Hartlepool Utd 0 Bury 0

by Phil Thorp

UNPREDICTABLE Shakers fully deserved their hard-earned point from the Third Division's runaway leaders last night.

Andy Preece's side made a mockery of the miserable performance against Bristol Rovers earlier in the week to jump back into an automatic promotion place.

It was a gutsy well-organised display from the Shakers who went closest to scoring when the home side's Tommy Widdrington headed a Lee Unsworth cross against his own bar ten minutes before the interval.

The chance arrived at the end of the best move of the match and had Bury nicked all three points no-one could have complained.

The home side - smarting from a 3-0 defeat at Lincoln in midweek - opened strongly and ripped into the Shakers in a frantic ten minutes.

But gradually the Gigg Lane men steadied the ship and began to ask some questions themselves.

Preece went with a three man forward line - a brave move against the side with the best home record in the division - and all three Jon Newby, David Nugent and Colin Cramb worked their socks off for the cause.

But it was the defensive trio of Steve Redmond, Colin Woodthorpe and skipper Michael Nelson who were the real heroes.

They refused to give the home forwards a look in and Glyn Garner in the Bury goal only had one shot to save, a first half effort from Adam Boyd that he easily pushed over the bar.

With Martyn Forrest restored to the team after a few months out and George Clegg partnering him in midfield Hartlepool weren't allowed to play the neat football that has been their trademark this season.

And Bury even had a good call for a penalty turned down when a Newby cross was clearly intercepted by the arm of Pools' skipper Mickey Barron but the referee judged the ball to have hit his chest.

A floodlight failure at half time was a cause for concern but the leaders could not put the lights out on the Shakers who took control for long periods of the second half.

Cramb curled an effort wide of the post when he'd have been better letting the ball run for Forrest, who was in the clear while an overhead kick by Nugent flashed across the face of goal as Bury went for a winner.

The home side briefly rallied when popular striker Gordon Watson came off the bench in the dying minutes for his first appearance since breaking his leg earlier in the season.

But resolute defending meant there was to be no fairytale ending for the former Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton striker although his appearance raised the biggest cheer of the night.

Shakers boss Preece was well pleased with his side's endeavours.

"It was a good performance and I was delighted with the way we bounced back," he said. "I don't think I could have asked any more from the players. We worked hard as a team and when we do that we are a match for anyone in this league.

"We had to stand up and be counted in the first few minutes and they really had a go at us but we were strong and stood up to the pressure well.

"I thought it was a good shout for the handball. Jon Newby was pretty sure the lad's arm was away from his body.

"But we've had a few of those this season, maybe we will get one when we really need it!"

FORMGUIDE: Garner 8, Stuart 8, Nelson 9, Unsworth 8, Forrest 7, Nugent 7, Clegg 7, Redmond 9, Cramb 7 (Preece, 78), Woodthorpe 9, Newby 8. Subs not used: Swailes, Dunfield, O'Shaughnessy and Porter.

Referee: Mike Cooper (W. Midlands)

Attendance: 5,734