Bury 20 Windermere 3

ONLY two options faced Bury in this play-off match, promotion to North Lancs/Cumbria or lose and spend another season in what is, effectively, the Greater Manchester division.

Bury scored after only two minutes when, following a 15-metre driving maul, prop forward Jason Smythe rolled off the fringe to score. Stand off Ian Webb added the conversion.

Windermere were not a soft touch and for the first time this season the Bury set scrum found itself in retreat. However, some technical adjustments and better fitness saw Bury regain the advantage in the second period.

The visitors scored what turned out to be their only points with a penalty kick from 15 metres when Bury were adjudged to have killed the ball.

The scoreline flatters Windermere, Bury scored what looked like three perfectly good tries, only to have them disallowed by the referee.

Notwithstanding this, Bury added to their score in the 28th minute with a penalty from Webb. The best score of the match was in the last minute of the first period. Bury had secured a lineout seven metres from the opposition line, hooker Darren Whitehead threw inch perfect to Kennedy, who fed the ever-present Smythe on the peel to score his second try as a 30th birthday present. Webb added the conversion and Bury turned 14 points to the good.

The second half, though entertaining for the purist, did not provide open, fluent play for obvious reasons. Windermere recognising that they were totally outclassed in the threequarters, played it tight down the fringes and Bury, who are an excellent defensive side, shut them down completely.

Scrum half Glyn Smith retired with a broken forearm and wing Mike Livesey took up his position. Substitute Rob Wardle took over his wing slot.

Bury's only reward in the second half was a penalty from Ian Webb head on for the posts.

Bury upped the tempo in the last ten minutes, replacing Smythe with Rick Roberts and centre Peter Stokes stood down to allow past captain and chairman Martin Freschini a last chance to round off a career in what he assures us is his last first team appearance.

A great end to a season that started indifferently, but finished at a level not seen for years. The two matches against Heaton Moor provided the high points.

Commiserations to Windermere who were well supported and were as charitable in defeat as they had been at the pre-match reception.

Next season will be tough, with teams such as Rossendale, De La Salle and Tyldesley to contend with, plus the unknowns from the Cumbrian division.

This season's coach Dave Wadsworth has yet to commit himself, but John Westwood continues as captain, supported by Matt Fawcett.

BURY: Marshall, Whitehead, Smythe, Kennedy, Smithson, Westwood (c), Fawcett, Robinson, Smith, Webb, Livesey, Leeming, Stokes, Fielding, Boyd. Replacements: Wardle (for Smith 50 mins), Freschini (for Stokes 70 mins), Roberts (for Smythe 70 mins).