Bury 1, Notts County 0

NOTTS County must have been laughing all the way down the M1 after this Worthington Cup first round first leg clash.

They had just been taken apart by a Bury side that created almost as many chances in 90 minutes than they did in a dozen Gigg Lane outings last season.

Yet Neil Warnock's men will kick off the second leg at Meadow Lane in a fortnight only one goal to the good - the very least they deserved for their evening's endeavours.

There was much to admire about the way the Shakers set about their task on Tuesday evening.

Attacking a fragile-looking County defence with frightening pace it seemed a goal would only be a matter of time in coming.

In the end it took 73 minutes to arrive but when it did it was something to savour.

In between time the Gigg Lane men hit the post three times through skipper Nick Daws, the rejuvenated Andy Preece and second half substitute Kemajl Avdiu but just when it looked like Lady Luck was about to give Bury the cold shoulder they grabbed the winner.

Daws followed up a superb block tackle in the centre circle by sending man-of-the-moment Ian Lawson scampering through on goal.

The speedy striker brushed off a challenge from Ian Richardson before unleashing a vicious low drive across Darren Ward, into the corner.

Lawson always looked the most likely to open the Shakers account and on the first two games of the season's showing there's plenty more to come.

"I could have had three or four goals in the first twenty minutes, but luckily we got one in the end, it could have looked dodgy for the second leg if we hadn't scored after having all that pressure," said Lawson, nicknamed "Sniffer" after Leeds' Allan Clarke by Warnock. "It's great to score two goals in my first two games and you just have to enjoy it because as a striker there are bad times as well as good.

"But Bury are a nice friendly club and I'm enjoying every minute of it the fans are great from what I've seen so far and it's good to get off on a good footing with them."

On the evidence of this ninety minutes the one goal advantage should be enough to put the Shakers through to the next round.

County looked second best in all departments until a late rally almost earned them a leveller they never deserved.

The old adage about one goal being never enough was almost brought home with a vengeance when Chris Swailes had to be on his mettle to clear a Richard Holmes effort off the line after the County player had rounded 'keeper Paddy Kenny.

But anything other than a Bury victory would have been a travesty and Warnock was well satisfied with the evening's endeavours of his side.

"That was another good training exercise for us," he said.

"Some of the lads, like Sam Collins and Chris Swailes, who has only played two games, are still needing matches so it's a good fitness thing.

"I said at half time that I was disappointed we let Burnley score in the first leg last season so it was pleasing to keep a clean sheet.

"Players are still getting to know each other and it's getting better."

And there was praise for Ian Lawson from the manager.

"Ian will always score goals, he always has since I first saw him as a 14-year-old.

"Nothing's changed he's just getting stronger and more confident, especially as the fans have taken to him."

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