BURY 14 - BURNAGE 10

THE legacy of the mixed summer contributed to the game in so much as the underfoot conditions of the pitch at Bury's Radcliffe Road ground were the best to have been enjoyed for 10 years

It is perhaps a pity that pre-season training is in no way a substitute for actual match conditions and neither side particularly stamped their name on the game for the first quarter of the match. As the ring rustiness subsided Burnage were the more dangerous and it was only a combination of missed final passes and other small ineptitudes which denied them scoring tries on at least two occasions.

Rather against the run of play, Bury were to open the scoring after 30 minutes when Burnage were adjudged to have gone over at the ruck, and Ian Webb converted from 30 metres. This obviously goaded Burnage into increased effort and following a succession of rucks and mauls driving to the Bury line they were able to release the right wing to score a try in the corner.

The scorer had previously replaced the recognised Burnage winger who was injured and for a back row forward, playing out of position, he did well to take the opportunity.

Past captain Sammy Kelly, occupying the unusual berth of scrum half, was having an excelent game, making uop for what he might lack in length of pass by his usual burrowing and aggressiveness more associated with a player who normally hooks.

This was demonstrated when he robbed the Burnage scrum half from the back of the set piece, brushed him aside, and attempted to release veteran back row forward Martin Freschini who uncharacteristically knocked the ball forward and Burnage, benefiting from the advantage, fly-hacked to the Bury line and good backing up allowed them to gather and score, this time to the left of the posts. The try was unconverted and gave them a lead of seven points at the interval.

There were times some three or four years ago when the Bury side might have collapsed at this point but there is a spirit in the side, even though lacking some luminaries this week, which allows them to raise their game and the second half was to demonstrate this admirably.

Stand-off half Ian Webb was having an excellent game, punishing the Burnage side with some wonderful line kicking, and it seemed almost ineviable that Bury would profit from the territorial advantage that they were slowly accruing.

However, experience can very often compensate for youth and flanker, Freschini, corner flagging, saved a certain try when tackling a Burnage player in the act of going over the line and flicked him onto his back in order that he could not ground the ball. Pure class.

One of the unsung heroes of the back row, John Westwood, showed an awareness which is not usually associated with forwards, when Bury were awarded a penalty some 30 metres out. He seized the ball, played it quickly through the mark and fed Ian Webb who scored an unconverted try.

Bury were now within two points of the Burnage tally and any single score would give them victory.

At the end of the third quarter the Burnage tight-head prop was adjudged to have gone over the maul and interfered with the ball and from 30 metres out and 10 to the right of the posts, Webb did the honours with the conversion and Bury had edged into the lead by the narrow margin of one point with 20 minutes of the match remaining.

To their credit the Burnage side did not capitulate and hammered away at the Bury line and indeed they were unfortunate not to score in the 30th minute of the second period. With the line at their mercy the last pass was forward and Bury, having won the resulting scrum, were able to clear their line.

In a good exercise of captaincy, Martin Freschini and Bernard Robinson switched positions, with Freschini going to centre and Robinson into the back row to introduce fresh legs to cover the flanks.

For the last 10 minutes of the game Bury continued pressurising the Burnage line and on one occasion, when Webb was stopped 2 metres out, they managed to release to Robinson. When he in turn was held and attempted a pass, Burnage were able to intercept and relieve the pressure by kicking down field.

Bury's last push to consolidate their lead was a penalty for offside some 30 metres in front of the posts when Burnage were judged to be off-side at the ruck and Webb hammered the final nail into the coffin of the gallant visitors.

In what would not be considered to be a recognised first team, special mention must be given to Mark Fielding at wing who, having recovered from injuries sustained last season, demonstrated to all present just how fast he is when fully fit. And debutant centre Matt Fawcett's crunching style of crash centre play gave a dimension to the three-quarters which has been recently lacking. It would be unfair to single out any other players, and suffice it to say that none played under expectation and the victory was well deserved.

BURY: Smythe, Whitehead, McCloud, Huxley, Smith, Westwood, Kennedy, Freschini, Kelly, Webb, Fielding, Robinson, Fawcett, Lovgreen, Boyd, Sub: Stokes.

Tomorrow Bury visit Blackley, home of North Manchester, in the first round of the Northern Division National Junior Cup. Kick off 3pm