Wrexham 1 Bury 0

Don't panic! That's the message to Shakers fans after Bury's bright start to the season was interrupted by a narrow defeat at the Racecourse last Saturday (August 14).

Undefeated in six pre-season games followed by victories in the League opener against Gillingham and the Worthington Cup against Notts County, Bury looked set for a season of rich promise.

The quality of their play in those two openers justified that early optimism - all that was needed to back it up was goals - and plenty of them.

The Shakers should have had a bagful against Notts County, but came away with only one.

Against Wrexham the chances didn't flow quite as freely and a draw would have left the vast majority of the travelling support happy.

If the truth be told though, despite another performance oozing with quality and control, Wrexham would have been justified in using the age old claim of "We wuz robbed" if Bury had gone back across the border with even a draw under their belts.

Shakers manager Neil Warnock went for safety first and instead of sticking with his winning 4-4-2 formula, drafted in an extra defender in Paul Williams at the expense of right winger Lutel James.

That left the onus on Adrian Littlejohn as far as the main supply line to strikers Ian Lawson and Andy Preece was concerned. He didn't let them down, turning in another lively performance that earned him star billing. Not a bad effort when you consider skipper Nicky Daws and centre backs Sam Collins and Chris Swailes also shone again.

But the lack of that second winger told and neither Paul Reid, pushed up into midfield, or Williams, who slotted in at left back, could provide more than an intermittent service to the front men.

And while Bury looked good, both on and off the ball, Wrexham, when they were in possession, looked that much sharper and that more hungry for the win.

After two defeats in their opening games, albeit both away from home, the Welshmen were desperate to get a win under their belts, particularly in front of their own partisan fans.

Even so it was Bury who almost drew first blood when Preece, returning to his first club, headed just wide of the near post from a Littlejohn cross. Wrexham stepped up the pace as the half went on and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 35th minute.

Goalkeeper Paddy Kenny went to gather the ball on the right hand side of the penalty area, but in an incredible mix-up, he was left grounded as Stevens skipped round him and a couple of other defenders before rifling the ball in from a tricky angle.

Not surprisingly, Bury took up the challenge, forcing four corners in quick succession on the half hour mark. But all they could manage in terms of goal chances were tame efforts from Andy Woodward, Darren Bullock and Ian Lawson.

In sharp contrast, Kenny was forced to punch a Gareth Owen corner out from under the bar as Wrexham continued to look dangerous.

Wrexham skipper Brian Carey's 74th minute dismissal should have been the key point of the second half, but quite frankly it made little difference as Bury huffed and puffed around the Wrexham half of the field in a vain bid for an equaliser.

Lawson went closest with a flashing header and, earlier, after beating Carey on the dead ball line and swerving a shot just wide of the far post. Carey deserved to go for tugging Lawson back by his shirt sleeve after he broke through on goal on the left. But whether Bury would have deserved a point had Lawson scored is open to debate.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.