Bury FC: Derby joy for Shakers

IT doesn't get much better than this!

Revenge for a drubbing, three vital points against relegation, a first home win for over four months all on national television and against deadly derby rivals - what a night!

The pre-match script, which had Bolton's artists near certainties to turn over Bury's plucky artisans and send them a massive step nearer Division Two, was ripped up and scattered to the winds as Neil Warnock's men showed the kind of fighting spirit that bosses of their drop zone rivals can only dream of.

From one to eleven there were white-shirted heroes all over the park as the traumatic 4-0 mauling at the Reebok back in November became a distant memory.

That result had clearly stung the players just as much as the fans and they were never going to allow a repetition on this St George's Day to remember.

"We knew we had to battle," said Shakers' keeper and man-of-the-match Dean Kiely after the game.

"They are the big boys up the road, with everthing laid on for them, but we knew if we got in their faces and competed we had a chance and that's just what we did."

In a nutshell the Wanderers' just didn't have the wherewithal to match a side that seems to be relishing the fight for First Division survival and they were left still searching for their first league win at Gigg Lane since 1929.

True enough their slick, incisive passing style caught the eye on a number of occasions but time after time it fell apart when confronted by Chris Lucketti and Chris Swailes who were giants at the centre of the Shakers' back line.

And on the odd occasion they did breach the Bury rearguard the profligate Wanderers either failed to hit the target or found Kiely in unbeatable form despite wet, skiddy conditions that made it a horrendous night for goalkeepers.

Quality balls into the Bolton box were a constant cause of concern to the Trotters' rocky rearguard and it's no surprise that both Bury's goals arrived that way. As early as they third minute a Nicky Daws cross from the right almost got Dean West in but frustratingly the ball just wouldn't fall for the Bury man and the danger was cleared.

At the other end Kiely was called into serious action in the 17th minute when Danish World Cup star Per Frandsen worked his way into the box and fired in a powerful drive that the Eire B international palmed away for a corner.

Without both first choice strikers Derek Lilley and Paul Barnes in the starting line-up Warnock paired Andy Preece with leading scorer Laurent D'Jaffo and both put in impressive performances.

They consistently won more than their fair share of high balls over South African international Mark Fish and Andy Todd and ran themselves into the ground for the cause.

In the 28th minute Daws sent D'Jaffo racing through on goal but his shot on the run was blocked by Neil Cox for a corner.

Two minutes later the Shakers crucially broke the deadlock when Carl Serrant's right wing cross was only weakly punched clear by Banks, under pressure from the impressive Darren Bullock, and West was on hand to fire home low past Fish on the line.

While the highly-rated Banks will have been disappointed with his attempted clearance he will no doubt point to a notable absence of protection from his defenders, an occurrence that accounted for the Shakers second goal in first half stoppage time.

A right wing run by D'Jaffo was abruptly ended by a foul by Cox and when Nick Daws' firmly struck free-kick was delivered into the danger zone Swailes reacted first to powerfully head down past a bemused Banks.

It was the big defender's third goal of the campaign and the Shakers still haven't been defeated when he's been on the scoresheet.

"That must be my the most vital I've scored and it makes me third leading scorer at the club," said Swailes.

"It was vital we got the three points but everyone in the team won their personal battles and Dean pulled off some superb saves. "We know we've still got a hard task ahead of us but this result will do us a world of good!"

As might have been expected Bolton enjoyed the lions share of possession in the second period but never looked capable of breaking down a resolute Shakers rearguard that defended as though their lives depended on it.

Highlight of the half was a marvellous double save from Kiely who palmed away a fizzing free-kick from Jensen, then when Ricardo Gardner's cross found Bob Taylor, the Shakers' custodian recovered quickly to block the second attempt.

When Kiely was eventually beaten in the second minute of injury time it was a wicked deflection off Swailes that diverted Cox's 20-yard effort past him.

And the only downer on a great night for the Bury keeper was a booking after he clashed with the Wanderers goalscorer when both raced into the back of the net to claim the ball.

However even that was soon forgotten with a smile and a handshake when the whistle went a minute later.

Delighted Shakers boss Neil Warnock understandably had nothing but praise for his battling charges: "On paper we didn't stand a chance against Bolton with their £1 million players but sometimes it's what's under your shirt that matters," he said.

"Anybody who saw that performance would have to be impressed because we've had to work four times harder than them.

"All you can ask for is commitment and we've rolled our sleeves up and tried to go out with a bang.

"We tried to do it against Sunderland but made mistakes at the back but this time we were magnificent throughout the team and I'm proud of them."

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