Old Boys scupper Ammies

ANOTHER top of the table clash faced Radcliffe Amateurs at the weekend when they took on second-placed Bury GSOB at Outwood Road.

It was not the result that Amateurs hoped for as they went down by a single goal in an entertaining and competitive game.

Radcliffe, still riding high after last week's 6-1 victory, were again ready for a thrilling game and that's how it started with Gary Andrew driving in a 30-yard shot that brought a good save from the Bury keeper.

Early efforts from Danny English and Shaun Scully also tested the visiting keeper, but he was always in a position to stop their advances.

Both teams were playing good, competitive football and when Bury were attacking the Radcliffe goal it brought the best out of Gugniewicz, Maffia and Stevens in the Amateurs' defence.

In midfield, Dalton was having to work hard along with Wilkinson to create opportunities for front men Scully and Isherwood.

Scully had chances of scoring, but again the visiting keeper proved to be a big stumbling block for Scully to get past. Bury had come to get a win and that became evident by their approach to the game. Their defence was solid and hard-tackling and they were making it extremely difficult for Radcliffe to get through.

After 35 minutes Bury made the breakthrough. A goalmouth scramble that Radcliffe were unable to deal with led to three shots being blocked at close range, but the fourth effort found its way into the back of the net to put them one up. They celebrated as if they had won the championship, a measure of the respect Radcliffe have been commanding this season.

Amateurs now had to buckle down and so they did. They looked more composed as Scott Hannah began to make runs out of defence and frighten the visitors' defence with his dribbling ability and pin-point passing to Isherwood and Scully, but Radcliffe's final efforts were all stopped by the solid Bury defence.

Hannah was also kept busy in his own defence and was on hand to clear a shot from Bury of his own goal line. Dalton and Andrew were now commanding the midfield with good, strong tackling and excellent distribution of the ball to the front men. Isherwood almost scored from an Andrew pass, but saw his shot go just wide of the post.

Amateurs were unlucky not to draw level just before the break when Hannah had a strong header cleared off the line by the Bury defence. As the ball came out it was met by English who was unfortunately blasted the ball high and wide of the Bury goal.

With no personnel changes after the break, both teams came out attacking, but it was Bury who had the best chances and, if not for good defending by Wilkinson and Stevens, they might have extended their lead.

At the other end Isherwood was making good runs up the wing and on one occasion fired in a great cross which Scully met with his head, but put the ball wide of the post.

Hannah then saw a great, curling shot pushed away by the Bury keeper for a corner. Now Bury resumed their attacking and began to keep Radcliffe goalie Mike Morris busy.

Morris managed to stave off the attacks with the help of Maffia and Stevens, who were always on hand to clear up any loose balls.

At the other end, Radcliffe searched for the equaliser with Andrew shooting just wide, Dalton kicking over the crossbar and Isherwood having a shot well saved by the keeper.

With 15 minutes to go Dalton picked up an injury and was replaced by Brett Hannah as Radcliffe pushed another man up front in a further effort to get equal, but shots again from Isherwood and Scully did not find the back of the Bury goal.

With only seven minutes left, Gary Andrew must have thought he had got the equaliser when his powerful header went goalwards, but somehow the Bury keeper plucked the ball out of the air to disappoint Andrew once again.

Radcliffe had a late scare when Maffia uncharacteristically played a long ball square across his defence. It was met by a Bury forward who, fortunately for Radcliffe, shot wide of Morris's goal.

Mossop came on in the final five minutes in an effort to get a goal for Amateurs, but it was too late and as the final whistle blew it left Radcliffe's lead at the top of the Premiership down to six points as Bury closed in on them.

RADCLIFFE AMATEURS: Morris; Stevens (c); Gugniewicz; Maffia; Hannah(S); English; Dalton; Andrew; Wilkinson; Isherwood; Scully. Subs: Mossop; Tuke; Hannah(B).

Radcliffe's second team managed a 2-2 draw with Bury GSOB's seconds in an exciting game where the in-form O'Sullivan scored one for Radcliffe and Sharpe the other.

The thirds were less fortunate and went down 1-0 to Thornleigh.