was a 15-heat, six-a-side contest.

A discussion between league and club officials devised the remedy that the first three heats would be run again and again to decide a winner if still tied.

The first tie-breaker produced a 6-4 to each side and a 5-5, 89-89. The cheers rang out as Bury's Tom Doyle and Robert Pearce took 6-4 in the second group's first heat, then Scott Jarman and Ben Scranage won the next two races, the young partners ensuring they finished for the vital two points and two 5-5s, and Bury had done it -- 105-103 -- Northern Junior Cup winners three years in succession.

For Bury team manager, Pete Ward, it was even more special as only one other team, Stockport, had achieved the treble in 1987-8-9 and he was in charge -- a unique six-times winner.

For the record, the six Bury heroes of the day all had seven rides each. Ben Scranage unbeaten by an opponent 27+1 bonus point; Robert Pearce 25; Scott Jarman 24; Tom Doyle 15+2, including some incredible passes from the back; John Olijnyk 7; Mark Hollingsworth 7.

It might have been expected that the senior final would be something of an anti-climax but the new 28 heat, seven-team format produced some incredible racing, and more drama and controversy.

After the final 28th heat, the three lowest teams dropped out and the other four rode what amounted to an elongated four-heat final.

Bury had trailed Tameside by a handful of points throughout and, as the closing stages started, they were four points adrift with Sheffield and Heckmondwike well behind.

After two heats, Bury had incredibly drawn level, through brilliant wins by Fred Rothwell and Neil Howarth, and hopes were sky high for retaining the trophy won last year.

Their hopes were dashed when Paul Dyson was somewhat harshly excluded after a crash in a 50-50 situation. Tameside only needed to finish last in the final heat for victory, but anger was added to the day's emotions when Mark Rushby was "legged off" by an opponent (not the Tameside rider), leaving Bury depleted. No points from the last two races and eight-points loses, a flattering margin agreed by everyone.

Tameside 69; Bury 61; Sheffield 53; Heckmondwike 45; Astley and Tyldesley 31; Scotia 30; Hull 24.

Bury scorers: Neil Howarth 16, Mark Rushby 14, Paul Dyson 13, Ben Scranage 10, Fred Rothwell 8. (Reserve two-ride maximum).