BURY visited the Didsbury home of Old Bedians on a fine, sunny day, but the underfoot conditions were soft with sticky, cloying mud and the key to the game would be those who could handle, and keep, their feet writes MIKE JONES.

Bury scored immediately from the kick-off when the Old Bedians receiver was tackled, failed to release and Keith Webb converted from 30 metres.

The home side were to reply ten minutes later with an easy shot at goal from 20 metres when the Bury centres had encroached.

Bury failed to dominate for the first 20 minutes, but slowly gained confidence and their better rucking, mauling and handling started to tell.

Left wing Rob Wardle should have scored when a move started from 60 metres out by Livesey and Freschini saw Fawcett, with Wardle outside, take the opposition on, get tackled instead of releasing to his wing and the opportunity went begging.

Full back Webb gave Bury a three-point margin with a penalty from 20 metres when Bedians were penalised for blocking off the ball.

In the last nminutes of normal time, Bury scored the first of their three tries with a move started by Glyn Smith at scrum half with a diagoinal kick into the corner which the full back failed to clear and was forced to touchdown and concede the five-metre scrum.

Bury won the scrum, drove to three metres, Freschini at number eight picked up and scored, with Webb adding the conversion points. Bury restarted with a 10-point cushion and scored the second of their tries 12 minutes into the half. A slick handling move down the line saw right wing Darryl Stott brought down 30 metres from the line, but scrum half Livesey prised the ball out of the ruck, chipped over the advancing cover and touched down for a try.

The ever reliable Webb added the conversion from the touchline.

The home side's pack was now wilting visibly. The heavy conditions were ideal for Bury, who, though conceding an average of two stones per man in the pack, were fitter and faster.

Old Bedians only had one scoring opportunity in the whole of the second half.

With 20 minutes remaining, vice-captain Ian Webb, after a six-week absence through injury, replaced Wardle on the wing and immediately contributed by putting in a high line kick and was late tackled by the opposition.

Bury took the lineout option from the resulting penalty, won possession, Livesey fed Glyn Smith at outhalf, who missed out his inside centre to release Matt Fawcett, who, from 35 metres out, and riding three half-hearted tackles, scored, with Webb adding the conversion.

Bury made a late substitution when Steve Boyd replaced Stott and the last ten minutes of the game, though entertaining from Bury's point of view, yielded no more points.

In conclusion, after a falyering start, Bury had played the conditions better. A solid platform from the forwards in all aspects, backed up by resolute play from the threequarters, giving a well-deserved victory.

By popular acclaim endorsed by coach Dave Wadsworth, Man of the Match was Martin Freschini, back in his old stall at No. 8.

Bury now lie in second place in the league, four points behind leaders Fleetwood and two points clear of third-placed Trafford MV. Eccles have a game in hand, but lie three points behind Bury.

BURY: Smythe, Whitehead, Marshall, Roberts, Kennedy, Robinson, Freschini, Westwood (c), Livesey, Smith, Stott, Lawrence, Fawcett, Wardle, K Webb. Replacements: I Webb (for Wardle 60mins), Boyd (for Stott 68mins).

Tomorrow Bury entertain Didsbury Toc H at the Radcliffe Road ground (kick-off 2.30pm).