BRISTOL CITY 4 BURY 1

HOWEVER inaccurate the referee's watch was on Saturday it shouldn't mask the truth.

Bury were beaten by a better side and the scoreline was a fair reflection.

Shakers boss Andy Preece was fuming afterwards because the referee played approximately four minutes injury time at the end of the first half when the fourth official had clearly indicated two.

During that "illegal" period, Bristol got a vital breakthrough to go in at the break a goal to the good.

"It is annoying because people's jobs depend on results," said Preece, who tried to speak to the officials after the game but found they'd already left the stadium.

"The ref will probably go home tonight, have a beer, watch the TV and have a laugh but I'm not laughing. This type of thing isn't funny. If we'd gone in 0-0 at the break we would have been 1-0 up when we scored and it would have been a different match.

"But if I tell you what I feel about the referee I'll get fined so I can't say too much."

Preece was right to be annoyed but he should also accept that, on the day, Bristol were simply, for want of a more meaningful prase, miles better.

Proving that they are well worth their record of 14 matches without defeat, they ran the show from start to finish and could have doubled their final score.

In wing back Scott Murray they have a fantastic talent and he tormented Bury's Dean Barrick along with the rest of the Shakers defence from start to finish. Excellent too was Brian Tinnion, who pulled the strings in midfield.

The home side played with great speed and used the flanks effectively, pulling Bury apart with the swiftness of their moves and their crisp passing. It was a delight to watch and they looked - as a Port Vale scout sitting near us agreed - the best side in the second division.

Willingly

Bury battled hard. New boy Andy Smith ran willingly all afternoon but he had no service and was chasing his own flick ons. His frustration showed in the second half when he was somewhat harshly booked for not so much kicking the ball away as trundling ti along the floor about five yards - something the referee is obviously strict on.

Danny Swailes was another plus point for the Shakers. The youngster started at the back and pushed up front as the game wore on and the scoreline became worse, but wherever he went he was impressive, constantly up for the battle and showing occasional pieces of skill that gives hope for the future.

That said, there was little else to cheer about.

And it was a wonder that Bury held out so long.

A sign of things to come came on 15 minutes when Murray outpaced Barrick but had his shot smothered by Kenny.

Barrick again lost his man in the 38th minute but made amends by clearing Murray's chip over Kenny off the line.

As Preece admitted afterwards, Bury were battered for the first 45 minutes and, regardless of how much time the ref did or didn't add on, the goal when it came was fully deserved. It arrived from a Murray corner, defender Louis Carey rising unchallenged to head firmly past Kenny.

Amazingly Bury bounced back within four minutes of the restart and it came out of absolutely nothing.

Steve Redmond hurled a free kick into the box, Danny Swailes challenged and Paul Reid found the back of the net with a cross cum shot from 18 yards out.

However, this might not have been a wise idea because it appeared to annoy the home team and the remaining 40 minutes were painful to watch.

Within two minutes top scorer Tony Thorpe latched onto a Murray cross, swivelled past Chris Swailes with ease in the box and fired low past Kenny to claim his 12th goal of the season.

Chris Swailes did hit the bar with a header on 64 minutes but apart from that it was all Bristol.

Thorpe was denied superbly by Kenny and midfielder Aaron Brown also failed to beat the Bury keeper, who was again in inspired form and had no chance with any of the goals.

Bristol made it 3-1 on 72 minutes, Murray causing havoc again down the right and Simon Clist poking the ball hoem from close range.

The Shakers made three changes, throwing strikers Adrian Littlejohn, Paul Barnes and Lutel James into the fray, but it didn't alter the course of the match.

Capping

The home team deservedly made it four on the stroke of full time, Murray capping off an excellent display by running from the half way line past three static Bury defenders and shooting past poor Kenny. Even the away fans - or what was left of them - were applauding that one.

When the ref blew the Shakers fans thought their torture had ended but it wasn't to be. When things couldn't get worse, the Wurzels - famous for their ultra-appalling 1970s hit "I've got a Brand New Combine Harvester" - blasted out of the PA system.

"We've had a chat in the dressing room and people have had their say but now is the time for us to stick together," added Preece. "I knew this wasn't going to be an easy job when I took it on and that's why I didn't get carried away when we were second from top.

"If these results carry on it will come down to me and I know that."